JP2014002107A - Stirring mechanism and measuring device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a stirring mechanism and a measuring device capable of appropriately stirring a liquid in a reaction vessel with a simple configuration.
A stirring mechanism 34 for stirring a solution in a bottomed cylindrical reaction vessel 10, a holding portion 61 having a through hole 62 through which the reaction vessel 10 is inserted, and spaced apart from the holding portion 61. The support portion 71 that is disposed opposite to the through hole 62 and supports the bottom of the reaction vessel 10 inserted through the through hole 62, and a reference axis that extends in the through direction of the through hole 62 is rotated. A rotation shaft 73 for rotating the support 71 so as to give a circular motion to the bottom of the reaction vessel 10, a first locking portion 51 is formed on the outer side surface of the reaction vessel 10, and the side surface of the through hole 62 A second locking portion 63 that locks with the first locking portion 51 is formed.
[Selection] Figure 8

Description

  The present invention relates to a stirring mechanism and a measuring device including the stirring mechanism.

  Conventionally, in a laboratory test analysis method, an analyzer using a highly sensitive immunoassay method (Immunoassay method) has been used (see Patent Document 1). In the analyzer described in Patent Document 1, processing such as dispensing, stirring, and B / F (Bound / Free) separation is performed on the liquid in the reaction vessel. In this analyzer, the stirring element rotating by the driving source is brought into contact with the lower part of the reaction vessel, and the upper part is held by pressing the holding member, and the stirring element is rotated to stir the liquid in the reaction container. To do. Similarly, the sample preparation apparatus described in Patent Document 2 holds the upper part of the reaction vessel with rubber during stirring in order to prevent the reaction vessel from rotating.

JP 2007-147659 A JP-A-7-260794

  However, in the stirring method disclosed in Patent Document 1 or 2, the upper part of the reaction vessel is held by a pressing member and is sandwiched, so that the reaction vessel is slid from the lateral direction between the members holding the reaction vessel and installed. Is required. For this reason, there exists a possibility that the installation operation for conveyance to the stirring mechanism of a reaction container and stirring may become complicated. Moreover, since a pressing member is required, it may be difficult to reduce the size of the stirring mechanism. In this technical field, a stirring mechanism that can appropriately stir with a simple configuration and a measuring device including the stirring mechanism are desired.

  A stirring mechanism according to one aspect of the present invention is a stirring mechanism that stirs a solution in a bottomed cylindrical reaction vessel, and includes a holding portion in which a through hole for inserting the reaction vessel is formed, and a holding portion. A counter part that is placed opposite to the through hole at a spaced position and supports the bottom of the reaction vessel inserted through the through hole, and a circular motion that rotates around a reference axis that extends in the through direction of the through hole. A rotation mechanism for rotating the support portion so as to be applied to the bottom portion of the container, the first locking portion is formed on the outer side surface of the reaction vessel, and the first locking portion is engaged with the side surface of the through hole. A second locking portion to be stopped is formed.

  When the reaction vessel is inserted into the through hole of the holding portion and rotational movement is applied from the support portion to the bottom portion of the reaction vessel, the bottom portion moves circularly on a plane perpendicular to the reference axis. As the bottom of the reaction vessel rotates, the reaction vessel performs a rotational motion (slip motion) such that both ends of the longitudinal center line draw a circle. Since the first locking portion and the second locking portion are locked during the sliding motion, the movement of the reaction container in the direction opposite to the insertion direction of the through hole is suppressed with the rotational motion. be able to. As described above, since the jumping out from the through hole of the reaction vessel can be suppressed without using a pressing member or the like, the liquid in the reaction vessel can be stirred with a simple configuration.

  In one embodiment, the first locking portion may be formed in an annular shape on the outer side surface of the reaction vessel, and the second locking portion may be formed in an annular shape on the side surface of the through hole. When the reaction vessel performs a sawtooth motion, the reaction vessel is inclined at a predetermined angle from the reference axis, and a part of the outer side surface of the reaction vessel contacts a part of the side surface of the through hole. By forming the first locking portion and the second locking portion in an annular shape, the first locking portion and the second locking portion are appropriately engaged when the reaction vessel is supported at an inclined angle. Can be stopped. For this reason, jumping out from the through hole of the reaction vessel can be suppressed, and the liquid in the reaction vessel can be appropriately stirred.

  In one embodiment, the first locking portion may be continuously formed in an annular shape on the outer side surface of the reaction vessel, and the second locking portion may be continuously formed in an annular shape on the side surface of the through hole. By configuring in this way, even when the reaction container is tilted and held in any direction during the sliding motion, the reaction container is held by locking the first locking part and the second locking part. It can be fixed to the part.

  In one embodiment, the first locking portion has a first convex portion or a first concave portion formed on the outer side surface of the reaction vessel, and the second locking portion is formed on the side surface of the through hole. It has a convex part or a 2nd recessed part, and at least one of the 1st locking part and the 2nd locking part may have a convex part. By comprising in this way, a reaction container can be fixed to a holding | maintenance part by engaging and locking with a 1st latching | locking part and a 2nd latching | locking part at the time of a sliding motion.

  In one embodiment, the cross section of the first convex portion in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal center line direction of the reaction vessel or the cross section of the second convex portion in the direction orthogonal to the through direction of the through hole may be a triangle. By comprising in this way, when a reaction container is penetrated by the through-hole and inclines from the reference axis, a 1st latching | locking part and a 2nd latching | locking part can be latched smoothly.

  In one embodiment, the support part may support the bottom part of the reaction vessel at a position separated from the reference axis, and the rotation mechanism may rotate the support part using the reference axis as a rotation axis. With this configuration, the reaction vessel is supported in a state where the longitudinal center line of the reaction vessel is tilted from the reference axis, and a circular motion around the reference axis is given to the bottom of the reaction vessel, and the reaction vessel moves in a slack motion. Can be rotated.

  In one embodiment, the support part may support the bottom part of the reaction vessel, and the rotation mechanism may move the support part relative to the holding part. Even if it is a case where it comprises in this way, it can be rotated so that a reaction container may carry out a surging motion by operating a support part.

  In one embodiment, the holding part may be formed with a plurality of through holes, and the support part may support each bottom part of the reaction vessel inserted through the plurality of through holes. By comprising in this way, the inside of several reaction containers can be arrange | positioned at once, and the liquid in several reaction containers can be stirred at once. When the liquids in a plurality of reaction vessels are stirred at a time, the rotation of the reaction vessels in the rotation direction can be suppressed as compared with the case where the liquids in one reaction vessel are stirred.

  In one embodiment, the reaction vessel may be transparent. That is, it may be a reaction vessel that transmits electromagnetic waves such as visible light irradiated to the reaction vessel or electromagnetic waves such as visible light emitted from the inside of the reaction vessel. By comprising in this way, the emitted light intensity, the light absorbency, etc. of the liquid in reaction container can be measured.

  A measuring device according to another aspect of the present invention is a measuring device provided with a stirring mechanism that stirs a solution in a bottomed cylindrical reaction vessel, and the stirring mechanism penetrates through the reaction vessel. A holding part in which a hole is formed, a support part that is disposed opposite to the through hole at a position spaced from the holding part, and that supports the bottom of the reaction vessel inserted through the through hole, and extends in the through direction of the through hole And a rotation mechanism for rotating the support portion so as to give a circular motion rotating around the reference axis to the bottom portion of the reaction vessel. A first locking portion is formed on the outer side surface of the reaction vessel, and the through hole A second locking portion that locks with the first locking portion is formed on the side surface of the first locking portion. By comprising in this way, the effect similar to the effect of the stirring mechanism mentioned above can be show | played.

  As described above, according to various aspects and embodiments of the present invention, the liquid in the reaction vessel can be appropriately stirred with a simple configuration.

It is the schematic which showed the flow of the immunoassay. It is a top view of the measuring device concerning a 1st embodiment. It is the figure which showed the flowchart which shows operation | movement of the measuring apparatus shown in FIG. It is a front view of the reaction container used for the measuring apparatus shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing along the VV line of FIG. It is a perspective view of the stirring mechanism which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a top view of the holding | maintenance part with which the stirring mechanism which concerns on 1st Embodiment is provided. It is a schematic diagram explaining operation | movement of the stirring mechanism shown in FIG. It is a top view of the holding part with which the stirring mechanism concerning a 2nd embodiment is provided. It is a perspective view of the stirring mechanism which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a schematic diagram explaining operation | movement of the stirring mechanism shown in FIG.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.

(First embodiment)
The stirring mechanism according to the first embodiment is for stirring the solution in the reaction vessel. This agitation mechanism may be employed in measuring devices for various analyzes using specific binding between a ligand and a receptor. A typical analysis method using specific binding between a ligand and a receptor is an immunoassay method using an antigen and an antibody. There are various immunoassay methods, but here, explanation will be given by the so-called “sandwich method” using an antibody immobilized on a carrier such as magnetic particles and an antibody bound with a labeling substance.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the flow of an immunoassay method. In the immunoassay, when the measurement target substance is the antigen 11, first, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1C, the sample 1a (specimen) containing the antigen 11 is dispensed into the reaction vessel 10. . Next, as shown in FIGS. 1B and 1C, the reagent 1 b containing the antibody 12 immobilized on the magnetic particles 13 is dispensed into the reaction vessel 10. Antibody 12 undergoes an antigen-antibody reaction with antigen 11. When the sample 1a and the reagent 1b are mixed, the sample 1a and the reagent 1b cause an antigen-antibody reaction called a primary immune reaction ((D) in FIG. 1).

  After the primary immune reaction, B / F separation is performed ((E) in FIG. 1). By the B / F separation after the primary immune reaction, the substance 14 that has undergone the primary immune reaction and the substance 15 that has not undergone the primary immune reaction are separated. In the B / F separation, the magnetic particles 13 are collected by the magnetic collecting mechanism 16 so that the substance 15 that has not undergone the primary immune reaction is attracted by the suction nozzle 17 while the substance 14 that has undergone the primary immune reaction is captured. After the substance 15 is sucked by the suction nozzle 17, the cleaning liquid is discharged from the discharge nozzle 18. B / F separation is achieved by performing the suction of the substance 15 by the suction nozzle 17 and the discharge of the cleaning liquid from the discharge nozzle 18 once or a plurality of times. For example, a magnet or the like is used for the magnetic flux collecting mechanism 16.

  After the B / F separation after the primary immune reaction, the reagent 2b containing the antibody 22 immobilized on the enzyme 23 ((F) in FIG. 1) is dispensed into the reaction vessel 10 ((F) in FIG. 1). And (G)). The antibody 22 causes an antigen-antibody reaction called a secondary immune reaction with the antigen 11 of the substance 14 obtained by the primary immune reaction ((G) in FIG. 1).

  After the secondary immune reaction, B / F separation is performed ((H) in FIG. 1). By the B / F separation after the secondary immune reaction, the substance 24 that has undergone the secondary immune reaction and the substance 25 that has not undergone the secondary immune reaction are separated. The mechanism of B / F separation after the primary immune reaction and the mechanism of B / F separation after the secondary immune reaction may be, for example, the same.

  Thereafter, a luminescent reagent containing a luminescent substrate is dispensed. The enzyme 23 emits light by reacting with the luminescent substrate ((I) in FIG. 1). By measuring the emission intensity, the measurement target substance is detected or quantified. As the enzyme 23, for example, luciferase is used.

  Next, the measuring apparatus according to the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the measuring apparatus according to the first embodiment. The measurement apparatus illustrated in FIG. 2 may be employed in a measurement apparatus that performs immunoassay or gene analysis / analysis, for example.

  The measurement apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment mainly includes a sample transport unit 30, a sample dispensing mechanism 31, a reagent storage 32, a reaction table 33, a stirring mechanism 34, a stirring unit 35, a BF table 36, a nozzle 37, and nozzle driving. A mechanism 38, a first arm 39, a first arm drive mechanism 40, a second arm 41, a second arm drive mechanism 42, a third arm 43, a third arm drive mechanism 44, a detection mechanism 45, and a control unit 46 are provided. .

  The sample transport unit 30 carries the sample into the measurement apparatus 1. The sample transport unit 30 may include a mechanism for managing the temperature of the sample according to the measurement application. The sample dispensing mechanism 31 dispenses the sample 1a from the sample carried in from the sample transport unit 30. The reagent storage 32 installs and stores the reagents used in the measuring apparatus 1. The reagent storage 32 may include a mechanism for managing the temperature of the reagent according to the purpose of measurement.

  The reaction table 33 is a member for arranging and holding the reaction vessel 10. For example, the reaction table 33 has a container insertion hole into which the reaction container 10 is inserted. The container insertion holes may be formed such that the reaction containers 10 are arranged in multiple concentric circles. Further, the reaction table 33 may include a horizontal rotation mechanism having the center of the reaction table 33 as a rotation axis. The reaction table 33 may be a member that supports the lower portion of the reaction vessel 10 or a member that sandwiches the central portion of the reaction vessel 10. Furthermore, the reaction table 33 may include a mechanism for managing the temperature of the reaction vessel 10 according to the measurement application.

  The stirring mechanism 34 is provided in the reaction table 33 and the stirring unit 35. Details of the stirring mechanism 34 will be described later with reference to FIGS.

  The BF table 36 is a member that places and holds the reaction vessel 10 when performing B / F separation. The reaction vessel 10 disposed on the BF table 36 is subjected to B / F separation processing by a B / F separation mechanism including a magnetism collecting mechanism 16, a suction nozzle 17 and a discharge nozzle 18. For example, a container insertion hole for inserting the reaction container 10 is formed in the BF table 36. The container insertion holes may be formed such that the reaction containers 10 are arranged in multiple concentric circles. In addition, the BF table 36 may include a horizontal rotation mechanism having the center of the BF table 36 as a rotation axis. The BF table 36 may be a member that supports the lower part of the reaction vessel 10 or a member that sandwiches the central portion of the reaction vessel 10.

  If comprised in this way, the several reaction container 10 can be simultaneously conveyed by the operation | movement which conveys the several reaction container 10 arrange | positioned on the circular arc. In addition, since a plurality of reaction vessels 10 can be processed at a time, it is possible to efficiently perform processing when using a reagent with a short reaction time.

  One point of the nozzle 37 is fixed, and the nozzle driving mechanism 38 performs horizontal rotational movement with the fixed point as the origin. The nozzle 37 dispenses the reagent 1 b installed in the reagent storage 32 into the reaction container 10 arranged on the reaction table 33.

  One end of the first arm 39 is fixed, and the first arm drive mechanism 40 performs horizontal rotational movement with the fixed one end as the origin. The first arm 39 transfers the reaction vessel 10 from the reaction table 33 to the BF table 36.

  One end of the second arm 41 is fixed, and the second arm driving mechanism 42 performs horizontal rotational movement with the fixed one end as the origin. The second arm 41 transfers the reaction vessel 10 from the BF table 36 to the stirring unit 35.

  One end of the third arm 43 is fixed, and the third arm driving mechanism 44 performs horizontal rotation movement with the fixed one end as the origin. The third arm 43 transfers the reaction vessel 10 from the stirring mechanism 34 to the detection mechanism 45. The third arm 43 is formed with a probe for dispensing the luminescent reagent to the reaction vessel 10.

  The detection mechanism 45 is a device that measures the emission intensity of the liquid in the reaction vessel 10. The detection mechanism 45 may be a dark room.

  The control unit 46 controls the components of the measurement apparatus 1 described above. The control unit 46 includes, for example, a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like.

  Next, the operation of the measuring apparatus according to the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the measuring apparatus 1.

  As shown in FIG. 3, in the measuring apparatus 1, first, a sample dispensing process is performed (step S10). In step S <b> 10, the sample dispensing mechanism 31 dispenses the sample 1 a from the sample loaded from the sample transport unit 30 to the reaction container 10 arranged on the reaction table 33. Next, the process proceeds to the dispensing process shown in step S12. The reagent storage 32 is provided with a reagent 1b including magnetic particles 13 on which an antibody 12 that reacts with an antigen 11 for antigen-antibody is immobilized. The nozzle 37 dispenses the reagent 1b into the reaction container 10 arranged on the reaction table 33. The order of step S10 and step S12 may be reversed.

  Next, the process proceeds to the stirring process shown in step S14. In step S14, the stirring mechanism 34 stirs the sample 1a and the reagent 1b in the reaction vessel 10. In the stirring process shown in step S14, for example, the stirring mechanism 34 provided in the reaction table 33 performs the stirring process. By executing Step S14, the primary immune reaction (antigen-antibody reaction) between the antigen 11 and the antibody 12 shown in Step S16 is efficiently performed. Step S14 may be performed after a time interval from step S10 to step S16. Or step S14 may perform each step continuously without leaving a time interval after execution of step S10 to step S16.

  After step S14 or step S16, the process proceeds to the B / F separation process shown in step S18. In step S <b> 18, the first arm 39 transfers the reaction container 10 from the reaction table 33 to the BF table 36. In the B / F separation process shown in step S18, B / F separation is performed on the sample 1a and the reagent 1b in the reaction vessel 10 arranged on the BF table 36. This B / F separation is performed by the B / F separation mechanism to collect the material 14 that has undergone the primary immune reaction by the magnetic collection mechanism 16, the suction of the substance 15 that has not undergone the primary immune reaction by the suction nozzle 17, and the cleaning liquid by the discharge nozzle 18. Discharging and the like are performed.

  When step S18 ends, the process proceeds to the stirring process shown in step S20. In step S20, the stirring unit 35 stirs the sample 1a, the reagent 1b, and the cleaning liquid in the reaction vessel 10. The stirring process shown in step S20 uses, for example, the stirring mechanism 34 provided in the stirring unit 35. In order to perform the stirring process shown in step S <b> 20, the second arm 41 transfers the reaction vessel 10 from the BF table 36 to the stirring unit 35. The stirring process shown in step S20 and the B / F separation process shown in step S18 may be performed a plurality of times. The B / F separation shown in step S18 can be efficiently performed by the stirring process shown in step S20.

  When step S20 ends, the process proceeds to the dispensing process shown in step S22. In step S <b> 22, the first arm 39 transfers the reaction vessel 10 from the BF table 36 to the reaction table 33. The reagent storage 32 is also provided with a reagent 2b containing an enzyme 23 on which an antibody 22 that reacts with the antigen 11 for antigen-antibody is immobilized. The reagent 2b is dispensed into the reaction container 10 by a nozzle 37. Further, in step S24, the stirring mechanism 34 stirs the sample 1a and the reagent 2b in the reaction vessel 10. For example, the stirring mechanism 34 provided in the reaction table 33 is used in the stirring process shown in step S24. By executing step S24, the secondary immune reaction (antigen-antibody reaction) between the antigen 11 and the antibody 22 shown in step S26 is efficiently performed. Step S24 may be executed after a time interval from step S22 to step S26. Or step S24 may perform each step continuously without leaving a time interval after execution of step S22 to step S26.

  After step S24 or S26, the process proceeds to the B / F separation process shown in step S28. In step S <b> 28, the first arm 39 transfers the reaction container 10 from the reaction table 33 to the BF table 36. The B / F separation mechanism performs B / F separation on the sample 1 a and the reagent 2 b in the reaction container 10 arranged on the BF table 36.

  When step S28 ends, the process proceeds to the stirring process shown in step S30. In step S30, the stirring unit 35 stirs the sample 1a, the reagent 2b, and the cleaning liquid in the reaction vessel 10. The stirring process shown in step S30 uses, for example, the stirring mechanism 34 provided in the stirring unit 35. In order to perform the stirring process shown in step S <b> 30, the second arm 41 transfers the reaction vessel 10 from the BF table 36 to the stirring unit 35. The stirring process shown in step S30 and the B / F separation process shown in step S28 may be performed a plurality of times. The B / F separation shown in step S28 can be efficiently performed by the stirring process shown in step S30.

  When step S30 ends, the process proceeds to the dispensing process shown in step S32. In step S32, the reagent formed on the third arm 43 reacts with the enzyme 23 to emit light and is dispensed into the reaction vessel 10, and after the stirring process by the stirring unit 35, the third arm 43 moves the reaction vessel 10 through. Transfer from the agitation unit 35 to the detection mechanism 45. The detection mechanism 45 measures the luminescence intensity of the reaction caused by the dispensing of the luminescent reagent.

  Next, details of the reaction vessel 10 and the stirring mechanism 34 that realize the stirring function will be described. 4 is a front view of the reaction vessel 10, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the reaction vessel 10 taken along line VV. As shown in FIG.4 and FIG.5, the reaction container 10 is a bottomed cylindrical container, and has the opening end 10b and the bottom part 10a. The bottom portion 10a is formed of a curved surface, for example. For example, the reaction vessel 10 is configured such that the outer diameter in a horizontal section (a section in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal center line direction) decreases from the opening end 10b toward the bottom 10a. Since the bottom 10a side is thin, the insertion into the through hole 62 of the reaction vessel 10 is facilitated.

  A first locking portion 51 is formed on the outer side surface of the reaction vessel 10. The first locking portion 51 is formed in an annular shape in the circumferential direction on the outer side surface of the reaction vessel 10. The 1st latching | locking part 51 may be continuously formed in the circumferential direction of the outer side surface of the reaction container 10, for example. Further, the first locking portion 51 has a predetermined length in the longitudinal center line direction of the reaction vessel 10. The 1st latching | locking part 51 is extended by predetermined length toward the opening end 10b from the center part of the reaction container 10, for example.

  The first locking portion 51 has a first convex portion 51 a that protrudes outward in the radial direction of the reaction vessel 10. The first convex portion 51 a has a predetermined length in the longitudinal center line direction of the reaction vessel 10. A first recess 51b is formed between the plurality of first protrusions 51a. The horizontal cross section of the 1st convex part 51a is a triangle, for example. The angle of the triangular tip is, for example, 120 ° to 160 °. In addition, the horizontal cross section of the 1st convex part 51a is not restricted to a triangle, A round shape or a polygon may be sufficient. Moreover, the both ends of the 1st convex part 51a in the longitudinal centerline direction of the reaction container 10 may be chamfered. By forming the chamfered portion 51c, the insertion into the through hole 62 of the reaction vessel 10 is facilitated.

  Further, the reaction vessel 10 may be transparent. That is, the reaction vessel 10 may be made of a light transmissive material. Furthermore, the reaction container 10 may transmit electromagnetic waves such as visible light irradiated to the reaction container 10 or electromagnetic waves such as visible light emitted from the reaction container 10. By comprising in this way, the emitted light intensity, the light absorbency, etc. of the liquid in the reaction container 10 can be measured.

  Next, the stirring mechanism 34 will be described. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the stirring mechanism 34. As shown in FIG. 6, the stirring mechanism 34 includes a holding unit 61, a support unit 71, a rotating shaft 73, and a rotation driving mechanism 74. A through hole 62 for inserting the reaction vessel 10 is formed in the holding portion 61. The area of the through hole 62 is larger than the area of the horizontal cross section of the reaction vessel 10. A plurality of through holes 62 may be formed in the holding portion 61.

  FIG. 7 is a plan view of the holding portion 61. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a second locking portion 63 that engages with the first locking portion 51 is formed on the side surface of the through hole 62. The second locking portion 63 is formed in an annular shape in the circumferential direction of the side surface of the through hole 62. The 2nd latching | locking part 63 may be continuously formed in the circumferential direction of the side surface of the through-hole 62 of the reaction container 10, for example. Further, the second locking portion 63 has a predetermined length in the penetration direction of the through hole 62.

  The second locking portion 63 has a second convex portion 63 a that protrudes inward in the radial direction of the through hole 62. The second convex portion 63 a has a predetermined length in the penetration direction of the through hole 62. Note that the second protrusion 63 a protrudes in a range in which the inner diameter of the through hole 62 does not become smaller than the outer diameter of the reaction vessel 10. A second recess 63b is formed between the plurality of second protrusions 63a. The horizontal cross section of the 2nd convex part 63a is a triangle, for example. The angle of the triangular tip is, for example, 120 ° to 160 °. In addition, the horizontal cross section of the 2nd convex part 63a is not restricted to a triangle, A round shape or a polygon may be sufficient. Moreover, the both ends of the 2nd convex part 63a in the penetration direction may be chamfered. By forming the chamfered portion 51c, the insertion into the through hole 62 of the reaction vessel 10 is facilitated.

  The support portion 71 is a member that supports the bottom portion 10 a of the reaction vessel 10. The support portion 71 is disposed opposite to the through hole 62 at a position separated from the holding portion 61. A rotating shaft 73 is connected below the support portion 71. The rotation shaft 73 is configured to be rotatable by a rotation drive mechanism 74. The rotation shaft 73 is arranged such that the rotation axis L1 coincides with a reference axis L2 extending in the through direction of the through hole 62. The support portion 71 rotates around the rotation axis L <b> 1 by the rotation of the rotation shaft 73. Further, the rotation shaft 73 may be arranged such that the rotation axis L1 is different from the reference axis L2.

  The support portion 71 is formed with a receiving portion 72 for receiving the bottom portion 10 a of the reaction vessel 10. The receiving part 72 is a substantially circular groove part, for example. The receiving portion 72 is formed on the upper surface of the support portion 71 at a position separated from the connection point between the support portion 71 and the rotating shaft 73. That is, the receiving portion 72 is formed on the upper surface of the support portion 71 at a position away from the reference axis L2. By comprising in this way, the reaction container 10 can be supported in the state which inclined the longitudinal centerline direction of the reaction container 10 from the reference axis L2.

  Further, when the reaction vessel 10 is supported in a state where the longitudinal center line direction of the reaction vessel 10 is inclined from the reference axis L <b> 2, a part of the outer side surface of the reaction vessel 10 comes into contact with a part of the side surface of the through hole 62. At this time, the first locking part 51 and the second locking part 63 are locked, and the reaction vessel 10 is fixed to the holding part 61. In this state, the support portion 71 is rotated by the rotation drive mechanism 74, whereby the reaction vessel 10 is stirred.

  FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram for explaining the stirring operation of the stirring mechanism 34. As shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, the reaction container 10 is inserted into the through hole 62 formed in the holding portion 61, thereby restricting the movement of the reaction container 10 in the horizontal direction. And when the reaction container 10 inclines, the 1st latching | locking part 51 and the 2nd latching | locking part 63 engage and latch.

  As shown in FIGS. 8B and 8C, when the support portion 71 rotates, the receiving portion 72 circularly moves on a plane perpendicular to the reference axis L <b> 2 extending in the through direction of the through hole 62. Rotate like so. Due to the rotation of the receiving portion 72, the rotation is given from the receiving portion 72 to the bottom portion 10a of the reaction vessel 10, and the bottom portion 10a moves circularly on a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis. As the bottom 10a of the reaction vessel 10 rotates, the reaction vessel 10 rotates along the outer edge of the through hole 62 while the first locking portion 51 and the second locking portion 63 are locked. The longitudinal center line M of the longitudinal center line M makes a rotational motion (slip motion) such that both ends of the longitudinal center line M draw a circle with respect to the rotation axis L1 extending in the penetration direction of the through hole 62.

  In this manner, since the first engaging portion 51 and the second engaging portion 63 are engaged with each other, the reaction vessel 10 moves in a direction opposite to the insertion direction of the through hole 62 with the rotational motion. The movement which tries to move toward can be suppressed. For this reason, the reaction vessel 10 can be prevented from jumping out of the through hole 62 without using a pressing member or the like. Therefore, the reaction vessel 10 can stir the liquid in the reaction vessel 10 without jumping out of the through hole 62.

  Further, if the first locking portion 51 and the second locking portion 63 are locked strongly during the sliding motion, the sliding motion may become discontinuous or rattle may occur. In this case, the liquid in the reaction vessel 10 may overflow or foam due to discontinuity or rattling of the grinding motion. On the other hand, according to the stirring mechanism 34 according to the first embodiment, since the horizontal cross sections of the first convex portion 51a and the second convex portion 63a are triangular, both can be smoothly engaged during rotation. it can. Therefore, it is possible to realize stirring with less liquid leakage and foaming.

  Further, the stirring mechanism 34 according to the first embodiment does not use a member shared between the reaction vessels 10 such as a suppressing member for stirring, a stirring rod, a stirring blade, a stirring bar in a magnetic stirrer, and the like. As a result, there is no risk of contamination during agitation. For this reason, even in a measurement that requires high accuracy, the liquid in the reaction vessel 10 can be appropriately stirred with a simple configuration.

  Furthermore, according to the stirring mechanism 34 according to the first embodiment, the liquid in the reaction vessel 10 can be stirred without using ultrasonic waves or the like. Damage due to vibration can be prevented. Therefore, the stirring mechanism 34 can be used for stirring using a substance whose structure is easily changed by ultrasonic waves.

(Second Embodiment)
The measuring apparatus 1 according to the second embodiment is configured in substantially the same manner as the measuring apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment, and is different in that it includes a mechanism for simultaneously processing a plurality of reaction vessels 10. That is, the stirring mechanism 34 according to the second embodiment is configured in substantially the same manner as the stirring mechanism 34 according to the first embodiment, and is different in that it includes a mechanism for processing a plurality of reaction vessels 10 simultaneously. In the following, in consideration of the ease of understanding the description, the description overlapping with the measurement apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment will be omitted, and the description will focus on the differences.

  FIG. 9 is a plan view of the holding portion 91 provided in the stirring mechanism 34 according to the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 9, the holding portion 91 has a plurality of through holes 92 through which the reaction vessel 10 is inserted. The through hole 92 in the second embodiment is the same as the through hole 62 in the first embodiment. A second locking portion 93 that locks with the first locking portion 51 is formed on the side surface of the through hole 92. The second locking part 93 in the second embodiment is the same as the second locking part 63 in the first embodiment.

  The plurality of through holes 92 formed in the holding portion 91 are formed, for example, corresponding to the interval between the container insertion holes of the BF table 36 and the arrangement thereof. For example, the plurality of through holes 92 are formed on a circular arc connecting the formation positions of the container insertion holes of the BF table 36. Thus, by making the positional relationship of the holes holding the reaction vessels 10 common, the plurality of reaction vessels 10 can be moved to the BF table 36 without adjusting the positional relationship of the plurality of reaction vessels 10 or The stirring mechanism 34 can be quickly arranged.

  FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the stirring mechanism 34 according to the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 10, the support portion 101 has a plurality of receiving portions 102 for receiving the reaction vessel 10 corresponding to the number of through holes 92. The receiving part 102 in the second embodiment is the same as the receiving part 72 in the first embodiment. The plurality of receiving portions 102 formed on the support portion 101 are formed at positions corresponding to the through holes 92.

  Further, the support portion 101 is connected to the eccentric rotation drive mechanism 104 via the rotation shaft 103. The eccentric rotation drive mechanism 104 moves the support portion 101 relative to the holding portion 91. The eccentric rotation drive mechanism 104 includes a mechanism for moving the support unit 101 relative to the holding unit 91, such as a motor or a cam.

  Next, the operation of the stirring mechanism 34 according to the second embodiment will be described. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of the stirring mechanism 34 according to the second embodiment. In the following, in consideration of the ease of understanding the description, the description overlapping with the stirring mechanism 34 according to the first embodiment will be omitted, and the description will focus on the differences.

  As shown in FIG. 11A, when a plurality of reaction vessels 10 are respectively inserted into a plurality of through holes 92 formed in the holding portion 91, the reaction vessel 10 is restricted from moving in the horizontal direction by the through holes 92. Is done. The receiving portion 102 supports each of the bottom portions 10a of the inserted reaction vessel 10 in an inclined manner.

  The rotational movement of the reaction vessel 10 in the stirring mechanism 34 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. When the eccentric rotation driving mechanism 104 eccentrically rotates the support portion 101 with the central axis L ′ of the support portion 101 as the rotation axis, the plurality of reaction vessels 10 inserted through the holding portion 91 are connected to the first locking portion 51 and the first engagement portion 51. While the two locking portions 93 are locked, the reaction vessel 10 rotates along the outer edge of the through hole 92, and the longitudinal center line M ′ of the reaction vessel 10 extends in the through direction of the through hole 92. Rotating motion (grip motion) is performed such that both ends of the longitudinal center line M ′ draw a circle with respect to ′. Here, the center axis L ′ of the support portion 101 may be a center of gravity axis.

  As described above, according to the stirring mechanism 34 and the measuring device 1 according to the second embodiment, since the first engagement portion 51 and the second engagement portion 93 are engaged with each other in a state where the first engagement portion 51 and the second engagement portion 93 are engaged, The movement which the some reaction container 10 tends to move toward the direction opposite to the insertion direction of the through-hole 92 can be suppressed. In addition, the plurality of reaction vessels can be arranged at a time, and the liquids in the plurality of reaction vessels can be stirred at a time. Furthermore, compared with the case where one support portion 71 is prepared for one reaction vessel 10 and is subjected to a sliding motion, rotation of the reaction vessel 10 in the rotation direction can be suppressed, so that stirring with less foaming is realized. It becomes possible.

  Note that the second embodiment can achieve the same effect even when the stirring mechanism of the present embodiment is used for a single reaction vessel 10.

  As described above, according to the stirring mechanism and the measuring apparatus according to the present embodiment, the liquid in the reaction vessel 10 can be stirred without using a pressing member or the like, so there is no need to design the pressing member or the like, and the stirring mechanism is simplified. This can be realized with a simple configuration. Therefore, the conveyance and arrangement | positioning operation | movement to the stirring mechanism 34 of the reaction container 10 become easy.

  The above-described embodiment shows an example of the stirring mechanism and the measuring device according to the present invention, and is not limited to the mechanism and the device according to the embodiment, but is modified or applied to other devices. May be.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the target to be immobilized on the magnetic particles is an antigen, but this target may be an antibody, and may be arbitrary depending on the sample.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the reaction container 10 having the open end 10b has been described. However, the reaction container 10 may have a lid, and the reaction container 10 used in the measuring apparatus 1 may be used as a reagent or a sample. Even in any corresponding reaction vessel 10, the stirring mechanism 34 can be realized.

  In the above-described embodiment, the first locking portion 51 extends from the central portion of the reaction vessel 10 to the opening end 10b with a predetermined length. However, the first locking portion 51 extends from the central portion to the bottom portion. Even if it is a case where it is assumed that it extends by a predetermined length toward the 10a side, the stirring mechanism 34 can be realized.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the plurality of through holes 92 are formed corresponding to the circular arc connecting the formation positions of the container insertion holes of the BF table 36 has been described. The through holes 92 may be formed uniformly so as to be aligned on the arc. In this case, the interval on the arc of each of the plurality of receiving portions 102 formed may not be uniform. Furthermore, the number of through holes 92 formed may be one or more, and the number of through holes 92 is not limited. Even if it is a case where it comprises in this way, the stirring mechanism 34 is realizable.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the receiving portion 72 is formed on the support portion 71 separated from the reference axis extending in the penetrating direction of the through hole 62 has been described. Even if it is formed on the support portion 71 on the reference axis extending in the penetration direction, the bottom 10a of the reaction vessel 10 rotates around the reference axis, so that the reaction vessel 10 has a simple configuration. It becomes possible to appropriately stir the liquid.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the example in which both the first locking part 51 and the second locking part 63 have the uneven part has been described, but at least one of the first locking part 51 and the second locking part 63 is described. Should have a convex part. That is, when the 1st latching | locking part 51 has the 1st convex part 51a, the 2nd latching | locking part 63 should just have the 2nd convex part 63a or the 2nd recessed part 63b, and the 2nd latching | locking part 63 is sufficient as it. When it has the 2nd convex part 63a, the 1st latching | locking part 51 should just have the 1st convex part 51a or the 1st recessed part 51b.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Measuring apparatus, 10 ... Reaction container, 34 ... Stirring mechanism, 51 ... 1st latching | locking part, 51a ... 1st convex part, 51b ... 1st recessed part, 61 ... Holding part, 62 ... Through-hole, 63 ... 2nd Locking portion, 63a ... second convex portion, 63b ... second concave portion, 71 ... supporting portion, 73 ... rotating shaft (rotating mechanism), 74 ... rotational driving mechanism (rotating mechanism), 91 ... holding portion, 92 ... through hole , 103... Rotating shaft (rotating mechanism), 104... Rotating drive mechanism (rotating mechanism).

Claims (10)

A stirring mechanism for stirring the solution in the bottomed cylindrical reaction vessel,
A holding part in which a through hole for allowing the reaction vessel to pass through is formed;
A support part that is disposed opposite to the through hole at a position spaced apart from the holding part and supports the bottom part of the reaction vessel inserted through the through hole;
A rotation mechanism for rotating the support portion so as to give a circular motion rotating around a reference axis extending in the penetration direction of the through hole to the bottom portion of the reaction vessel;
With
A first locking portion is formed on the outer side surface of the reaction vessel,
A stirring mechanism in which a second locking portion that locks with the first locking portion is formed on a side surface of the through hole. The first locking portion is formed in an annular shape on the outer side surface of the reaction vessel;
The stirring mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the second locking portion is formed in an annular shape on a side surface of the through hole. The first locking part is continuously formed in an annular shape on the outer side surface of the reaction vessel;
The stirring mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the second locking portion is continuously formed in an annular shape on a side surface of the through hole.   The first locking part has a first convex part or a first concave part formed on the outer side surface of the reaction vessel, and the second locking part is a second convex part formed on the side surface of the through hole. The stirring mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the stirring mechanism has a portion or a second recess, and at least one of the first locking portion and the second locking portion has a protrusion.   The cross section of the first convex portion in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal center line direction of the reaction vessel or the cross section of the second convex portion in a direction orthogonal to the through direction of the through hole is a triangle. The stirring mechanism described. The support portion supports a bottom portion of the reaction vessel at a position spaced from the reference axis,
The stirring mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the rotation mechanism rotates the support portion about the reference axis as a rotation axis. The support portion supports the bottom of the reaction vessel,
The stirring mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the rotation mechanism moves the support portion relative to the holding portion. A plurality of the through holes are formed in the holding portion,
The stirring mechanism according to claim 7, wherein the support part supports each bottom part of the reaction vessel inserted through the plurality of through holes.   The stirring mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the reaction vessel is transparent. A measuring device including a stirring mechanism for stirring a solution in a bottomed cylindrical reaction vessel,
The stirring mechanism is
A holding part in which a through hole for allowing the reaction vessel to pass through is formed;
A support part that is disposed opposite to the through hole at a position spaced apart from the holding part and supports the bottom part of the reaction vessel inserted through the through hole;
A rotation mechanism for rotating the support portion so as to give a circular motion rotating around a reference axis extending in the penetration direction of the through hole to the bottom portion of the reaction vessel;
With
A first locking portion is formed on the outer side surface of the reaction vessel,
A measuring device in which a second locking portion that locks with the first locking portion is formed on a side surface of the through hole.

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