JP4877137B2 - Wiping mechanism for optical measuring device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical measurement apparatus that irradiates a trace liquid sample placed on a sample placement table and measures the transmitted light, and more particularly to a wiping mechanism for the liquid sample.

  In a spectrophotometer such as an ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer, when measuring transmission characteristics such as transmittance and absorbance of a liquid sample, it is common to use a square or cylindrical cuvette cell that accommodates the liquid sample. is there. However, in the biochemical field such as protein and DNA quantification, the amount of liquid sample to be analyzed is often very small, and the cuvette cell as described above cannot be used.

  Conventionally, a spectrophotometer ND-1000 sold by US Nanodrop Technologies Inc. is known as a first apparatus for spectroscopic measurement of a trace amount liquid sample (see Non-Patent Document 1). In this spectrophotometer, as shown in FIG. 13, a liquid sample 84 is vertically moved by a surface tension in a space between an upper side base 80 and a lower side base 82 which are vertically opposed to each other and separated by a predetermined distance. Crosslink and hold. In this state, the measurement light emitted from the light projecting optical fiber 81 provided in the upper base 80 is passed through the liquid sample 84 and received by the light receiving optical fiber 83 provided in the lower base 82 to perform spectroscopic measurement or the like. .

Further, as a second apparatus for performing spectroscopic measurement of a trace amount liquid sample, the present applicant provided a plurality of sample holding portions 92 near the outer periphery on a rotatable disk-shaped sample plate 91 as shown in FIG. An international patent application was filed for an optical measurement device for a trace liquid sample (international application number: PCT / JP06 / 307030). In this apparatus, first, a liquid sample is dropped onto the sample holder 92 at the sample supply position U1. Next, the sample plate 91 is rotated, and the sample holder 92 is moved to the measurement position U2. In this state, the transparent window plate 22 is lowered on the upper surface, and after measuring the optical path length, the transmitted light is measured. After completion of the measurement, the window plate 22 is raised, the sample holder 92 is moved from the measurement position U2 to the wiping position U3, and the liquid sample is absorbed and removed by the cleaning pad 93 provided there. Further, the liquid sample adhering to the lower surface of the window plate 22 is wiped off with a cleaning waste (not shown) separate from the cleaning pad 93 in a state where the window plate 22 is raised as described above.
“NanoDrop ND-1000 Overview”, NanoDrop Technologies, USA <http://www.nanodrop.com/nd-1000-overview.html>, [ Searched July 24, 2007]

  According to the first apparatus described above, when the measurement of the next sample is completed after the measurement of one sample is completed, the optical fiber end faces on both the light projecting side and the light receiving side are cleaned with a cleaning waste such as a paper waste (hereinafter referred to as a waste cloth). It is necessary to wipe it with a waste cloth. Since such an operation needs to be performed manually every time one sample measurement is completed, there is a problem that the cleaning operation takes time.

  According to the second apparatus, the sample plate 91 needs to be rotated, and the sample holder 92 and the window plate 22 need to be wiped with separate waste cloths. This complicates the mechanism and increases the number of parts.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a wiping mechanism capable of quickly and efficiently wiping a liquid sample in an optical measurement apparatus for a small amount of liquid sample. .

The wiping mechanism for an optical measuring device according to the present invention, which has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, holds the liquid sample between the two light transmission surfaces by bringing them close to each other, and transmits the liquid sample. In the optical measurement device that separates the two light transmission surfaces after the measurement is completed, a mechanism for wiping the liquid sample adhering to the both light transmission surfaces,
A support part to which a cleaning waste cloth for wiping off the liquid sample is attached to the upper and lower surfaces;
Moving means for moving the support part between the light transmission surfaces and the outside;
After the measurement is completed, after the support portion is moved between the two light transmission surfaces, the two light transmission surfaces are brought close to each other and the two light transmission surfaces are brought into contact with the cleaning waste.
It is characterized by providing.

  In the wiping mechanism for an optical measuring device according to the present invention, the liquid sample is placed by placing the support portion between the two light transmission surfaces in a state where the two light transmission surfaces are separated, and bringing the both light transmission surfaces close to each other. The two light-transmitting surfaces that adhere are in contact with the upper and lower surfaces of the support portion. In this state, the liquid sample adhering to both light transmission surfaces can be wiped off simultaneously by moving the support part from between the light transmission surfaces.

  Hereinafter, an optical measurement apparatus for a trace amount liquid sample having a liquid sample wiping mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an optical measuring device for a trace amount liquid sample according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state of the liquid sample at the time of measurement.

  In FIG. 1, a support column 15 is erected vertically on a base 13, and a sample stage 10 that extends substantially horizontally from an intermediate position thereof is installed. The sample stage 10 is provided with a hole for allowing measurement light to pass through, and a transparent sample dropping base 11 for holding a liquid sample is provided on the upper surface thereof. A window plate holder 23 that can move up and down along the support column 15 is provided on the top of the sample dropping table 11. A similar passage hole is provided at a position of the window plate holder 23 corresponding to the passage hole of the sample table 10, and a transparent window plate 22 that holds the liquid sample together with the sample dropping table 11 is fixed to the lower surface thereof. ing.

  A light source 16 that emits measurement light in a substantially horizontal direction is attached to the upper portion of the support column 15, and a plane mirror that reflects the measurement light downwardly toward the window plate holder 23 and the passage hole of the sample stage 10 on the front surface thereof. 17 is provided.

  A slit 19 is fixed below the passage hole of the sample stage 10, and a diffraction grating 20 is provided further below. A multi-channel detector 21 is provided at the diffracted light emission position of the diffraction grating 20.

  The sample stage 10 is provided with a liquid sample wiping mechanism provided with a waste holding mechanism according to the present invention. The liquid sample wiping mechanism includes a rotating shaft 34 fixed to the sample stage 10, a rotatable arm 31 extending from the rotating shaft 34 in a substantially horizontal direction, and a head 14 fixed to the tip of the arm 31. The height of the head 14 is set to be directly above the sample dropping table 11.

  Details of the liquid sample wiping mechanism are shown in FIGS. As shown in FIG. 3, the head 14 includes a cylindrical waste 40 for wiping the liquid sample, a rubber block 33 that is contained in the waste 40 and serves as a core, a supporter 32 that supports the rubber block 33, and a supporter 32. It consists of arch springs 35 provided on the left and right respectively. In this embodiment, the supporter 32 of the head 14, the left and right arch springs 35, and the arm 31 are integrally formed of one thin metal plate.

  As shown in FIG. 5, a through hole extending in the longitudinal direction is provided at the center of the rubber block 33, and the supporter 32 holds the rubber block 33 by being inserted into the through hole. A number of longitudinal streaks are provided on the upper and lower surfaces of the rubber block 33 to ensure that the sample dropping table 11 and the window plate 22 are wiped off by the waste 40. The streak is not limited to a linear V-groove as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, and may be a wavy-line groove extending in a wavy manner or a groove having a rectangular cross section.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the metal plate has a bent portion 39 in the middle, and the fixed side (rotary shaft 34 side) of the bent portion 39 is the arm 31 and the free side is the supporter 32. The rubber block 33 is always fixed at a fixed position by the bent portion 39. Instead of one rubber block 33, two rubber blocks may be bonded to the upper and lower surfaces of the supporter 32.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the left and right arch springs 35 slightly extend from the left and right of the arm 31, are bent upward, and extend forward therefrom. The portion extending forward is an arch shape, and this arch portion has a spring action.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the rotating shaft 34 is elastically movable up and down by a spring 36 provided immediately below. As a result, when the head 14 is pressed by the window plate 22, the head 14 follows the window plate 22 while maintaining a state parallel to the window plate 22 and the sample dropping table 11. As shown in FIG. 7, the head 14 may be similarly driven by the window plate 22 by reducing the rigidity of the arm 31.

  The cylindrical waste 40 is manufactured by winding one thick paper waste (paper towel) having water absorption or a plurality of stacked paper wastes into a cylindrical shape and fixing the end with an adhesive or the like. Can do. Depending on the material of the paper waste, it is also possible to join by applying hot pressure.

  A method of measuring a trace amount liquid sample by the optical measuring apparatus of the present embodiment having such a configuration is as follows. First, a small amount of liquid sample is dropped on the sample dropping table 11 of the sample table 10 with the window plate holder 23 pulled up, and the window plate holder 23 is lowered to place the liquid sample on the sample dropping table 11 and the window plate holder 23. Between the two window plates 22. In this state, the light source 16 is turned on to emit measurement light. The measurement light is collected by the condenser lens 18, passes through the liquid sample held between the sample dropping table 11 and the window plate 22, and the light region is limited by the slit 19 provided below the sample. The sample transmitted light whose optical range is limited is wavelength-dispersed by the diffraction grating 20, and the intensities of all measurement wavelengths are detected all at once by the multichannel detector 21. Thereby, analysis of a liquid sample etc. are performed.

  After completion of the measurement, the window plate holder 23 is pulled up for the next measurement, and the liquid sample adhering to the surfaces of the sample dropping table 11 and the window plate 22 is wiped off.

  This wiping operation will be described with reference to FIG. 1, FIG. 6, and FIG. When the window plate holder 23 stops at a position sufficiently away from the sample dropping table 11 as shown in FIG. 1, the head 14 evacuated to the position of FIG. And move between the window plate 22 and the sample dropping table 11 (FIG. 8B). Thereafter, the window plate holder 23 is lowered and the window plate 22 is pressed against the head 14. At this time, as shown in FIG. 6, the rotating shaft 34 moves downward, so that the head 14 also contacts the sample dropping table 11 below. In this state, the head 14 is turned and returned to the position shown in FIG. 8A, so that the waste 40 placed on the head 14 wipes simultaneously the liquid sample adhering to the lower surface of the window plate 22 and the upper surface of the sample dropping table 11. Here, the turning of the head 14 may be performed manually or automatically using a motor or the like. When performing automatically, it is desirable to incorporate the movement of the window plate holder 23 and the head 14 into the sample measurement sequence and to automate all of them.

  If necessary, the waste 40 is exchanged for each measurement, and otherwise, for each measurement. The waste 40 can be easily removed and attached by pressing the left and right arch springs 35 of the head 14 with fingers.

  In the above description, the head 14 is swung in parallel with the sample table 10 and moved in parallel with the liquid contact surface of the window plate 22 and the sample dropping table 11, but as shown in FIGS. 9 (a) and 9 (b). The head 14 may be translated along the rail 37, or the head 44 may be rotated about the arm 41 parallel to the surface of the sample dropping table 11 as shown in FIGS. 10 (a) and 10 (b). Good. 9 and 10 only depict either the window plate 22 or the sample dropping table 11, but the window plate 22 and the sample dropping table 11 can be wiped at the same time as in the case of the turning of the head 14. it can.

  As an elastic means for holding the waste 40, a protruding portion 38 provided integrally with the rubber block 33 on the side surface of the rubber block 33 may be used as shown in FIG. Any elastic means may be provided on only one side of the rubber block 33 and not on both sides.

  As for the waste, the sheet-like waste is fixed to the upper and lower surfaces of the rubber block 33 one by one with double-sided tape, or the end of the sheet-like waste 41 is inserted into a notch 42 provided on the side of the rubber block 53 as shown in FIG. It may be fixed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The schematic block diagram of the optical measuring apparatus for trace liquid samples which is one Example of this invention. The figure which shows the state of the liquid sample 12 at the time of a measurement. The perspective view which shows the structure of a liquid sample wiping mechanism. Sectional drawing of a liquid sample wiping mechanism. FIG. 3 is an end view of the head 14. The conceptual side view which shows the movement of the rotating shaft 34. FIG. FIG. 3 is a conceptual side view showing deformation of an arm 31. FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view showing the turning of the head 14. FIG. 3 is a conceptual plan view showing parallel movement of a head 14. FIG. 3 is a conceptual perspective view showing rotation of the head 14. The top view of the liquid sample wiping mechanism which provided the protrusion part 38 in the side surface of the rubber block 33. FIG. End view of rubber block 53 with sheet-like waste 41 attached Explanatory drawing of the holding method of the liquid sample in the 1st apparatus which performs the spectroscopic measurement of the conventional trace amount liquid sample. The figure which shows the sample plate upper surface in the 2nd apparatus which performs the spectroscopic measurement of the conventional trace liquid sample.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Sample stand 11 ... Sample dropping stand 12 ... Liquid sample 13 ... Base 14, 44 ... Head 15 ... Support column 16 ... Light source 17 ... Plane mirror 18 ... Condensing lens 19 ... Slit 20 ... Diffraction grating 21 ... Detector 22 ... Window Plate 23 ... Window plate holder 31, 41 ... Arm 32 ... Supporter 33, 53 ... Rubber block 34 ... Rotating shaft 35 ... Arch spring 36 ... Spring 37 ... Rail 38 ... Raised portion 39 ... Bending portion 40 ... Waste 41 ... Sheet-like waste 42 ... Incision

Claims (5)

In the optical measurement apparatus in which the two light transmission surfaces are brought close to each other, a liquid sample is held between the two, the light transmitted through the liquid sample is measured, and the light transmission surfaces are separated after the measurement is completed. A mechanism for wiping off a liquid sample adhering to a light transmission surface,
A support part to which a cleaning waste cloth for wiping off the liquid sample is attached to the upper and lower surfaces;
Moving means for moving the support part between the light transmission surfaces and the outside;
After the measurement is completed, after the support portion is moved between the two light transmission surfaces, the two light transmission surfaces are brought close to each other and the two light transmission surfaces are brought into contact with the cleaning waste.
A wiping mechanism for an optical measuring device.   The wiping mechanism for an optical measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the moving means turns the support portion in parallel with both light transmission surfaces.   The wiping mechanism for an optical measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the moving means translates the support portion in parallel to both light transmission surfaces.   2. The wiping mechanism for an optical measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the moving means rotates the support portion around an axis parallel to both light transmission surfaces.   The wiping mechanism for an optical measuring device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the support portion is movable in the moving direction of the light transmission surface.

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