Parts supply device, sample analyzing device, parts supply method

Abstract

A parts supply device for supplying disposable part selected from a cuvette and pipette chip, comprising: a storage section for storing a plurality of disposable parts; a sort section for sorting the disposable parts supplied from the storage section, the sort section including a push-up plate to be capable of pushing up the disposable part in the supplied parts and a wall section arranged at the downstream side of the push-up plate so as to be adjacent to the push-up plate, wherein the push-up plate is configured to vertically move along the wall section between a first position and a second position that is above the first position; and a transfer section for transferring one by one the disposable part supplied by the push-up plate over the wall section.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an overall configuration of an immune analyzing device provided with an automatic pipette chip supply device according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of a pipette chip supplied by the automatic pipette chip supply device according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an emergency specimen and chip conveying section in the immune analyzing device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an emergency specimen and chip conveying section in the immune analyzing device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an overall configuration of the automatic pipette chip supply device according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an overall configuration of the automatic pipette chip supply device according to one embodiment shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a side view showing a turning mechanism section of the automatic pipette chip supply device according to one embodiment shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the automatic pipette chip supply device, seen from a chip refill mechanism section, according to one embodiment shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a front view of the automatic pipette chip supply device, seen from a chip refill mechanism section, according to one embodiment shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 10 is a front view of the automatic pipette chip supply device according to one embodiment shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a neutralizing fan of the automatic pipette chip supply device according to one embodiment shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 12 is a front view showing a state in which a discharge mechanism section of the automatic pipette chip supply device according to one embodiment shown in FIG. 5 is located at a second position;

FIG. 13 is a plan view of a discharge mechanism section of the automatic pipette chip supply device according to one embodiment shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a discharge mechanism section of the automatic pipette chip supply device according to one embodiment shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 15 is a front view of a cut-to-form mechanism section of the automatic pipette chip supply device according to one embodiment shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 16 is a front view of the cut-to-form mechanism section and a wall section of the automatic pipette chip supply device according to one embodiment shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 17 is a front view of a push-up plate of the cut-to-form mechanism section shown in FIG. 15;

FIG. 18 is a side view of the push-up plate of the cut-to-form mechanism section shown in FIG. 15;

FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing a state in which the push-up plate of the cut-to-form mechanism section shown in FIG. 16 is located at a first stopping position;

FIG. 20 is a perspective view showing a state in which the push-up plate of the cut-to-form mechanism section shown in FIG. 16 is located at a second stopping position;

FIG. 21 is a perspective view showing a state in which the push-up plate of the cut-to-form mechanism section shown in FIG. 16 is located at a sending position;

FIG. 22 is a front view of the wall section shown in FIG. 16;

FIG. 23 is a side view of the wall section shown in FIG. 16;

FIG. 24 is a front view of a storage section, push-up plate and wall section of the cut-to-form mechanism section of the automatic pipette chip supply device according to one embodiment shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 25 is a plan view of a movement section of the automatic pipette chip supply device according to one embodiment shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 26 is a side view of the movement section of the automatic pipette chip supply device according to one embodiment shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 27 is a front view of a cuvette used for the immune analyzing device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 28 is a side view of an emergency specimen and chip conveying section and specimen dispensing arm of the immune analyzing device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 29 is a side view for explaining the releasing operation of the pipette chip attached to the specimen dispensing arm of the immune analyzing device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 30 is a side view for explaining the releasing operation of the pipette chip attached to the specimen dispensing arm of the immune analyzing device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 31 is a side view for explaining the releasing operation of the pipette chip attached to the specimen dispensing arm of the immune analyzing device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 32 is a perspective view for explaining a sorting operation of a sort mechanism section of the automatic pipette chip supply device according to one embodiment shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 33 is a perspective view for explaining a sorting operation of a sort mechanism section of the automatic pipette chip supply device according to one embodiment shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 34 is a perspective view for explaining a sorting operation of a sort mechanism section of the automatic pipette chip supply device according to one embodiment shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 35 is a perspective view for explaining a sorting operation of a sort mechanism section of the automatic pipette chip supply device according to one embodiment shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 36 is a perspective view for explaining a sorting operation of a sort mechanism section of the automatic pipette chip supply device according to one embodiment shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 37 is a perspective view for explaining a sorting operation of a sort mechanism section of the automatic pipette chip supply device according to one embodiment shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 38 a is a schematic view for explaining the rotational movement of the segmenting part 335b in the drum 335 shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 38 b is a schematic view for explaining the rotational movement of the segmenting part 335b in the drum 335 shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 38 c is a schematic view for explaining the rotational movement of the segmenting part 335b in the drum 335 shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 38 d is a schematic view for explaining the rotational movement of the segmenting part 335b in the drum 335 shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 39 is a perspective view showing a cuvette sort mechanism section for sorting a cuvette; and

FIG. 40 is a side view showing a movement section of the cuvette sort mechanism section shown in FIG. 39.

Claims

1. A parts supply device for supplying disposable part selected from a cuvette and pipette chip, comprising: a storage section for storing a plurality of disposable parts;a sort section for sorting the disposable parts supplied from the storage section, the sort section including a push-up plate to be capable of pushing up the disposable part in the supplied parts and a wall section arranged at the downstream side of the push-up plate so as to be adjacent to the push-up plate, wherein the push-up plate is configured to vertically move along the wall section between a first position and a second position that is above the first position; anda transfer section for transferring one by one the disposable part supplied by the push-up plate over the wall section.

2. The parts supply device according to claim 1, wherein the upper end portion of the wall section is positioned above the upper end portion of the push-up plate when the upper end portion of the push-up plate is located at the first position,a part of the upper end portion of the wall section is positioned below a part of the upper end portion of the push-up plate, and the other portion of the upper end portion of the wall section is positioned above the other portion of the upper end portion of the push-up plate when the upper end portion of the push-up plate is located at a third position that is between the first position and the second position.

3. The parts supply device according to claim 1, wherein the upper end portion of the wall section is inclined in the widthwise direction of the wall section.

4. The parts supply device according to claim 2, wherein when one disposable part is placed on the push-up plate, the second position is the position for sending the one disposable part to the transfer section, and the third position is the position for sending the one disposable part to the transfer section when plural disposable part are placed onto the push-up plate.

5. The parts supply device according to claim 1, wherein the disposable part includes a base portion having a large diameter and a leading end portion having a small diameter, wherein the position of center of gravity of the disposable part is shifted to the base portion.

6. The parts supply device according to claim 5, wherein the thickness of the push-up plate is smaller than the outer diameter of the base portion of the disposable part.

7. The parts supply device according to claim 1, wherein the upper end portion of the wall section is inclined along the widthwise direction of the push-up plate.

8. The parts supply device according to claim 1, wherein the sort section is arranged at the upstream side of the push-up plate so as to be adjacent to the push-up plate, and further comprises a disposable part guide member having a slope inclined downward toward the push-up plate.

9. The parts supply device according to claim 8, wherein the sort section further comprises a second push-up plate arranged at the upstream side of the disposable part guide member so as to be adjacent to the disposable part guide member, wherein the second push-up plate is configured to vertically move in order to supply the plural disposable part to the part guide member.

10. The parts supply device according to claim 9, wherein the upper end portion of the push-up plate is inclined downward toward the wall section.

11. The parts supply device according to claim 1, further comprising: a detection section for detecting whether the disposable part is at the movement section or not; anda control section for controlling the sort section so as to stop the operation of the push-up plate when the detection section detects that the disposable part is at the movement section.

12. The parts supply device according to claim 1, further comprising: a dicharging section for discharging the disposable part.

13. A sample analyzing device comprising: a parts supply device according to claim 1;a dispensing section to which the disposable part supplied by the parts supply device is attached, and that dispenses a sample with the use of the disposable part;a preparing section for preparing an analyzing sample by mixing a reagent into the sample dispensed by the dispensing section; andan analyzing section for analyzing the analyzing sample prepared by the preparing section.

14. A parts supply device for supplying disposable part selected from a cuvette and pipette chip, comprising: a part accommodating section which accommodates a plurality of disposable part and sends a predetermined amount of accommodated disposable parts, the part accommodating section including a holding member to be capable of holding the disposable parts; anda part sort section for sorting the sent disposable part in the sent disposable parts, whereinthe holding member which divides and sends the predetermined amount of accommodated disposable part from the part accommodating section to the part sort section.

15. The parts supply device according to claim 14, wherein the part accommodating section has a holding member support section for supporting the holding member, and the holding member which sorts and sends the predetermined amount of disposable part by the rotational movement of the holding member support section.

16. The parts supply device according to claim 15, further comprising: a detection section for detecting the disposable part conveyed to the part sort section, wherein the operation for sending the part by the holding member is controlled on the basis of the information of the part detected by the detection section.

17. The parts supply device according to claim 14, further comprising a part refill section for accommodating the disposable part.

18. The parts supply device according to claim 17, further comprising a second detection section for detecting the disposable part accommodated in the part accommodating section, wherein the operation for refilling the disposable part by the parts refill section is controlled on the basis of the information of the disposable part detected by the second detection section.

19. A sample analyzing device comprising: a parts supply device according to claim 14;a dispensing section to which the disposable part supplied by the parts supply device is attached, and that dispenses a sample with the use of the disposable part;a preparing section for preparing an analyzing sample by mixing a reagent into the sample dispensed by the dispensing section; andan analyzing section for analyzing the analyzing sample prepared by the preparing section.

20. A parts supply method for supplying parts selected from a cuvette and pipette chip, the method comprising steps of: dividing a predetermined amount of disposable part accommodated in a part accommodating section;sending the divided disposable part from the part accommodating section;sorting the sent disposable part one by one.