JPH052090B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Application of the Invention] The present invention relates to an autosampler for blood images, and in particular, it employs a turntable system, is equipped with both a rotation and an up-and-down mechanism, and also has functions for detecting the presence or absence of a cassette and for detecting the attachment and detachment of a cassette. This invention relates to an autosampler for blood images equipped with a blood image autosampler.

[Background of the Invention] The current situation is that the field of blood imaging has become increasingly automated in recent years, and test contents have become more diverse.
Therefore, in hospitals, testing centers, etc., efforts have been made to improve the functionality of automatic blood image classification devices for the purpose of saving labor and improving measurement accuracy. However, when blood is collected in a laboratory, patients do not come in batches, so when a certain number of patients arrive, it is necessary to smear and stain the blood to prepare a specimen, measure it with a device each time, and report the results. Therefore, in an automatic blood image classification device, even if the device is running, a new specimen must be set, and a sample that has been measured can be removed even while the device is running. Must.

Furthermore, even though the measurement accuracy of the device has improved, the current situation is that specimens may have overlapping blood cells, breakage, etc., and do not always match 100% with visual inspection. These blood cells are stored in the device's built-in CPU,
The specimen is visually reexamined using a microscope built into the device, but the specimen to be reexamined must be quickly retrieved and transported under the microscope.

Conventionally, the hopping cassette for storing specimens before measurement and the stacking cassette for storing specimens for which measurement has been completed were separate, and only one of each (50 specimens stored) could be set in the apparatus. Further, the hot cassette and the set cassette repeatedly move only up and down in synchronization. Therefore, the bottom cassette and the stack cassette were placed in a corresponding relationship, with the lowest specimen in the stack cassette being stored at the bottom of the stack cassette, and the top specimen being stored in the top cassette. It was also not possible to transfer specimens from the stack cassette to the hot cassette. Therefore, the next cassette cannot be set until the measurement is completed.

Furthermore, since the stacking cassette and the stacking cassette are separated into left and right parts with the microscope in between, the specimens stored in the stacking cassette are oriented in the opposite direction to the specimens inside the stacking cassette. Therefore, when performing a reexamination, the entire specimen must be taken out and turned over, which is not only time consuming and inconvenient, but also poses the risk of inserting the specimen in the wrong position.

[Purpose of the invention]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an autosampler for blood images that is equipped with a rotation mechanism and an up-and-down mechanism, so that it can measure any specimen and can perform continuous measurements.

[Summary of the invention]

In order to load sequentially prepared samples into the device each time, the maximum sample mounting capacity of the autosampler must be maximized.

Furthermore, in order to enable continuous measurement, it is necessary to attach and detach the cassette while the device is in operation. Therefore, sufficient consideration must be given to safety and operability.

In the present invention, as a means for achieving this, the turntable itself is rotated and moved up and down, so that the cassette can be attached and detached on one plane.

Furthermore, it is equipped with a function to detect the presence or absence of a cassette, and to distinguish whether it is attached or removed, and uses a lamp to distinguish and display cassettes storing specimens before measurement and cassettes storing specimens for which measurement has been completed. This allows the next cassette to be attached.

[Embodiments of the invention]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described using FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3.

The lower disk 2 and the upper disk 22 each have three holes at the same pitch on the same circumference, and three shafts 14 of the same length are inserted into the corresponding holes, Each is tightened with bolt 3. Therefore, the lower disk 2 and the upper disk 22 are fixed in parallel and concentrically. A thrust bearing 4 and a bearing 5 are inserted into a hole in the center of the lower disk 2. On the other hand, a bearing 6 is inserted into a hole in the center of the upper disk 22, and each of the bearings 5
and 6, the screw shaft 13 is vertically and rotatably supported. The thrust bearing 4
is for supporting the thrust load in the axial direction of the screw shaft 13.

The detection disk 12 having a disk shape with a partial cutout is
It is fixed to a pulley 7, and the pulley 7 is fixed to a screw shaft 13. On the other hand, a motor stand 10 to which a motor 11 is fixed is attached to the mechanism base 1. A pulley 8 is attached to the shaft of the motor 11.
is fixed at the same level as the pulley 7, the pulleys 7 and 8 are interlocked by a timing belt 9, and the rotational force of the motor 11 is applied to the screw shaft 1.
3. Mounting plate 2 with detector 19 fixed
0 is attached to the lower disk 2. Detector 19
The detection disc 12 is inserted into the light emitting part of the detector 19, and when the detection disc 12 rotates and the notched light projecting part (one location) comes to the light emitting part of the detector 19, the rotation of the motor 11 is stopped. It's getting old. Therefore, screw shaft 1
3 stops every rotation, and the vertically moving section, which will be explained below, moves vertically. The lead of the screw shaft 13 is 3 mm.

A screw bearing 18 that is combined with the screw shaft 13 is fixed at the center of the drive base 21, and the screw bearing 18 is inserted into the screw shaft 13 and converts the rotational movement of the screw shaft 13 into vertical movement. Slide bearing 15 to 2
The tubes 16 inserted and fixed in series are connected to the drive base 21.
is fixed vertically. Slide bearing 1
Since the drive base 5 is free from play and can be slid up and down with respect to the shaft 14, the drive base 21 moves up and down while remaining horizontal. A slide bearing 17 that can freely slide up and down is inserted into the other shaft 14.
This slide bearing 17 is attached to a drive base 21.

Two bearings 26 are vertically inserted into the drive base 21, and a turntable 32 is fixed to the top of a large gear 25 rotatably supported by the bearings 26. The fixing plate 33 prevents the bearing 26 from coming off. Further, upper and lower discs 24 are fixed to the drive base 21. motor 27
A motor stand 28 to which the detector 31 is fixed is attached to the upper and lower discs 24. A small gear 29 and a detection disc 30 are attached to the shaft of the motor 27.
The small gear 29 and the large gear 25 mesh with each other.

A detection disc 30 is inserted into the light emitting part of the detector 31, and this detection disc 30 rotates, and a cutout light projection part provided at one location on the circumference of the detection disc 30 is inserted into the light emitting part of the detector 31.
The motor 27 is configured to stop rotating when the light emitting section 1 is reached. Therefore, the rotation angle of the large gear 25 per revolution of the small gear 29 is determined by the gear ratio of the small gear 29 and the large gear 25, and therefore the rotation angle of the turntable 32 is also determined. In this embodiment, the gear ratio is 1:10, so the rotation angle of the turntable 32 is 36 degrees.

On the turntable 32, internally hollow partition blocks 44 are mounted on the same circumference and at the same pitch. This limit block 44 is perpendicular to the top surface of the turntable 32. A plate 42 is attached to the upper part of the shaft 39, which is rotatably supported by a bearing 36 fixed to the turntable 32. A cassette holder 43 is fixed to this plate 42, and the cassette holder 43 is fixed to the cassette holder 43. It is designed to pop out from the 44 holes. On the other hand, a collar 37 that is integrated with the shutter 38 is fixed to the lower part of the shaft 39. The detector 34 fixed to the mounting plate 35 is
Ten pieces are attached at the same pitch on the same circumference of the upper and lower discs 24. The spring hook 41 is fixed to the turntable 32, and the spring hook 68 is fixed to the shaft 39, and a rotational force is applied to the shaft 39 by the tension spring 40. Therefore, when the cassette 45 is inserted between the respective restriction blocks 44, the cassette presser 43 presses the cassette 45 in one direction due to the force of the tension spring 40, so that the cassette 45 is moved against the turntable 32 using the restriction blocks 44 as a guide. It will be set at the same pitch above.

On the other hand, the shutter 3 which is interlocked with the cassette presser foot 43
8, when the cassette 45 is set, the detector 34
If the cassette 45 is set so that the cassette 45 is set, the detector 34 can detect whether the cassette 45 is set or not.

The base 48 is fixed horizontally to the upper disk 22. The two slide shafts 58 are fixed to the base 48 at the same level and in parallel, and slide bearings 23 that can freely slide up and down are inserted into the slide shafts 58. At the bottom of the holder 49, in which the slide bearings 23 are mounted at the same spacing as the slide shaft 58, a push plate 47 is attached to the slide shaft 58.
When the holder 49 moves linearly horizontally using the slide shaft 58 as a guide, the push plate 47 also slides horizontally.
There are grooves on both sides of the inner surface of the cassette 45 so that specimens 46 made by smearing and staining a slide glass with blood can be stored horizontally and at equal intervals, and the specimens 46 can slide freely in these grooves. Therefore, the specimen 46 in the cassette 45, which is on the same level as the pushing plate 47, is pushed out by the pushing plate 47 and onto the rail 64.
be placed on top.

The fulcrum shaft 56 is fixed to the base 48, and the arm 52 is rotatably supported by the fulcrum shaft 56 and makes an oscillating motion about the fulcrum shaft 56. motor 5
A motor stand 55 on which the motor 7 is fixed is attached to the base 48. Further, a disk 59 is attached to the shaft of the motor 57.
is fixed, and a shaft 54 that rotatably supports the roller 53 is fixed at one point on the circumference of the disk 59. In the longitudinal direction of the arm 52,
A groove is cut, and a roller 53 is slidably inserted into this groove from above, and a roller 51 is slidably inserted from below. Therefore, when the disc 59 rotates, the roller 5
3 moves inside the groove of the arm 52, so the arm 52 makes an oscillating movement about the fulcrum shaft 56. On the other hand, since the roller 51 is also slidably inserted into the groove of the arm 52, the amplitude motion of the arm 52 is converted into a linear motion by the push plate 47. The detector 63 is attached to the motor stand 55. A disc 59 enters the light emitting part of the detector 63, and as this disc 59 rotates, a cutout light projecting part provided at one location on the circumference of the disc 59 enters the light emitting part of the detector 63. When this happens, the motor 57 stops rotating. Therefore, when the push plate 47 is retracted, the motor 57
All you have to do is make sure that it stops.

The cover 62 is for protection. Ten lamps 61 are mounted on the same circumference of the printed circuit board 60 at the same pitch, and are in a positional relationship corresponding to the cassette 45.

Now, when the cassettes 45 are set in all positions 1 to 10 of the position numbers 67 on the turntable 32, or in any arbitrary position, each detector 34
As a result, the set position is detected and the relative position lamp 61 is lit. In response to the start signal, the turntable 32 rotates and moves to position number 67.
Stop at the lowest number. At this time, the lighting position of the lamp 61 also moves in synchronization with the rotation of the turntable 32. When the motor 11 rotates, the screw shaft 13 also rotates as described above, the turntable 32 descends from the top dead center position, and the detector 19
is detected and stops at the fixed position. At this position, the lowest sample 46 in the cassette 45, the push plate 47, and the rail 64 are at the same level. When the descent stops, the presence or absence of the specimen 4 is detected by the reflective detector 65 located at a position to project light onto the end face of the specimen 46. If so, the motor 57 rotates, and the specimen 46 is pushed onto the rail 64 by the pushing plate 47. If there is no motor 57, the motor 57 will not rotate, and the motor 1 for up and down will not rotate.
1 rotates, the turntable 32 descends one step and stops at the position of the next specimen 46. The sample 46 on the rail 64 is transferred to the measurement section by a transfer mechanism (not shown), and after the measurement is completed, it is pushed and stored in the same position in the original cassette. The above operations are repeated in sequence, and when the measurement of the uppermost sample is completed, the motor 1
1 rotates in the reverse direction, and the turntable 32 rises to the top dead center and stops.

Next, when the motor 27 makes one rotation, the turntable 32 also rotates one pitch (36 degrees) and stops at the next cassette position. At this time as well, the lighting position of the lamp 61 moves in synchronization with the turntable 32, but the lighting position of the lamp 61 is moved in synchronization with the turntable 32.
1 turns off. When the rotation of the turntable 32 stops at a fixed position, it moves up and down in the same manner as described above.

The above operations are repeated in sequence, and when all the samples 46 have been measured, all the lamps 61 are turned off and the measurement is completed. In this embodiment, the number of specimens stored per one cassette is 25, and since a maximum of 10 can be set on the turntable, the number of specimens that can be installed simultaneously is 250.

In addition, even before measurement is complete, if you want to replace a new cassette or measure a sample in the same cassette again, remove the cassette.
When set, the shutter 38 temporarily cuts off the light emitting part of the detector 34, so the signal is stored in the CPU and the lamp 61 is turned on. Therefore, by sequentially replacing the cassettes, it is possible to continue measurement even when the apparatus is in measurement mode.

Further, in cases where the measurement results are abnormal, it is always necessary to reexamine only a specific specimen. In this case, by inputting the position number 67 and specimen number 66 from the keyboard, the designated specimen can be selected and reexamined in a short time.

〔Effect of the invention〕

1. In the present invention, 250 specimens can be loaded onto the autosampler at the same time, so even if the processing capacity of the device is 100 specimens/hour, unattended operation can be performed for about 2.5 hours, leading to labor savings.

2. The pre-measurement sample storage cassette and the measurement complete sample storage cassette are located on the same plane, and the attachment/detachment detection function provides lamp indication, improving operability.

3. Since the turntable itself rotates and moves up and down, depending on the configuration of the CPU program,
The scope of operation becomes vast.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a partially sectional front view of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partially sectional plan view of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a detailed structural view of the cassette. 1... Mechanism base, 2... Lower disc, 3... Bolt, 4... Thrust bearing, 5... Bearing, 6... Bearing, 7... Pulley, 8... Pulley, 9... Timing bell, 10...Motor stand, 11...Motor, 12...Detection disc, 13...
... Screw shaft, 14 ... Shaft, 15 ... Slide bearing, 16 ... Cylinder, 17 ... Slide bearing, 18 ... Screw bearing, 19 ... Detector, 20 ... Mounting plate, 21 ... Drive base, 22
... Upper disc, 23 ... Slide bearing, 24
... Upper and lower discs, 25 ... Large gears, 26 ... Bearings, 27 ... Motor, 28 ... Motor stand, 29
... Small gear, 30 ... Detection disk, 31 ... Detector, 32 ... Turntable, 33 ... Fixed plate,
34...Detector, 35...Mounting plate, 36...Bearing, 37...Color, 38...Shutter, 39...
Shaft, 40... tension spring, 41... spring loaded, 42
... Board, 43 ... Cassette holder, 44 ... Shikiri block, 45 ... Cassette, 46 ... Specimen, 4
7... Push plate, 48... Base, 49... Holder, 50... Shaft, 51... Roller, 52... Arm, 53... Roller, 54... Shaft, 55... Motor stand, 56... Fulcrum shaft, 57...Motor, 58...
...Slide shaft, 59...Disk, 60...Printed circuit board, 61...Lamp, 62...Cover, 63...
...Detector, 64...Rail, 65...Reflection type detector, 66...Specimen number, 67...Position number, 68...Spring loading.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A plurality of cassettes in which a plurality of specimens stained by smearing blood on a slide glass are stored horizontally and parallelly at equal intervals, and the cassettes are placed on and taken off on the same circumference perpendicularly and at equal angles on a disc-shaped turntable. In the autosampler for blood images, the blood image autosampler includes a structure for pushing the samples out of the cassette, a pushing mechanism for carrying out each sample in the cassette one by one, and a mechanism for carrying the carried out samples back into the original cassette. A rotation mechanism that rotates the table in accordance with the installation angle of the cassette, a vertical mechanism that moves the table up and down in accordance with the spacing between the specimens in the cassettes on the turntable, a function that detects the presence or absence of the cassette, and a function that detects the attachment and detachment of the cassette. An autosampler for blood images characterized by comprising: