Biological sample analysis device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11280741-B2
Application number	US-201816616232-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 17, 2018
Priority date	Jul 14, 2017
Publication date	Mar 22, 2022
Grant date	Mar 22, 2022

Abstract

The present invention is one that intends to achieve improvements in both analysis efficiency and analysis accuracy without difficulty, and a biological substance analysis device that analyzes light derived from a biological substance in a sample, and the biological substance analysis device includes: a holder that holds multiple containers containing the sample; a photodetector that is fixed at a predetermined position; a holder driving mechanism that moves the holder to position each of the containers held in the holder at a detection position by the photodetector in sequence; and a light shielding mechanism that, while guiding light emitted from the sample in a container at the detection position to the photodetector, prevents light emitted from the sample in the other containers from being guided to the photodetector.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A biological sample analysis device that analyzes light generated by an organism-derived substance contained in a sample, the biological sample analysis device comprising:
a holder that holds multiple containers containing the sample;
a photodetector that is fixed at a predetermined position;
a holder positioner that moves the holder to position each of the multiple containers held in the holder at a detection position by the photodetector in sequence; and
a light shield that, while guiding light emitted from the sample in a container at the detection position to the photodetector, prevents light emitted from the sample in the other containers from being guided to the photodetector, wherein
the light shield comprises a movable side light shielding part that moves back and forth with respect to the container at the detection position, as well as covers a lower part of the container at the detection position, and
the movable side light shielding part includes a reflector arranged between the container in the detection position and the photodetector, the reflector having a reflective surface that guides the light emitted from the sample in the container at the detection position to the photodetector.

2. The biological sample analysis device according to claim 1 , further comprising
a dispenser that, into the containers, introduces a reagent that reacts with the organism-derived substance to generate light, wherein
the dispenser introduces the reagent into the container at the detection position.

3. The biological sample analysis device according to claim 1 , wherein
the light shield further comprises container side light shielding parts that are provided to the each of the multiple containers and cover upper parts of the respective containers.

4. The biological sample analysis device according to claim 1 , wherein
the light shield covers an entire circumference of the container.

5. The biological sample analysis device according to claim 1 , wherein
the light shield shields the photodetector from light by moving the movable side light shielding part without moving the photodetector.

6. The biological sample analysis device according to claim 5 , wherein
the reflector moves up and down with respect to the container at the detection position,
the movable side light shielding part includes a light guiding member that moves back and forth between the reflector and the photodetector, and
in a state where the reflector is in a lifted position of covering the lower part of the container, the light guiding member gets in between the reflector and the photodetector, and in a state where the light guiding member is in a withdrawal position of being withdrawn from between the reflector and the photodetector, the reflector is separated from the lower part of the container.

7. The biological sample analysis device according to claim 6 , wherein
the movements of the reflector and the light guiding member are configured by a single motor, a rack-and-pinion mechanism that converts rotation of the motor into a rectilinear movement, and multiple cam mechanisms that are operated by the rectilinear movement of the rack-and-pinion mechanism.

8. The biological sample analysis device according to claim 6 , wherein
in conjunction with the movements of the reflector and the light guiding member, a shutter member that shields light incident on the photodetector moves to a shielding position of shielding light incident on the photodetector.

Assignees

• Horiba Advanced Techno Co Ltd

Inventors

• Nakagawa Kazuya
• Nakayama Hideki
• Arimoto Kimihiko
• Nakai Yoko

Classifications

• B01L9/06

  Test-tube stands; Test-tube holders · CPC title

• G01N21/274

  Calibration, base line adjustment, drift correction · CPC title

• G01N2201/064

  Stray light conditioning · CPC title

• G01N35/04

  Details of the conveyor system {(G01N35/021 - G01N35/028 take precedence)} · CPC title

• G01N21/763 Primary

  Bioluminescence · CPC title