JP7664769B2 - Suction nozzle and analysis device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a suction nozzle and an analysis device.

Conventionally, a technique has been proposed for replacing external reagent containers that store reagents in places other than the reagent refrigerator in an automatic analyzer (for example, Patent Document 1). In this technique, the reagent storage flow path is provided in a switchable manner, making it possible to replace the external reagent container during analysis.

An automatic analyzer that can replenish detergent without interrupting the measurement operation has also been proposed (for example, Patent Document 2).

International Publication No. 2018/173560 JP 2010-133784 A

When replacing a container that holds a liquid such as a cleaning solution in an analytical device, there is a risk that air bubbles will get into the suction nozzle when the suction nozzle is replaced with a new container. If the analytical device is operated with air bubbles mixed in, there is a risk that a sufficient volume of liquid will not be obtained when it is used. Furthermore, if air bubbles get mixed in, the liquid in the piping can be replaced by priming, which sends liquid from a new container, but the analytical device must stop processing. Thus, the mixing of air bubbles into the nozzle poses problems such as a decrease in the device's processing capacity per hour, requiring the user to restrain the device while operating it, and causing liquid to be discarded due to priming.

Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a technology that prevents air bubbles from entering the nozzle that draws liquid from a container when replacing the container.

The suction nozzle according to the present invention has an inlet that is inserted into a container that holds a liquid, a nozzle section for sending the liquid to a measurement unit of an analytical device, a recess for storing the liquid around the inlet and a liquid inlet for introducing the liquid into the recess, and a cup-shaped member connected to the nozzle section, and the nozzle section and cup-shaped member are attached to the container so that the liquid inlet of the cup-shaped member is positioned vertically above the suction port of the nozzle section.

As described above, the liquid inlet of the cup-shaped member is located vertically above the suction port of the nozzle, so the suction port of the nozzle is located within the liquid stored in the cup-shaped member. This makes it possible to prevent air bubbles from entering the nozzle that draws liquid from the container when replacing the container.

In addition, when the nozzle portion and the cup-shaped member are attached to the container, the opening of the recess, which is the liquid inlet, may face vertically upward. For example, a cup-shaped member having a recess that opens upward may be used.

The side wall forming the recess may have an inner shape including a connection portion that corresponds to the outer shape of the suction nozzle and a separation portion that forms a space around the suction nozzle for storing liquid. The connection portion may be welded to the suction nozzle. In this way, the cup-shaped member is less likely to come off inside the container.

The analytical device according to the present invention also includes a pump, a switching valve that switches the flow path for sending liquid to the pump, and the above-mentioned suction nozzle connected to the switching valve, and multiple suction nozzles are connected to the switching valve. In this way, the suction nozzle attached to a container with a low remaining amount can be put into an unused state by the switching valve, and the suction nozzle can be replaced with a new container without interrupting the operation of the analytical device.

The contents of the means for solving the problem may be combined as much as possible without departing from the problem and technical idea of the present invention. The contents of the means for solving the problem may be provided as a device such as a computer or a system including multiple devices, a method executed by a computer, or a program executed by a computer. The program may also be executed over a network. A recording medium for storing the program may also be provided.

It is possible to provide a technology that prevents air bubbles from getting into the nozzle that draws liquid from the container when replacing the container.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the external appearance of an analysis device. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view for explaining the bottle and the suction nozzle. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an example of the structure and manufacturing method of the cup. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a cross-sectional view of the cup and the tip of the nozzle portion taken along another cutting plane. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining replacement of a bottle. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a part of the configuration of the analysis device. FIG. 7 is a process flow diagram showing an example of the exchange process.

The analysis device according to the embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings.

<Device Configuration>
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the appearance of an analysis device 1000. The analysis device 1000 is an analysis device that performs a plurality of types of analysis using different measurement methods, such as biochemical analysis and immunological analysis. The analysis device 1000 can perform measurements such as LPIA (Latex Photometric Immunoassay), chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay, and blood coagulation time measurement. The analysis device 1000 also includes a measurement unit storage section 1, a bottle storage section 2, a monitor 3, and a status output section 4. The measurement unit storage section 1 stores a plurality of measurement units according to the embodiment. The bottle storage section 2 stores containers (hereinafter referred to as "bottles") 21 for storing pure water, cleaning liquid, and wastewater, a waste box for collecting cuvettes to be discarded, and a computer for controlling the processing performed by the measurement units stored in the measurement unit storage section 1. The monitor 3 is connected to the computer and outputs the progress and results of the measurement. The monitor 3 may be an input/output device that allows an operator to perform input operations, such as a touch panel. The status output section 4 is connected to a computer or the like, and blinks or lights up a warning light to notify the operator when an abnormality occurs in the process executed by the measurement unit housing section 1.

2 is an exploded perspective view for explaining the bottle and the suction nozzle. The bottle 21 is a container made of resin such as polyvinyl chloride. The bottle 21 contains a predetermined cleaning liquid and supplies the contained liquid to the measurement unit via the suction nozzle 22. The contained liquid is, for example, but is not limited to, a strong alkaline alkaline cleaning liquid used to clean a sample nozzle that dispenses a specimen, or a BF cleaning liquid used to clean the inside of a cuvette in a B/F (bound/free) separation process in an immunoassay.

The suction nozzle 22 is also formed of a resin such as polyvinyl chloride. The suction nozzle 22 is connected to the end of a pipe that delivers liquid to be supplied to the measurement unit of the measurement device 1000. The suction nozzle 22 is housed in the bottle 21 and attached to the opening of the bottle 21 by a cap 23. The suction nozzle 22 includes a linear nozzle portion 221 and a cup-shaped member (hereinafter referred to as a "cup") 222 connected to the tip of the nozzle. The cup 222 is a concave member that can accommodate the tip of the nozzle portion 221 and can store the liquid in the bottle 21 so that the liquid level is located at a position higher than the tip of the nozzle portion 221. The opening of the recess of the cup 222 faces vertically upward when the suction nozzle 22 is attached to the bottle 21, and liquid can be stored in the recess. The nozzle portion 221 and the cup 222 may be welded. By welding, the cup 222 is less likely to come off in the bottle 21. In addition, the suction nozzle 22 is connected to a pump (not shown), and the liquid in the bottle 21 is sent to the measurement unit via the suction nozzle 22.

Figure 3 is a diagram for explaining an example of the structure and manufacturing method of the cup. Figure 3 shows three steps (1)-(3). In each step, the left side shows a perspective view, and the right side shows the A-A cross-sectional view, B-B cross-sectional view, and C-C cross-sectional view of each perspective view. The cup 222 is, for example, a cylindrical material cut to form a recess inside. First, as shown in the upper part (1) of Figure 3, five places are cut vertically downward from the top surface of the cylindrical material. That is, a non-through hole 2221 is formed in one place in the center of the top surface, and four non-through holes 2222, each spatially integrated with the non-through hole 2221, are cut at equal intervals around the non-through hole 2221, forming one recess as a whole. The non-through holes 2221 and 2222 form a space in which liquid is stored, and the upper ends of the non-through holes 2221 and 2222 become the liquid inlet into the recess.

As shown in the middle row (2) of FIG. 3, a non-through hole 2223 is cut vertically downward from the center of the upper surface, the diameter of which is larger than the diameter of the non-through hole cut in (1) above, and the depth of which is shallower than the depth of the non-through hole cut in (1) above. A step 2224 is formed at the bottom of the non-through hole 2223 cut in this process, which is higher than the bottoms of the non-through holes 2221 and 2222 cut in (1) above. The non-through hole 2223 becomes the space into which the nozzle portion 221 is inserted.

Then, as shown in the lower part (3) of FIG. 3, the tip of the nozzle part 221 is inserted into the non-through hole 2223. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a cross-sectional view of the cup 222 and the tip of the nozzle part 221 cut along a different cutting plane from that of FIG. 3 (3). The left side of FIG. 4 shows a perspective view, and the right side shows a D-D cross-sectional view of the perspective view. The nozzle part 221 is formed by combining a cylindrical member and a filter. Specifically, the nozzle part 221 includes a tubular part 2211, a tip part 2212 connected to the tip of the tubular part 2211, and a filter 2213 held by the tip part 2212. The filter 2213 is formed of, for example, a fiber material or a porous material, and is capable of filtering the liquid to be sucked, but the suction nozzle 22 does not need to include the filter 2213. The outer diameter of the tip 2212 is approximately the same as the diameter of the non-through hole 2223 cut in (2) above, and the tip 2212 can be inserted into the cup 222. The portion indicated by the thick line in the perspective view of Fig. 4 (the portion whose slope is indicated by the black triangle in the cross-sectional view of Fig. 4) is welded to form a connection 2225 between the nozzle part 221 and the cup 222. In other words, the shape of the inside of the non-through hole 2223 corresponds to the outer shape of the tip 2212, and the two can be welded together. The tip 2212, which is the suction port of the suction nozzle 22,
The tip of the nozzle abuts against the step 2224 formed in (2) above, and a space 2226 capable of storing liquid is formed below the tip 2212 in the cup 222. At this time, the upper end of a side wall 2227 formed on the radially outer side of the cup 222 is located at a higher position than the tip of the tip 2212. Also, as shown in (3) of Fig. 3, the inside of the side wall 2227 includes a separation portion 2228 separated from the nozzle portion 221, and the space 2226 capable of storing liquid formed by the non-through holes 2222 also extends around the sides of the tip 2212.

The manufacturing method of the cup 222 is not limited to the example shown in FIG. 3. The cup 222 can also be created, for example, by a 3D printer or a molded product. In this case, the recess is not limited to being formed by a combination of non-through holes with a circular cross-sectional shape. The outer shape of the cup 222 is also not limited to a cylindrical shape. When created by a 3D printer, the nozzle portion 221 and the cup 222 can be integrated.

The connection between the nozzle portion 221 and the cup 222 is not limited to welding, but may be by gluing, fitting, or screwing.

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining the replacement of a bottle. Figure 5 shows a three-step process (1)-(3). First, as shown in the upper part (1) of Figure 5, when the remaining amount of liquid held in the bottle 21 falls below a predetermined threshold, for example, the operator of the analysis device 1000 replaces the suction nozzle 22 with a new bottle 21. At this time, the suction nozzle 22 is operated while remaining connected to the piping of the analysis device 1000.

The operator of the analytical device 1000 removes the suction nozzle 22 from the bottle 21, as shown in the middle (2) of Figure 5. At this time, even if the suction nozzle 22 is tilted slightly or subjected to a slight impact, causing the liquid to spill out of the cup 222, the height of the liquid surface in the cup 222 will not easily fall below the height of the tip of the tip portion 2212.

Then, as shown in the lower part (3) of FIG. 5, the operator inserts the suction nozzle 22 into the bottle 21 filled with liquid. The above-mentioned process may be performed without stopping the operation of the analysis device 1000. For example, two or more bottles 21 filled with the same liquid in advance are stored so that the flow path from one pump can be switched. Then, the replacement of the bottle 21 shown in FIG. 5 can be performed in a state where liquid is not being supplied from the bottle.

If the suction nozzle 22 were not provided with the cup 222, there is a risk that the liquid held at the tip of the suction nozzle 22 would drip and introduce air bubbles when the suction nozzle 22 is transferred to another bottle 21. Air bubbles may also adhere to the suction nozzle 22 when it comes into contact with the liquid surface of another bottle 21. If air bubbles get into the flow path, there is a risk that the amount of liquid in the cleaning tank will become unstable. By providing the cup 222 according to this embodiment, it is possible to prevent the suction of air by the suction nozzle 22 and the introduction of air bubbles into the suction nozzle 22.

Figure 6 is a diagram for explaining a part of the configuration of the analysis device 1000. The analysis device 1000 includes a computer 24, a liquid amount detection sensor 25, a switching valve 26, and a pump 27, which are housed in, for example, the bottle storage section 2. The liquid amount detection sensor 25 is a sensor that detects the remaining amount of liquid held by the bottle 21 based on the weight of the bottle 21 placed thereon. The measurement method of the liquid amount detection sensor 25 is not particularly limited, and may be a capacitance type or other type. The switching valve 26 is connected to the suction nozzle 22 and switches the flow path of the liquid sucked by the pump 27 to one of the multiple bottles 21. The pump 27 sucks the liquid from the bottle 21 and sends the liquid to, for example, a washing tank provided in a measurement unit (not shown). The washing tank is used to wash the nozzle of the measurement unit (not shown) that sucks and discharges the reagent and sample.

The computer 24 controls the analysis process performed by the analysis device 1000, detects the remaining amount of liquid held in the bottle 21, and if it determines that the amount is below a predetermined threshold, displays a warning on the monitor 3 or the status output unit 4, for example. The computer 24 includes a processor 241 and a storage device 242, and is connected to the liquid amount detection sensor 25 via an input/output interface.

The processor 241 is a calculation device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and executes a program to perform processing according to the present embodiment. In the example of FIG. 6, functional blocks are shown in the processor 241. That is, the processor 241 functions as a device control unit 2411, a data acquisition unit 2412, and a determination unit 2413. The device control unit 2411, for example, causes the measurement unit to perform a predetermined analysis process, controls the switching valve 26 to switch the flow path, and controls the output to the monitor 3 and the status output unit 4. The data acquisition unit 2412 acquires data output by a sensor or the like via a predetermined input/output interface. The determination unit 2413 determines whether the remaining amount of liquid held in the bottle 21 is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value.

The storage device 242 is, for example, a main storage device such as a random access memory (RAM) or a read only memory (ROM), or an auxiliary storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), an embedded multi-media card (eMMC), or a flash memory. The main storage device secures a working area for the processor 241 and temporarily stores data output by the sensor, etc. The auxiliary storage device stores the program according to this embodiment, data output by the sensor, and other data.

An air bubble sensor may be connected to the piping that forms the flow path. If air bubbles are detected, the computer 24 may display a warning on the monitor 3 or the status output unit 4.

<Exchange process>
Fig. 7 is a process flow diagram showing an example of the replacement process. When performing a predetermined analysis process, the analysis device 1000 performs the process shown in Fig. 7 in parallel. Note that the analysis device 1000 is equipped with two bottles 21 that hold the same liquid, as shown in Fig. 6.

The data acquisition unit 2412 of the analysis device 1000 acquires information indicating the remaining amount of liquid for each of the bottles 21 from the liquid amount detection sensor 25 (FIG. 7: S1). The determination unit 2413 also determines whether the remaining amount of the bottle 21 in use is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold (S2). If it is determined that the remaining amount of the bottle 21 in use is equal to or less than the threshold (S2: YES), the determination unit 2413 determines whether the remaining amount of the other bottle 21 is equal to or less than the predetermined threshold (S3). If it is determined that the remaining amount of the other bottle 21 is not equal to or less than the predetermined threshold (S3: NO), the device control unit 2411 switches the switching valve 26 to switch the bottle 21 to be used (S4).

On the other hand, if it is determined in S3 that the remaining amounts in the two bottles 21 are equal to or less than the predetermined threshold (S3: YES), the measurement is terminated (S5). At this time, if the device control unit 2411 determines that the remaining amounts are equal to or less than the predetermined threshold, it causes a warning to be displayed on the monitor 3 or the status output unit 4, for example. Thereafter, if the operator replaces the bottle 21, a predetermined priming operation is performed (S6), and the replacement process is terminated, making it possible to execute the analysis process.

If it is determined that the remaining amount of the bottle 21 being used is not equal to or less than a predetermined threshold (S2: NO) or if the bottle 21 being used is switched (S4), the data acquisition unit 2412 determines whether to end the measurement (S7). In this step, for example, if an instruction to end the measurement process is given by an operation of the operator (S7: YES), the measurement ends. On the other hand, if it is determined not to end the measurement (S7: NO), the process returns to S1 and data acquisition is repeated.

According to the replacement process described above, by using two bottles 21, it becomes possible to automatically switch the flow path even if the remaining amount in one of the bottles 21 falls below a threshold value. In addition, the bottle 21 with the remaining amount below the threshold value is switched in S4 and becomes unused. In the unused state where it is not being used to supply liquid to the measurement unit, the operator can replace the suction nozzle 22 with a new bottle 21. At this time, as shown in FIG. 5, the height of the liquid surface in the cup 222 is higher than the height of the tip of the tip portion 2212. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the suction of air and the introduction of air bubbles.

The present invention also includes a method and a computer program for executing the above-mentioned processing, and a computer-readable recording medium on which the program is recorded. The recording medium on which the program is recorded enables the above-mentioned processing by causing a computer to execute the program.

Here, a computer-readable recording medium refers to a recording medium that stores information such as data and programs through electrical, magnetic, optical, mechanical, or chemical action and can be read by a computer. Among such recording media, those that can be removed from a computer include flexible disks, magneto-optical disks, optical disks, magnetic tapes, memory cards, etc. Furthermore, recording media that are fixed to a computer include HDDs, SSDs (Solid State Drives), ROMs, etc.

1000: Analysis device 1: Measurement unit storage section 2: Bottle storage section 21: Bottle (container)
22: Suction nozzle 221: Nozzle section 222: Cup 23: Cap 24: Computer 241: Processor 2411: Device control section 2412: Data acquisition section 2413: Determination section 242: Storage device 25: Liquid volume detection sensor 26: Switching valve 27: Pump 3: Monitor 4: Status output section

Claims (4)

a nozzle portion having an inlet port to be inserted into a container for storing a liquid, for sending the liquid to a measurement unit of an analysis device;
a cup-shaped member having a recess for storing the liquid around the suction port and a liquid inlet for introducing the liquid into the recess, the cup-shaped member being connected to the nozzle portion;
the nozzle portion and the cup-shaped member are attached to the container such that the liquid inlet of the cup-shaped member is positioned vertically above the suction port of the nozzle portion ;
The side wall forming the recess is
a connecting portion whose inner shape corresponds to the outer shape of the nozzle portion;
a separation portion that forms a space for storing the liquid around the nozzle portion;
Includes
Suction nozzle. The suction nozzle according to claim 1 , wherein an opening of the recess serving as the liquid inlet faces vertically upward when the nozzle portion and the cup-shaped member are attached to the container. The suction nozzle according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the connection portion is welded to the nozzle portion. A pump,
a switching valve for switching a flow path for sending the liquid to the pump;
The suction nozzle according to claim 1 , which is connected to the switching valve;
Equipped with
An analyzer in which a plurality of the suction nozzles are connected to the switching valve.

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