JP7366852B2 - Inspection equipment - Google Patents

Description

The technology of the present disclosure relates to an inspection device.

Conventionally, devices that automatically test samples such as blood, body fluids, and feces have been used to add a sample to a reaction container into which a reagent has been dispensed, and to optically detect the reaction that occurs between the reagent and the sample in the reaction container. Inspection devices for measuring are known. In such an inspection device, the mixed liquid in the reaction container after optical measurement is aspirated and discharged, and the reaction container is cleaned by injecting and suctioning a cleaning liquid such as detergent or washing water, and the reaction container is repeatedly cleaned. We are using.

For this reason, the inspection device includes a suction nozzle that sucks the liquid to be discharged from the reaction container and a discharge nozzle that injects a liquid such as a cleaning liquid into the empty reaction container. The suction nozzle and the discharge nozzle are moved up and down by a vertical mechanism between a lower position where the nozzle tip is located within the liquid reservoir of the reaction vessel and an upper position where the nozzle tip is withdrawn from the liquid reservoir of the reaction vessel. (For example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-002099 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 08-062226

Regarding the suction nozzles, such an inspection apparatus is provided with a plurality of suction nozzles in order to simultaneously and parallelly clean a plurality of reaction vessels. The suction pump connected to the suction nozzle is preferably a tube pump because it has good dirt resistance and maintainability, and is low in cost.

Tube pumps are equipped with a tube through which fluid passes and a roller that squeezes the tube.The waste liquid sucked from the reaction container passes only through the tube and does not come into contact with other parts of the pump, so it has good dirt resistance. It is. Moreover, since only the tube can be easily replaced when the tube becomes contaminated, maintainability is good. Furthermore, since the tube pump has a simple structure in which fluid is sucked and discharged using the above-mentioned tube and roller, the cost is low. However, tube pumps have a characteristic that their suction power is weaker than other pumps such as diaphragm pumps.

When multiple suction nozzles are connected to one suction pump, the suction resistance applied to each nozzle will be the same when liquid is stored in all of the reaction vessels, so liquid must be sucked from all reaction vessels. I can do it. However, when the liquid in some of the reaction vessels becomes empty, the suction resistance of the nozzle of the empty reaction vessel becomes low, and the suction force of the suction pump concentrates on the nozzle of the empty reaction vessel. Put it away. As a result, the suction force of the nozzle of the reaction container in which the liquid remains is reduced, resulting in a problem of poor suction in which the liquid in the reaction container in which the liquid remains cannot be suctioned. This problem of poor suction becomes noticeable when a pump with low suction power, such as a tube pump, is used.

In both of the inspection devices described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, no countermeasures are taken for this problem of poor suction.

The technology of the present disclosure is capable of connecting multiple suction nozzles to one suction pump and suctioning simultaneously from multiple reaction vessels in parallel, and even if some of the reaction vessels become empty, the liquid remains It is an object of the present invention to provide an inspection device capable of aspirating remaining liquid in a reaction container.

The inspection device of the present disclosure includes a suction nozzle that suctions liquid in a reaction container, one base end, and a plurality of branch piping parts that branch from the base end, and the branch to which the suction nozzle is connected to the tip. a piping section, and a suction pump connected to the proximal end, each branch piping section and a part of the suction nozzle having a diameter smaller than the average inner diameter of the entire route of the piping and the suction nozzle; Moreover, it has a narrow diameter part having the smallest inner diameter among the inner diameters of the branch piping part and the suction nozzle.

Preferably, the suction pump is a tube pump.

The suction pressure of the suction pump is preferably greater than 0 MPa and less than 0.2 MPa.

It is preferable that the number of branch piping parts is from three to six.

The upper limit of the inner diameter of the piping route is preferably 0.2 mm or more and 13 mm or less.

The inner diameter of the narrow diameter portion is preferably 0.1 mm or more and 2 mm or less, more preferably 0.3 mm or more and 0.7 mm or less.

The length of the narrow diameter portion is preferably greater than 0 mm and less than or equal to 150 mm, and more preferably greater than or equal to 10 mm and less than or equal to 30 mm.

It is preferable that the inner diameter of the branch piping section is 1 mm or more and 2 mm or less, and the length of the branch piping section is 1000 mm or less. The length of the branch piping section is more preferably 200 mm or more and 400 mm or less.

The reaction container may be a container for storing a sample solution for a fecal occult blood test.

According to the technology of the present disclosure, when a plurality of suction nozzles are connected to one suction pump and suction is performed simultaneously from a plurality of reaction vessels in parallel, even if some of the reaction vessels become empty of liquid, It is possible to provide an inspection device that can aspirate liquid from a reaction container in which liquid remains.

FIG. 1 is an external view of a fecal occult blood testing device. FIG. 2A is an external view of the sample container; FIG. 2A is a diagram showing a state in which the container body and the cap are separated, and FIG. 2B is a diagram showing a state in which the cap is attached to the container body. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a fecal occult blood testing device. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a reaction tank and a reaction container unit. It is a schematic block diagram of a measurement part. It is a perspective view of a nozzle unit. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a discharge nozzle and a suction nozzle. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a suction nozzle and a suction pump. FIG. 9A is a diagram for explaining the state of the suction force of the suction nozzle during suction in a conventional method, and FIG. 9A is a state in which liquid is contained in all reaction containers into which suction nozzles are inserted, and FIG. 9B is a state in which liquid is contained in one reaction container. Indicates that the container is empty. FIG. 10A is a diagram for explaining the state of the suction force of the suction nozzle during suction; FIG. 10A shows a state in which all reaction containers into which suction nozzles have been inserted contain liquid, and FIG. 10B shows a state in which one reaction container is empty. Indicates the current state.

[Configuration of fecal occult blood test device]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A test device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings, taking as an example a fecal occult blood test device that tests whether blood is mixed in the feces of a subject.

As shown as an example in FIG. 1, the fecal occult blood testing device 1 includes a casing 100 including a base portion 101 in the lower portion and a main body portion 102 that rises upward behind the base portion 101. The main body portion 102 is provided with a touch panel 19 . The touch panel 19 functions as an operation screen for inputting operation instructions, a display section for displaying test results, etc., and an input section for inputting operation instructions.

The base portion 101 protrudes forward of the housing 100. The sample container 22 is set on the base portion 101. The upper surface of the base part 101 has a lid that can be opened and closed at two places on the left and right, and inside the lid, as shown in FIG. ing.

As shown in FIG. 2, the sample container 22 includes a container body 23 that accommodates feces as a specimen, and a cap 24 that is detachably attached to the container body 23. The container body 23 is, for example, transparent or translucent. The specimen container 22 contains a liquid in which the specimen is suspended, and the feces, which is the specimen, is contained in the form of a suspension dispersed in the liquid.

A collection rod 24a is attached to the cap 24 for collecting feces as a specimen. When a subject collects a specimen, he or she removes the cap 24 from the container body 23 and traces the surface of the sample feces with the tip of the collection rod 24a to adhere the feces to the collection rod 24a. Then, the sampling rod 24a is inserted into the container body 23 and the cap 24 is closed. The sample container 22 is set in the fecal occult blood testing apparatus 1 in this state.

A laminate film 23a is attached to the bottom surface of the container body 23. In the fecal occult blood testing device 1, a specimen is collected by breaking the laminate film 23a.

As shown in FIG. 3, the fecal occult blood test device 1 includes a reagent table 10, a reaction tank 11, a sample container transfer mechanism 12, a measuring section 13, a cleaning mechanism 14, a reagent dispensing mechanism 15, It includes a sample dispensing mechanism 16, a control section 17, and an analysis section 18.

A plurality of sample containers 22 are housed in the elongated rack 21 and set in the sample container installation section 101a. The sample container transfer mechanism 12 is provided within the sample container installation section 101a, and the plurality of racks 21 that accommodate the sample containers 22 are installed on the sample container transfer mechanism 12. The sample container transfer mechanism 12 has, for example, a push-out section that pushes out the racks 21, and transfers the plurality of racks 21 one by one along the direction of arrow A. The rack 21 is transferred by the sample container transfer mechanism 12 in the direction of arrow A by the arrangement pitch of the sample containers 22. Each time the transport of the rack 21 is stopped, the sample solution is sucked from the sample container 22 of the rack 21 by the sample dispensing mechanism 16.

The sample dispensing mechanism 16 includes an arm 16a extending in the horizontal direction, and a nozzle 16b attached to the tip of the arm 16a. The nozzle 16b sucks the sample from the sample container 22, and dispenses the sucked sample into a reaction container 30, which will be described later, in the reaction tank 11. The arm 16a rotates in a horizontal plane so that the nozzle 16b can access the sample container 22 and reaction tank 11 housed in the rack 21. Further, the arm 16a is also movable in the vertical direction in order to insert and remove the nozzle 16b into and from the sample container 22 and reaction container 30.

The sample container 22 is set on the rack 21 with the laminate film 23a facing upward. During sample dispensing, the nozzle 16b of the sample dispensing mechanism 16 breaks through the laminate film 23a, and the sample contained in the form of a suspension inside the container body 23 is sucked.

The sample container transfer mechanism 12 sequentially transfers the sample containers 22 into which the sample has been dispensed to the sample container removal section 101b.

The reagent dispensing mechanism 15 dispenses a reagent from the reagent container 10a of the reagent table 10 into the reaction container 30. The reagent table 10 holds a plurality of reagent containers 10a.

The reagent dispensing mechanism 15 includes an arm 15a and a nozzle 15b attached to the tip of the arm 15a for dispensing a reagent. As shown in FIG. 3, the arm 15a, like the sample dispensing mechanism 16, rotates in a horizontal plane so that the nozzle 15b can access the reagent container 10a and reaction tank 11 in the reagent table 10. Further, like the sample dispensing mechanism 16, the arm 15a is also movable in the vertical direction in order to insert and remove the nozzle 15b into and from the reagent container 10a and the reaction container 30.

As shown in FIG. 4, the reaction tank 11 is a tank in which a plurality of reaction containers 30 are accommodated, and has a circular planar shape. In the reaction tank 11, the plurality of reaction vessels 30 are arranged at a constant pitch along the circumferential direction. In this example, the reaction container 30 is attached to a holder 31, and is set in the reaction tank 11 in the form of a reaction container unit 32 in which the reaction container 30 and the holder 31 are integrated. A plurality of reaction containers 30 (11 in this example) are attached to one holder 31, and a plurality of such reaction container units 32 (5 in this example) are housed in the reaction tank 11. Ru.

A measuring section 13 , a cleaning mechanism 14 , a reagent dispensing mechanism 15 , and a sample dispensing mechanism 16 are arranged around the reaction tank 11 . The reaction tank 11 is rotated by a driving means (not shown). This rotation transports the reaction containers 30 arranged in the circumferential direction within the reaction tank 11 to the respective positions of the measurement section 13, the cleaning mechanism 14, the reagent dispensing mechanism 15, and the sample dispensing mechanism 16.

The reaction container 30 is a container with a capacity of several nanoliters to several tens of microliters, and is made of a transparent material that transmits 80% or more of the measurement light emitted from the measuring section 13, such as glass containing heat-resistant glass, or cyclic olefin, etc. Synthetic resins such as polystyrene are used. The reaction container 30 is a rectangular cylindrical container having an opening 30b in an upper surface 30a and a liquid storage portion 30c having a rectangular horizontal cross section for accommodating a liquid.

The cleaning mechanism 14 cleans the reaction container 30 after the measurement has been completed. The cleaning mechanism 14 includes a nozzle unit 40 and an elevating mechanism 60 that moves the nozzle unit 40 up and down. The elevating mechanism 60 includes a rail that guides the movement of the nozzle unit 40 in the vertical direction, a rotating cam that moves the nozzle unit 40 up and down by contacting the nozzle unit 40, and a motor that drives the rotating cam.

As shown in FIG. 5, the measuring section 13 is an optical system for optically measuring a liquid in which a reagent and a sample have reacted in the reaction container 30, and includes a light emitting section 13a and a light receiving section 13b. The measurement light ML emitted from the light emitting section 13a passes through the liquid in the liquid storage section 30c of the reaction container 30, and is received by the light receiving section 13b. The light receiving section 13b outputs a light amount signal of the received measurement light ML to the control section 17.

The control section 17 is configured by, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and as shown in FIG. 2, controls the operation of each section of the fecal occult blood testing apparatus 1 in an integrated manner. The control unit 17 executes the test based on a test start instruction inputted from the touch panel 19 .

The analysis unit 18 is composed of, for example, a CPU, and analyzes the presence or absence of blood in the sample based on the absorbance of the liquid in the reaction container 30 based on the amount of light emitted from the light emitting unit 13a and the amount of light received by the light receiving unit 13b. .

As shown in FIG. 6, the nozzle unit 40 includes a discharge nozzle 44, a suction nozzle 45, and a drying nozzle 46, which are held by a nozzle holding section 41. The discharge nozzle 44 injects cleaning liquid and the like. The suction nozzle 45 sucks the liquid in the reaction container 30 and discharges it. The drying nozzle 46 injects air to dry the inside of the reaction container 30. The cleaning mechanism 14 discharges the liquid from the reaction container 30 using the suction nozzle 45 and then discharges the cleaning liquid or the like into the reaction container 30 using the discharge nozzle 44 . The cleaning mechanism 14 then sucks the injected cleaning liquid using the suction nozzle 45. The cleaning mechanism 14 cleans the inside of the reaction container 30 by repeating the cleaning operation of injecting and suctioning the cleaning liquid multiple times. Thereafter, the cleaning mechanism 14 injects air from the drying nozzle 46 to dry the inside of the reaction container 30. The reaction container 30 is cleaned by the cleaning mechanism 14 and then reused.

There are three discharge nozzles 44 and three suction nozzles 45 each, and the nozzle holding part 41 is provided with a total of three nozzle sets each including one discharge nozzle 44 and one suction nozzle 45. . Only one drying nozzle 46 is provided. The discharge nozzle 44 is connected to the discharge pump 70 via a pipe 76. Suction nozzle 45 is connected to tube pump 71 via piping 80. Drying nozzle 46 is also connected to tube pump 71 via piping 80. The tube pump 71 has the functions of both a suction pump and a discharge pump. The tube pump 71 functions as a suction pump when the suction nozzle 45 performs suction, and functions as a discharge pump when the drying nozzle 46 performs ejection.

One nozzle set of the discharge nozzle 44 and the suction nozzle 45 is inserted into one reaction container 30. The drying nozzle 46 is inserted into one reaction vessel 30 alone. The three nozzle sets and one drying nozzle 46 are arranged along an arcuate line in the circumferential direction, which is the direction in which the reaction vessels 30 are arranged in the reaction tank 11 . Therefore, when the nozzle unit 40 descends, the three nozzle sets and one drying nozzle 46 simultaneously descend toward each of the four reaction vessels 30. Therefore, when the nozzle unit 40 descends, one nozzle set is inserted into each of the three reaction containers 30, and the drying nozzle 46 is inserted into the fourth reaction container 30. In addition, in drawings such as FIG. 9, which will be described later, in order to simplify the drawings, only the suction nozzle 45 of the nozzle set is shown inserted into one reaction container, and the illustration of the discharge nozzle 44 is omitted. ing.

As shown in FIG. 7, a pair of discharge nozzle 44 and suction nozzle 45 are integrated by a sleeve 41a.

The discharge nozzle 44 is a tubular member having a flow path formed therein as a whole, and includes a main body portion 44a and a joint 44b attached to the proximal end side of the main body portion 44a. The joint 44b of the discharge nozzle 44 is connected to a discharge pump (not shown) via a pipe (not shown).

The suction nozzle 45 is also a tubular member with a flow path formed inside as a whole, and is attached in order from the distal end to a constriction part 45a, a main body part 45b communicating with the constriction part 45a, and a proximal end side of the main body part 45b. and a joint 45c. The constricted portion 45a is a narrow diameter portion that is smaller in diameter than the main body portion 45b. The joint 45c of the suction nozzle 45 is connected to the tube pump 71 via a pipe 80. The tube pump 71 is an example of a suction pump in the technology of the present disclosure.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the drying nozzle 46 is an annular member having a flow path formed inside as a whole, and includes a main body, a joint attached to the base end side of the main body, and a distal end of the main body. and a nozzle cap 75 attached to the. At the tip of the nozzle cap 75, an air discharge hole 75a (see FIG. 8) is formed. The air discharge hole 75a has a smaller diameter than the flow path of the main body. A joint of the drying nozzle 46 is connected to a tube pump 71 via a pipe 80.

One set of discharge nozzle 44 and suction nozzle 45 is inserted into one reaction vessel 30 . The drying nozzle 46 is inserted into one reaction vessel 30 alone. Therefore, when the nozzle unit 40 moves downward, each nozzle is inserted into the four reaction vessels 30 at the same time. The nozzle unit 40 is capable of cleaning three reaction vessels 30 at the same time. The washed reaction containers 30 are sequentially transported to positions corresponding to the drying nozzles 46 in the reaction tank 11 and dried one by one.

[Suction nozzle and suction pump configuration]
As shown in FIG. 8, the tube pump 71 includes a tube 72 through which fluid passes, and a roller 73 that squeezes the tube 72. The roller 73 includes a main roller 73a and six sub rollers 73b. The main roller 73a and six sub-rollers 73b are connected by a planetary gear mechanism. A sun gear is formed on the main roller 73a, and a planetary gear is formed on the sub roller 73b. In accordance with the rotation of the main roller 73a, the sub roller 73b revolves while rotating.

The tube 72 is sandwiched between a side wall 71a formed in the casing and a sub-roller 73b. The tube pump 71 moves the fluid inside the tube 72 by squeezing the tube 72 by rotating the roller 73 . One end of the tube 72 is connected to the piping 80, and the other end is connected to the waste liquid tank 74.

By rotating the roller 73 to the side of the tube 72 connected to the waste liquid tank 74, fluid can be sucked from the suction nozzle 45 and the drying nozzle 46. Moreover, by rotating the roller 73 toward the connection side of the tube 72 to the piping 80, air can be discharged from the suction nozzle 45 and the drying nozzle 46. The suction pressure of the tube pump 71 is, for example, 0.1 MPa.

Three suction nozzles 45 and one drying nozzle 46 are connected to tube pump 71 via piping 80. The piping 80 includes, in order from the base end side (that is, the side connected to the tube pump 71), a joint 81, a first piping section 82, a first branch joint 83, and two second piping sections 84. It includes two second branch joints 85 and four third piping sections 86.

The joint 81 is a joint that connects the tube 72 of the tube pump 71 and the first piping section 82 . The first branch joint 83 is a branch joint that connects the first piping section 82 and the two second piping sections 84. The second branch joint 85 is a branch joint that connects the second piping section 84 and the two third piping sections 86.

The suction nozzles 45 are connected to the tips of three of the four third piping sections 86 . The drying nozzle 46 is connected to the tip of the remaining one of the four third piping sections 86 .

In the technology of the present disclosure, the "base end" means a portion where all branches of the piping 80 are integrated into one. In this example, the first branch joint 83 is an example of the base end portion of the pipe 80.

In addition, in the technology of the present disclosure, a "branch piping section" refers to a plurality of branch piping sections that branch from the first branch joint 83, which is an example of the base end, and a branch to which the suction nozzle 45 is connected to the tip. Refers to the piping section. In the piping 80, the third piping part 86 to which the suction nozzle 45 is connected to the tip is an example of a branch piping part.

Furthermore, in the technology of the present disclosure, "piping" means piping that connects the suction nozzle 45 and the suction pump (tube pump 71 in this example).

Table 1 shows the inner diameter and length of each part of the tube 72, piping 80, and suction nozzle 45 of the fecal occult blood testing device 1.

The fecal occult blood testing device 1 is configured such that each branch piping section (in this example, the third piping section 86) and a part of the suction nozzle 45 have a diameter smaller than the average inner diameter of the entire route of the piping 80 and the suction nozzle 45, and a branch. It has a narrow diameter portion having the smallest inner diameter among the inner diameters of the piping portion (in this example, the third piping portion 86) and the suction nozzle 45.

The average diameter of the inner diameter of all the paths of the piping 80 and the suction nozzle 45 is calculated based on the values shown in Table 1, and is 1.53 mm as shown in the following formula.
(2.38+2.38+1.59+0.82+0.5)/5=1.53

The constricted portion 45a of the suction nozzle 45 has an inner diameter smaller than the average diameter of 1.53 mm and the smallest among the inner diameters of the branch piping portion (in this example, the third piping portion 86) and the suction nozzle 45. In this example, the narrowed portion 45a having an inner diameter of 0.5 mm corresponds to the narrow diameter portion.

The drying nozzle 46 is connected to the tip of one of the four third piping sections 86 . A nozzle cap 75 is attached to the tip of the drying nozzle 46. The inner diameter of the air discharge hole 75a of the nozzle cap 75 is 0.5 mm, the same as the constricted portion 45a.

[Effect]
The fecal occult blood testing device 1 of this embodiment includes a suction nozzle 45 that suctions the liquid in the reaction container 30, one base end (first branch joint 83 in this example), and a branch branch from the base end. A piping 80 having a plurality of branch piping parts, each having a branch piping part (in this example, the third piping part 86) to which the suction nozzle 45 is connected to the tip, and a suction pump (in this example, a tube) connected to the base end. A pump 71) is provided in each branch piping section and a part of the suction nozzle 45 with a diameter smaller than the average inner diameter of the entire route of the piping and the suction nozzle, and the largest among the inner diameters of the branch piping section and the suction nozzle. It has a narrow diameter portion (in this example, the constricted portion 45a) with a small inner diameter.

In order to explain the effects of this configuration, a conventional system in which no narrow diameter portion is provided will be described first. As shown in FIG. 9, in the conventional system, three suction nozzles 145 connected to one tube pump 71 suck the liquid in three reaction vessels 30 simultaneously and in parallel (see FIG. 9A). Assume that the liquid in the two reaction vessels 30 is emptied first (see FIG. 9B). The length of the arrow superimposed on each nozzle in FIG. 9 indicates the magnitude of the suction force.

The suction nozzle 145 (third from the left in the figure) in the reaction container 30, which has been emptied of liquid, has no more liquid to suction, so the suction resistance is reduced and the suction force is greatly improved. Conversely, the suction force of the suction nozzle 145 in the reaction container 30 in which liquid remains remains is greatly reduced by the amount that the suction force of the suction nozzle 145 in the reaction container 30 in which the liquid is empty is greatly improved. Therefore, a problem arises in which the liquid in the reaction container 30 in which the liquid remains cannot be suctioned, which is poor suction.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 10, the fecal occult blood testing device 1 of this embodiment has a narrow diameter part (the constricted part 45a in the figure), so it is different from the conventional system that does not have a narrow diameter part. In comparison, the suction resistance of the suction nozzle 45 itself becomes high. Therefore, the suction force of the suction nozzle 45 when the suction nozzle 45 is placed into the reaction container 30 containing the liquid is lower than that of the conventional method (see FIG. 10A). However, like the suction nozzle 45 third from the left in FIG. 10B, even if the liquid in the reaction container 30 is empty and there is no more liquid to suction, the suction nozzle 45 itself has a high suction resistance. The decrease in resistance is suppressed (see FIG. 10B).

Therefore, even if the liquid in three reaction vessels 30 is sucked in parallel and the liquid in one reaction vessel 30 is emptied first, compared to the conventional method, the empty reaction vessel The suction force of the suction nozzle 45 in the suction nozzle 30 no longer improves. As a result, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the suction force of the suction nozzles 45 in the reaction vessels 30 in which liquid remains, so even if some of the reaction vessels 30 are emptied of liquid, the reaction vessels 30 in which liquid remains are suppressed. Can aspirate liquids.

In the fecal occult blood testing device 1 of this embodiment, three suction nozzles 45 and one drying nozzle 46 are connected to one tube pump 71. In this case, suction failure can be suppressed by attaching a nozzle cap 75 that functions similarly to the narrow diameter portion to the drying nozzle 46 as well.

In addition, since the fecal occult blood testing device 1 of this embodiment uses the tube pump 71 as the suction pump, it has better stain resistance and maintainability than when a pump other than the tube pump 71 is used. Yes, and can reduce costs.

Further, the suction pressure of the tube pump 71, which is an example of a suction pump, is 0.1 MPa, which is greater than 0 MPa and less than or equal to 0.2 MPa. In the case of a suction pump with a weak suction pressure of 0.2 MPa or less, the effect of suppressing poor suction by providing a small diameter part in a part of the branch piping part and the suction nozzle 45 becomes remarkable. Further, since a suction pump with a suction pressure exceeding 0.2 MPa is expensive, it is advantageous to reduce costs by setting the suction pressure of the suction pump to a value greater than 0 MPa and less than or equal to 0.2 MPa.

In addition, the fecal occult blood testing device 1 of this embodiment has three branch piping sections, and the number is between three and six. When the number of branch piping sections is two, only two reaction vessels 30 can be cleaned at the same time, resulting in poor cleaning efficiency. If the number of branch piping parts is seven or more, the suction force of the suction pump will be too dispersed, and there is a risk that suction failure will occur. From the above, by setting the number of branch piping sections from three to six, it is possible to solve the problem of poor suction while maintaining cleaning efficiency.

Further, in the fecal occult blood testing device 1 of the present embodiment, the upper limit of the inner diameter of the piping route is 6.0 mm (in this example, the inner diameter of the tube 72), which is set within a range of 0.2 mm or more and 13 mm or less. If the upper limit of the inner diameter of the piping route is less than 0.2 mm, the suction force of the suction nozzle 45 will decrease too much, and there is a risk that suction failure will occur. If the upper limit of the inner diameter of the piping route exceeds 13 mm, it is necessary to connect a suction pump that matches the inner diameter, resulting in an increase in the size and cost of the device. Therefore, by setting the upper limit of the inner diameter of the piping route to 0.2 mm or more and 13 mm or less, the suction force of the suction nozzle 45 is maintained, and it is advantageous for downsizing and cost reduction of the device.

In addition, in the fecal occult blood testing device 1 of this embodiment, the inner diameter of the narrow diameter portion is 0.5 mm, which is within the range of 0.1 mm to 2 mm. If the inner diameter of the narrow diameter portion is less than 0.1 mm, the suction force of the suction nozzle 45 will decrease too much, and there is a risk that suction failure will occur. If the inner diameter of the narrow diameter portion exceeds 2 mm, the effect of lowering the suction force of the suction nozzle 45 will be weakened, and the effect of providing the narrow diameter portion will be weakened. Therefore, by setting the inner diameter of the narrow diameter portion to 0.1 mm or more and 2 mm or less, the problem of poor suction can be effectively solved. Note that better characteristics can be obtained by setting the inner diameter of the narrow diameter portion to 0.3 mm or more and 0.7 mm or less.

Further, in the fecal occult blood testing device 1 of this embodiment, the length of the narrow diameter portion is 25 mm, which is greater than 0 mm and less than 150 mm. If the length of the narrow diameter portion exceeds 150 mm, the suction force of the suction nozzle 45 may decrease too much, resulting in poor suction. Therefore, by setting the length of the narrow diameter portion to be greater than 0 mm and less than 150 mm, the problem of poor suction can be effectively solved. Note that better characteristics can be obtained by setting the length of the narrow diameter portion to 10 mm or more and 30 mm or less.

Further, in the fecal occult blood testing device 1 of this embodiment, the inner diameter of the branch piping portion is 1.59 mm, which is within the range of 1 mm to 2 mm. In addition, the length of the branch piping section is 280 mm, which is kept within 1000 mm. By keeping the inner diameter and length of the branch piping section within the above range, it is possible to generate appropriate suction resistance at the branch piping section as well, compared to adjusting the suction resistance only at the small diameter section. It can effectively solve the problem of poor suction. In addition, if the length of the branch piping section is set to 200 mm or more and 400 mm or less, better characteristics can be obtained.

Further, the reaction container 30 is a container that stores a sample solution for a fecal occult blood test. This makes it possible to apply the present invention to a fecal occult blood testing device 1 that performs fecal occult blood testing.

"Variation"
The technology of the present disclosure can also be combined with the above-described embodiments and various modifications as appropriate.

For example, other than the tube pump 71, other types of pumps such as a diaphragm pump may be used as the suction pump.

Further, in the above embodiment, a plurality of suction nozzles 45 and drying nozzles 46 are connected together to one tube pump having the functions of both a suction pump and a discharge pump. and may be connected to different pumps.

Further, the nozzle unit 40 may be provided with only the discharge nozzle 44 and the suction nozzle 45 without providing the drying nozzle 46.

In addition, when the tube pump 71 is used as a suction pump, the tube 72 of the tube pump 71 is also considered as a part of the piping 80 when calculating the average inner diameter of the entire route of the piping 80 and the suction nozzle 45. , the average diameter of the inner diameter of the entire path including the tube 72 may be calculated.

Further, in the above embodiment, the small diameter portion is provided at the tip of the suction nozzle 45, but it may be provided anywhere as long as it is a part of the branch piping portion and the suction nozzle 45.

The descriptions and illustrations described above are detailed explanations of portions related to the technology of the present disclosure, and are merely examples of the technology of the present disclosure. For example, the above description regarding the configuration, function, operation, and effect is an example of the configuration, function, operation, and effect of the part related to the technology of the present disclosure. Therefore, unnecessary parts may be deleted, new elements may be added, or replacements may be made to the written and illustrated contents shown above without departing from the gist of the technology of the present disclosure. Needless to say. In addition, in order to avoid confusion and facilitate understanding of the parts related to the technology of the present disclosure, the descriptions and illustrations shown above do not include parts that require particular explanation in order to enable implementation of the technology of the present disclosure. Explanations regarding common technical knowledge, etc. that do not apply are omitted.

All documents, patent applications and technical standards mentioned herein are incorporated herein by reference to the same extent as if each individual document, patent application and technical standard was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. Incorporated by reference into this book.

1 Fecal occult blood test device 10 Reagent table 10a Reagent container 11 Reaction tank 11a Fixing pin 12 Sample container transfer mechanism 12a Sample container placement section 12b Sample container removal section 13 Measuring section 13a Light emitting section 13b Light receiving section 14 Washing mechanism 15 Reagent dispensing mechanism 15a Arm 15b Nozzle 16 Sample dispensing mechanism 16a Arm 16b Nozzle 17 Control section 18 Analysis section 19 Touch panel 21 Rack 22 Sample container 23 Container body 23a Laminated film 24 Cap 24a Collection rod 30 Reaction container 30a Top surface 30b Opening 30c Liquid storage section 31 Holder 32 Reaction container unit 40 Nozzle unit 41 Nozzle holding part 41a Sleeve 44 Discharge nozzle 44a Main body part 44b Joint 45 Suction nozzle 45a Squeezing part 45b Main body part 45c Joint 46 Drying nozzle 60 Lifting mechanism 70 Discharge pump 71 Tube pump 71a Side wall 72 Tube 73 Roller 73a Main roller 73b Sub roller 74 Waste liquid tank 75 Nozzle cap 75a Air discharge hole 76 Piping 80 Piping 81 Joint 82 First piping section 83 First branch joint 84 Second piping section 85 Second branch joint 86 Third piping section 100 Housing 101 Base portion 101a Sample container installation portion 101b Sample container removal portion 102 Main body portion 145 Suction nozzle ML Measuring light

Claims (12)

a suction nozzle that suctions the liquid in the reaction container;
Piping having one base end and a plurality of branch piping parts branching from the base end and having the suction nozzle connected to the tip thereof;
a suction pump connected to the base end,
Each of the branch piping sections and a portion of the suction nozzle has an inner diameter that is smaller than the average inner diameter of the entire route of the piping and the suction nozzle, and that is the smallest among the inner diameters of the branch piping section and the suction nozzle. The narrow diameter portion is formed with a length of 10 mm or more and 30 mm or less.
Inspection equipment. The narrow diameter portion is formed at the tip of the suction nozzle.
The inspection device according to claim 1. The inspection device according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the suction pump is a tube pump. The inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the suction pressure of the suction pump is greater than 0 MPa and less than or equal to 0.1 MPa. The inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the number of branch piping sections is 3 to 6. The inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the upper limit of the inner diameter of the piping route is 0.2 mm or more and 13 mm or less. The inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein the narrow diameter portion has an inner diameter of 0.1 mm or more and 2 mm or less. The inspection device according to claim 7 , wherein the narrow diameter portion has an inner diameter of 0.3 mm or more and 0.7 mm or less. The inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 8 , wherein the length of the narrow diameter portion is greater than 0 mm and less than or equal to 150 mm. The inner diameter of the branch piping portion is 1 mm or more and 2 mm or less,
The inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the length of the branch piping section is 1000 mm or less. The inspection device according to claim 10, wherein the length of the branch piping section is 200 mm or more and 400 mm or less. The test device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the reaction container is a container that stores a sample solution for a fecal occult blood test.