JPH06100548B2 - Reflection density measuring device - Google Patents

Description

Description: FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to irradiating a measurement surface of a chemical analysis slide containing a sample with irradiation light, and receiving reflected light reflected from the measurement surface with an optical sensor. The present invention relates to a reflection density measuring apparatus for measuring the reflection density of the measurement surface, and more particularly to a reflection density measuring apparatus capable of sequentially performing the above-mentioned measurements on a plurality of chemical analysis slides.

(Technical background and prior art of the invention) In recent years, specific chemical components or formed components contained in a sample solution such as blood or urine can be quantitatively analyzed simply by spotting and supplying the sample solution. A dry-type chemical analysis slide that can be used has been developed (Japanese Patent Publication No. 53-21677, Japanese Patent Publication No. 55-164356, etc.) and put to practical use.

The analysis of chemical components in the sample solution using such a chemical analysis slide is carried out by spotting and supplying the sample solution to the chemical analysis slide, and then maintaining (incubating) the same for a predetermined time in an incubator (incubator). Color reaction (dye formation reaction) is performed, and the optical density of the color is measured optically, that is, preselected by the combination of the component to be measured in the sample solution and the reagent contained in the reagent layer of the chemical analysis slide. This chemical analysis slide is irradiated with irradiation light for measurement containing a wavelength to measure its reflection optical density, and thereby the content of the substance to be measured is quantitatively analyzed mainly by the principle of the colorimetric method.

The reflection optical density is measured by a reflection density measuring device. Such a reflection density measuring device comprises an incubator capable of accommodating the chemical analysis slide and a measuring head which can be arranged at a position facing the measurement surface of the chemical analysis slide in the incubator, and the incubator in the device is provided. After the chemical analysis slide is housed in and incubated, a measurement head is arranged facing the measurement surface, and the measurement head irradiates the measurement surface of the chemical analysis slide with irradiation light for measurement. The reflection density of the measurement surface is measured by receiving the reflected light reflected from the surface by the optical sensor in the measuring head.

In this case, it is necessary to analyze a large number of samples particularly in the analysis in medical institutions, laboratories and the like, and it is desirable that this analysis can be performed continuously. For this reason, various proposals have been made for a chemical analysis device which can analyze a sample continuously by using a plurality of the chemical analysis slides.

For example, as disclosed in JP-A-56-77746,
A chemical analysis slide is sandwiched between two rotatable discs at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, and a heater for holding a constant temperature is provided on the two discs so that the constant temperature can be maintained by this heater. By rotating the disk, the chemical analysis slide, which has been kept at a constant temperature for a certain period of time, is positioned so as to face the measuring head located below the disk, and this measuring head irradiates the chemical analysis slide through the opening on the lower surface of the disk. There is a chemical analysis device which is adapted to perform the irradiation of and the measurement of its reflection optical density. By using this device, it is possible to arrange a plurality of chemical analysis slides in the circumferential direction between two discs, which enables efficient and quick analysis, but it is large and heavy. A rotating system for rotating a large disk and its control system are likely to be complicated, and there are some problems in terms of downsizing and cost reduction of the device.

On the other hand, in such a measuring device, a device in which a light source and a detection head are connected by an optical fiber bundle (bundle fiber) is known (Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 60-1412).

Therefore, such an optical fiber bundle is configured to extend to an arbitrary chemical analysis slide position, and by utilizing its deformability, the chemical analysis slide is fixed and the measurement head is moved to move the plurality of chemical analysis slides. A measuring device can be considered in which the measurement is performed continuously.

According to such a device, the device configuration is simplified and the device size can be made compact.

However, the problem with using optical fibers is that the bending causes a large loss of light transmission. The above loss can be reduced by using a bundle fiber formed by connecting a plurality of small-diameter optical fibers, but even if the bending radius of the bundle fiber changes abruptly when the measurement head is moved, the transmission efficiency of light changes. In biochemical analysis, in which the amount of the substance to be measured is measured by a slight difference in the amount of reflected light, this error in the light transmission efficiency causes an error in the amount of measurement light that is irradiated onto the chemical analysis slide, which directly leads to a decrease in analysis accuracy. To do.

(Object of the Invention) The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has a simple structure suitable for moving the measuring head, and by moving the measuring head while fixing the chemical analysis slide side. , A reflection density measuring device capable of continuously measuring a plurality of chemical analysis slides without depending on a complicated mechanism and capable of maintaining a high analysis accuracy by reducing a change in optical transmission efficiency of an optical fiber. It is intended to be provided.

(Structure of the Invention) The reflection density measuring apparatus of the present invention comprises an incubator capable of accommodating a plurality of chemical analysis slides accommodating a sample on the same plane, a light source arranged outside the incubator, and a light source for the light source. A plurality of optical fibers are connected via a bundle fiber that is bundled, the measurement surface of the chemical analysis slide is irradiated with irradiation light, the reflected light reflected from the measurement surface is received by an optical sensor, and the measurement surface A measuring head for measuring the reflection density, and the bundle fiber is moved while being deformed so that the bending radius becomes constant when the measuring head takes a position facing the arbitrary chemical analysis slide housed in the incubator. It is characterized in that it is provided with a regulation means that enables it.

In the apparatus of the present invention, since the light source is provided separately from the measuring head, the measuring head is light and compact and suitable for movement. Further, since the measuring head and the light source are connected by the bundle fiber, it is possible to always irradiate the chemical analysis slide with a stable amount of irradiation light even when the measuring head moves while deforming the bundle fiber.

That is, in order to sufficiently transmit the light emitted from the light source to the measuring head, it is necessary to use an optical fiber having a relatively large diameter, but a single large diameter optical fiber causes a large loss of light transmission due to bending, It is unsuitable for use in a reflection density measuring device. On the other hand, a bundle fiber made by bundling thin optical fibers into a large diameter fiber as a whole has a small light transmission loss due to bending, so even if the measurement head moves while deforming the bundle fiber, the measurement head The amount of light emitted from is almost constant. By thus moving the measuring head while deforming the bundle fiber, it is possible to continuously measure a plurality of chemical analysis slides without using a complicated mechanism.

However, even with such a bundle fiber with a small loss due to bending, if the bending radius changes abruptly when the measuring head is moved, the light transmission efficiency will inevitably change.

In view of this, the apparatus of the present invention is provided with a bundle-fiber bending-radius restricting means that allows the measurement head to move while deforming the bundle fiber so that the bending radius becomes constant. Since the bending radius of the bundle fiber does not change even if is moved to any slide measurement position, the light transmission efficiency of this bundle fiber is always constant, and the amount of measurement light irradiated to the chemical analysis slide is always constant. Therefore, the quantitative analysis of the substance to be measured can be made highly accurate.

Embodiments Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an outline of a reflection density measuring device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The apparatus shown in the figure has four chemical analysis slides 1 each containing a sample solution, an incubator 2 that can be stored on the same plane, and is fixed at a predetermined position outside the incubator 2. The light source 3 such as a halogen lamp that emits the irradiation light suitable for the reflection density measurement of the measurement surface 1a, and the irradiation light transmitted by the bundle fiber 4 is connected to the light source 3 through the bundle fiber 4. The measuring head 6 is provided with an optical sensor 5 such as a silicon photodiode which receives the reflected light reflected by the measuring surface 1a while being incident on the measuring surface 1a of the chemical analysis slide. Reference numeral 7 in the drawing is a condenser lens for efficiently entering the irradiation light emitted from the light source lamp into the bundle fiber 4, and the lens 6a in the measuring head 6 chemically reacts the irradiation light emitted from the bundle fiber 4. A lens for making a desired beam diameter on the measurement surface 1a of the analysis slide.

In the above apparatus, the measuring head 6 is the incubator 2
It is movable while deforming the bundle fiber 4 so as to take a position facing an arbitrary chemical analysis slide 1 housed therein. That is, the measuring head 6 moves over the range shown by the arrow A between the position shown by the solid line in the figure and the position shown by the broken line in the figure. The movement of the measuring head 6 will be described below.

As described above, the measuring head 6 can transmit the irradiation light emitted from the light source 3 arranged outside through the bundle fiber 4, and is lighter and smaller than a measuring head having a built-in light source. Yes, it is suitable for being moved by simple moving means. Further, in order to efficiently transmit the irradiation light emitted from the light source 3 to the measuring head 6, a relatively large-diameter optical fiber is required, and a large-diameter optical fiber composed of a single fiber causes a loss of light transmission due to bending. Although it is large in size, this device uses a bundle fiber 4 formed by bundling a plurality of small-diameter optical fibers 4a as shown in FIG. Can be suppressed to

By the way, the bundle fiber 4 having a relatively small bending loss as described above is also unsuitable for highly accurate measurement due to a difference in light transmission efficiency when the bending radius changes abruptly when the measuring head 6 is moved. Therefore, when moving the measurement head 6, the bundle fiber 4
It is desirable to deform so that its bending radius does not change. Therefore, in the device of this embodiment,
As an example, a circular moving means such as a pulley 8 deforms the bundle fiber 4 to control its bending radius. That is, the bundle fiber 4 is mounted on a rotatable pulley 8 which is urged by a spring 9 in the direction of arrow B and pulled.
Therefore, even if the measuring head 6 is moved in the arrow C direction or the arrow C'direction by the moving means (not shown) and stopped at a position facing the arbitrary slide 1 in the incubator 2, the bending radius of the bundle fiber 4 is reduced. Is pulley 8
Is maintained at the radius R.

When the measurement head 6 is moved as described above, if it is desired to control the bending radius of the connection portion of the bundle fiber 4 with the measurement head 6 to be properly constant,
As shown by the alternate long and short dash line in the figure, a circular support means 10 having a desired radius is arranged in contact with the above-mentioned connecting portion of the bundle fiber 4, and is moved in association with the displacement of the connecting portion of the bundle fiber 4. Good.

As a means for keeping the bending radius of the bundle fiber 4 constant, a pulley is used as in the above-described embodiment, and as shown in FIG. 20a, 20b may be provided to keep the bending radius of the bundle fiber 4 constant.

Further, the number and arrangement of the chemical analysis slides in the incubator are not limited to those shown in the above embodiment.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the reflection density measuring apparatus of the present invention, the light source is separate from the measuring head, so that the measuring head is lightweight and compact and suitable for movement. Further, since the light source and the measurement head are connected by the bundle fiber, the loss of light transmission can be minimized even if the measurement head moves while deforming the bundle fiber. Further, since the bending radius regulating means is provided for moving the measuring head while deforming the bundle fiber so that the bending radius becomes constant, the measuring head is moved to an arbitrary chemical analysis slide position. As a result, even if the bundle fiber moves, the light transmission efficiency in the bundle fiber is always constant, and highly accurate quantitative analysis of the substance to be measured can be performed. Therefore, according to the apparatus of the present invention, by fixing a plurality of chemical analysis slides and moving the measuring head,
It is possible to continuously measure a plurality of chemical analysis slides without complicating or increasing the size of the entire apparatus.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an outline of a reflection density measuring apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing a bundle fiber used in the above apparatus, and FIG. 3 is another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the reflection density measuring device of FIG. 1 ... Chemical analysis slide, 1a ... Measuring surface 2 ... Incubator, 3 ... Light source 4 ... Bundle fiber, 5 ... Optical sensor 6 ... Measuring head, 8 ... Pulley 20a, 20b ... Rule plate

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A bundle comprising an incubator capable of accommodating a plurality of chemical analysis slides accommodating a sample on the same plane, a light source arranged outside the incubator, and a plurality of optical fibers bundled in the light source. A measuring head which is connected through a fiber, irradiates the measurement surface of the chemical analysis slide with irradiation light, receives reflected light reflected from the measurement surface with an optical sensor, and measures the reflection density of the measurement surface; ,
When the measuring head takes a position facing any of the chemical analysis slides housed in the incubator, the regulating means is configured to move while deforming the bundle fiber so that the bending radius becomes constant. A reflection density measuring device characterized by. 2. A support means for restricting the bending radius of the connecting portion of the bundle fiber to the measuring head so as to be constant, the supporting means being movable while being in contact with the connecting portion. The reflection density measuring device according to claim 1.