JPH0345792B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrophoresis apparatus particularly suitable for creating electrophoresis patterns of serum proteins.

Configuration of conventional examples and their problems For the purpose of human health management, it is common practice to create electrophoretic patterns of serum proteins. In this case, as shown in FIG. 1, a serum sample 2 is applied onto a sample support sheet 1 made of a cellulose acetate membrane or the like and subjected to electrophoresis.
Through this process, the serum sample 2 is expanded to a length of 15 to 50 mm, and a striped latent image is generated depending on the protein content of the serum sample. This latent image becomes a colored striped pattern as shown in Fig. 2 by the selective staining process performed next, and by analyzing the density distribution of this striped pattern 3, the quality of the serum sample is determined. Ru.

Such an apparatus for electrophoretic processing is configured as shown in FIG. 3, for example. The internal space of the treatment tank 4 is watertightly partitioned by first and second partition plates 5a and 5b, and the first water absorbing sheet 6a hanging down from the top of the first partition plate 5a is connected to a first liquid reservoir 7a.
The second water-absorbing sheet 6b hanging down from the top of the second partition plate 5b sucks up the buffer solution 8b in the second reservoir 7b. For this reason,
First and second water-absorbing sheets 6 are arranged so as to span the top of the first partition 5a and the top of the second partition 5b.
The specimen support sheet 1 placed on the surfaces a and 6b contains a buffer solution and is kept in a wet state. Reference numerals 9a and 9b indicate first and second electrodes made of platinum wire provided in the first and second liquid reservoirs 7a and 7b.

To create an electrophoretic pattern of serum proteins using the apparatus configured as described above, first, the serum sample 2 is applied dropwise onto the surface of the sample support sheet 1, and then the first and second electrodes 9a, An appropriate DC voltage may be applied for a predetermined period of time using 9b as both electrodes. As a result, the above-mentioned latent image is obtained. Next, the specimen support sheet 1 taken out from the processing tank 4 is subjected to a selective staining process, while a new specimen support sheet is installed in the processing tank 4, and the next electrophoresis is carried out. Apply processing.

Incidentally, although the work of sequentially dropping and applying the serum specimen 2 onto the surface of the specimen support sheet 1 can be performed automatically by a known automatic mechanism, the work of taking the specimen support sheet 1 out of the processing tank 4 must be done manually. I was entrusted with it. This has been a factor hindering improvements in inspection accuracy and efficiency.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrophoresis apparatus that can automatically take out a specimen support sheet out of a processing tank by using an existing automatic movement mechanism. be.

Structure of the Invention The electrophoresis apparatus according to the present invention includes a movable arm that reciprocates between at least a sample storage section and an electrophoresis processing section, and a pair of chucks that are suspended from the movable arm by respective wires so as to be able to rise and fall freely. and a pair of chuck controllers provided in the processing tank of the electrophoresis processing section. The pair of chucks each include a lifting platform having a pair of tongue-shaped portions on opposing front edges, and a mover rotatably connected to the lifting platform via a support shaft and connected to the wire. The movable element has a pair of tongue-shaped parts on its front edge that overlap the pair of tongue-shaped parts and sandwich the specimen support sheet by the rotation, and has a rear edge that projects rearward. The chuck controller engages with the rear edge of the movable element when it is descending to rotate the movable element, but does not rotate itself by engaging with the movable element when it is ascending. It has a movable piece that moves and returns naturally, and this will be explained in detail below together with the embodiments shown in the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS In FIG. 4, a rotating shaft 1 with a non-circular cross section is located in front of an electric control unit 10 that has a built-in timer, etc.
A rotary shaft 11 and wheels 12 slidably fitted therein receive rotational power from a first step motor 13 and rotate. Further, a movable arm 15 is slidably supported on a fixed shaft 14 arranged in parallel with the rotary shaft, and the movable arm 15 receives rotational power from a second step motor 16 and moves in the left-right direction (X direction).

Head holder 1 provided on movable arm 15
7 moves in the front-back direction (Y direction) as the wire 19 stretched between the wheels 12 and 18 moves. Further, when the third step motor 20 rotates, the rotary shaft 21 rotates and the head 22 supported by the head holder 17 so as to be movable in the vertical direction (Z direction) moves in the Z direction. To explain this with reference to FIG.
The head holder 17 moves in the Y direction as the head holder moves.
has a tip that is constantly pushed up by spring pressure from a spring (not shown), and the base 34 of the head 22 is fixed to this tip. When the rotating shaft 21 rotates in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure, the leading edge of the lever plate 21a descends and pushes down the leading end of the head holder 17, so that the head 22 also descends.

Referring to FIG. 4, the fourth step motor 23
When the rotating shaft 24 rotates, a pair of chucks 25a for holding the sample support sheet, which are provided on the movable arm 15 so as to be able to rise and fall freely, rotate.
25b operates as described below.

Below the movement path of the movable arm 15 are a head cleaning section 26, a sample storage section 27, an electrophoresis processing section 2
8 and a selective staining section 29 are arranged in sequence, and the head cleaning section 26 has a recess 30 filled with pure water.
and a recess 31 containing a water-absorbing sheet, and the specimen storage section 27 has a number of recesses 32 for storing serum specimens.
a, 32b...32n.

As shown in FIG. 5, the head 22 consists of a sample application tongue 33 and a base 34 from which it is hung.
The sample application tongue piece 33 has a notch groove 3 for a liquid reservoir on its bottom surface.
5. Similar to the configuration disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 58-68657, the sample application tongue 33 has an upper half that is loosely engaged in the cavity of the base 34, and is suspended together with the base 34. Makes a lifting and lowering motion. The reason for the hanging structure is to stop the descending specimen application tongue 33 from further descending when it comes into contact with the bottom surface of the recess 31 of the specimen storage section 27. The notched groove 32 plays the role of a liquid reservoir during the process of holding and transporting the specimen in the recess 31. In addition, a water supply pipe and a drainage pipe (not shown) are connected to the processing tank 36 of the selective staining section 29 via valves, pumps, etc., and a door-type cover plate 37 is connected to a fifth step motor 38 and a drain pipe (not shown). It is designed to be automatically opened and closed by the operation of a connected opening and closing mechanism 39.

The configuration of the electrophoresis processing section 28 is basically the same as that shown in FIG. 3, so corresponding parts are given the same reference numerals. However, a pair of chuck controllers 40a and 40b are installed inside the opening edge of the processing tank 4.
are attached in the relationship shown in FIG. In addition, the processing tank 4 has a sliding glass lid plate 4.
1, and this cover plate 41 can be moved in parallel from the position of the processing tank 4 by a drive mechanism 43 coupled to a sixth step motor 42 and its rotating shaft. The drive mechanism 43 is composed of rubber rollers. The number of drive mechanisms 43 shown in FIG. 4 is one, but in reality, an appropriate number of pairs are installed.
A long glass lid plate 41 is slidably placed on top of the lid plate 41.

The chuck controller 40a is formed as shown in FIG. A movable piece 46 attached to the U-shaped frame 44 via a support shaft 45 is attached to the U-shaped frame 44.
Since it has a rear end edge 46a that comes into contact with the lower end edge of the front end edge 46b, it will not rotate even if a downward force is applied from above to the front end edge 46b. However, when a pushing up force is applied to the front edge 46b from below, it rotates as shown in FIG. 8, and when the pushing up force is released, it naturally returns to the state shown in FIG. 7 due to its own weight. The chuck controller 40b is constructed similarly to the chuck controller 40a, and the two are mounted so as to face each other.

On the other hand, the chuck 25a is constructed as shown in FIG. The lifting table 48, which moves in the Z direction by letting out or winding up the wire 47, has a pair of tongues 49a and 49b on its front edge, and a mover 51 attached to the lifting table 48 via a support shaft 50. has a pair of tongue-shaped portions 52a, 5 on its front edge.
2b. However, one end edge of the wire 47 loosely passes through the small hole 53 of the lifting table 48 and is coupled to the vicinity of the front edge of the movable element 51. Also, 1
The pair of tongues 52a and 52b are the pair of tongues 49.
A, 49b are formed so as to be able to overlap each other. The movable element 51 rotates about the support shaft 50 only when the rear end edge 51a is pushed up from below, and assumes the posture shown in FIG. 10. The chuck 25b is constructed similarly to the chuck 25a, and both chucks 25a and 25b are provided facing each other. Reference numeral 54 indicates a guide post.

When the electrophoresis process is completed, a certain amount of staining solution is injected into the processing tank 36 of the selective staining section 29 by a pump, and the lid plate 41 of the processing tank 4 is automatically opened as described above. Then, the pair of chucks 25a and 25b descend into the processing tank 4. The chuck 25a and chuck controller 40a operate as shown in FIGS. 11 to 13, and the chuck 25b and chuck controller 40b operate in exactly the same manner.
When the chuck 25a descends from the position shown in FIG. 11 and approaches the specimen support sheet 11 in the processing tank 4,
The tip edge 51a of the movable element 51 of the chuck 25a is the tip edge 46b of the movable piece 46 of the chuck controller 40a.
12 to rotate the movable element 51 as shown in FIG.
A and 52b are opened, and one edge of the specimen support sheet 1 enters there. And the tongue 49
When a and 49b come closer to the specimen support sheet 1, the engagement is released, so this is confirmed by a sensor (not shown) and the wire 47 is pulled up. As a result, one end edge of the specimen support sheet 1 becomes a chuck 25.
It will be held in place a and pulled up. During this lifting process, the chuck 25a comes into contact with the movable piece 46 of the chuck controller 40a again, but in this case, the movable piece 46 itself
Since it simply rotates and returns naturally as shown in Figure 3, there is no effect on the chuck 25a.

After the specimen support sheet 1 is lifted out of the processing tank 4 by the pair of chucks 5a and 25b in this manner, the lid plate 41 is automatically closed, and the lid of the processing tank 36 of the selective staining section 29 is closed. Plate 37 opens. Then, by moving the movable arm 15 in the X direction, the specimen support sheet 1 is moved onto the processing tank 36 of the selective staining section 29. Here a pair of chuck 25
a, 25b descend again and engage with a pair of chuck controllers 53a, 53b provided at the inner opening edge of the processing tank 36. Chuck controller 53
a, 53b are the aforementioned chuck controllers 40a, 4
It has the same structure as 0b (see FIGS. 7 and 8). For this reason, the chucks 25a, 25b
As the sample sheet 1 further descends, the sample sheet 1 shifts to the open state shown in FIG. Then, the pair of chucks 25a and 25b are pulled up by a signal from a sensor that confirms that the specimen support sheet 1 has fallen, and return to the next operating position as the movable arm 15 moves in the X direction.

After staining and decolorizing are performed in the processing tank 36 of the selective staining section 29, the liquid in the tank 36 is discharged, and the drying fan is rotated to dry the specimen support sheet.

1 provided in the processing tank 36 of the selective staining section 29
The pair of chuck controllers may be of any type as long as they can open the pair of chucks 25a, 25b that hold the sample support sheet 1, so that the pair of chuck controllers can be It may also be a simple fixed protrusion that can be engaged with.

Effects of the Invention Since the present invention is configured as described above, the processed sample support sheet installed in the processing tank in the electrophoresis processing section is automatically removed from the tank by using the existing automatic moving mechanism. This makes it possible to improve inspection accuracy and efficiency.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 is a plan view showing the relationship between the specimen support sheet and the serum specimen coated on the sheet, Figure 2 is a plan view showing the electrophoresis pattern of serum proteins, and Figure 3 is a diagram of the electrophoresis processing apparatus. 4 is a plan view of an electrophoresis device embodying the present invention; FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing the head of the device together with its mounting portion; and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing electrophoresis processing of the device. 7 and 8 are perspective views of the chuck controller of the same device, FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the chuck of the same device together with its mounting part, and FIG.
0 is a perspective view of the chuck of the same device, and FIGS. 11 to 13 are side views for explaining the operating mode of the chuck of the same device. 1... Specimen support sheet, 15... Movable arm, 25
a, 25b...chuck, 27...sample storage section, 28
...Electrophoresis processing section, 29...Selective staining processing section, 40
a, 40b...chuck controller, 46...movable piece, 4
8... Lifting platform, 51... Movable element.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A movable arm that reciprocates between at least the sample storage section and the electrophoresis processing section, and 1 that is suspended from the movable arm by respective wires so as to be able to rise and fall freely.
The chuck includes a pair of chucks and a pair of chuck controllers provided in the processing tank of the electrophoresis processing section, and each of the pair of chucks includes a lifting platform having a pair of tongue-shaped portions on opposing front edges. , a movable element rotatably connected to the elevating table via a support shaft and connected to the wire, and the movable element overlaps the pair of tongue-like parts by the rotation, and lifts the specimen support sheet. The chuck controller has a pair of tongue-like portions on the front end edge to be held in place and a rear end edge that projects rearward, and the chuck controller engages with the rear end edge of the movable element when it is lowered to move the movable element. 1. An electrophoresis device comprising a movable piece that rotates the movable element, but that itself rotates and returns naturally by engaging with the movable element when it is raised.