Sample measuring device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9791577-B2
Application number	US-201415028167-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2014
Priority date	Oct 9, 2013
Publication date	Oct 17, 2017
Grant date	Oct 17, 2017

Abstract

In this sample measuring device a lifting mechanism conveys a sample container from a rack to a sample measuring chamber. An inside light-shielding structure is extended over the upper surface of a base frame and the lower surface of a head, and surrounds a shaft. The inside light-shielding structure is configured from a first ring groove and a first ring protrusion. When the head is in a ground state, the upper surface of the base frame and the lower surface of the head are contacted by the action of a spring. At this time, the first ring groove and the first ring protrusion are integrated. An outside light-shielding structure is provided to the periphery of the inside light-shielding structure. A top plate contains a laminate structure which includes a lightshielding sheet and a lightreflecting plate.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sample measurement device, comprising:
a transporting mechanism that transports a rack on a transport surface;
a sample measurement chamber with a measurement device, provided below the transport surface and in which a sample container from the rack is stored and measured;
a base frame that forms a bottom of the sample measurement chamber; and
a lifting/lowering mechanism that has a shaft penetrating through the base frame in an up-and-down direction and a head provided at an upper end of the shaft and on which the sample container is placed, and that transports the sample container between the rack and the sample measurement chamber, wherein
an upper surface of the base frame and a lower surface of the head are joined in a base state where the shaft is lowered to a lowermost end, and
a light-shielding structure is provided over the upper surface of the base frame and the lower surface of the head in a manner to surround the shaft, wherein the light-shielding structure has:
a ring-shaped protrusion provided on one of the upper surface of the base frame and the lower surface of the head;
a ring-shaped recess provided on the other of the upper surface of the base frame and the lower surface of the head, and
the ring-shaped protrusion and the ring-shaped recess are combined in the base state.

2. The sample measurement device according to claim 1 , wherein the head has:
an upper end of the shaft;
a head body to which the upper end of the shaft is inserted in a manner to be movable in the up-and-down direction; and
an elastic member provided between the upper end and the head body, and the elastic member realizes an elastic function in the base state, so that the ring-shaped protrusion and the ring-shaped recess come into close elastic contact with each other.

3. The sample measurement device according to claim 2 , wherein
the head body has a well,
a stopper member is provided on the upper end of the shaft,
the elastic member is a spring provided between a bottom surface of the well and a lower surface of the stopper member, and
the shaft is lowered even after a lowering movement of the head body is stopped, such that the spring is set in a compressed state in the base state.

4. The sample measurement device according to claim 1 , wherein
a case that surrounds the sample measurement chamber is provided, and
an outer light-shielding structure is provided over the upper surface of the base frame and a lower surface of the case in a manner to surround the light-shielding structure.

5. The sample measurement device according to claim 1 , wherein
the head has a layered structure forming a placement surface, and
the layered structure includes a light-shielding sheet at a lower side and a light reflective layer at an upper side.

6. The sample measurement device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a lifting/lowering path provided between the rack and the sample measurement chamber, and in which the sample container is lifted and lowered; and
a shutter mechanism that has a movable member that moves forward across the lifting/lowering path after the sample container is sent to the sample measurement chamber, wherein
the movable member comprises:
a radiation-shielding member that blocks extrinsic radiation; and
a light-shielding member that blocks extrinsic light, and
the shutter mechanism has a drive unit that integrally drives the radiation-shielding member and the light-shielding member.

7. The sample measurement device according to claim 6 , wherein
the light-shielding member is formed from a light-shielding plate of a sheet shape, a slit structure is provided across the lifting/lowering path,
the slit structure has:
an opening portion forming a part of the lifting/lowering path; and
a horizontal slit to which the light-shielding plate is inserted, and the light-shielding plate moves between a retracted position retracted from the opening portion and a forward position covering the opening portion.

8. The sample measurement device according to claim 7 , wherein
the light-shielding plate has a flat plate portion that spreads horizontally,
an elastic member is provided at a base end side of the flat plate portion, and
the elastic member closely contacts an edge of the slit structure and covers an entrance of the horizontal slit when the light-shielding plate is at the forward position.

Assignees

• Hitachi Ltd

Inventors

• Hanaya Tomonori

Classifications

• G01N2201/0646

  Light seals · CPC title

• G01T7/08 Primary

  Means for conveying samples received · CPC title

• G01N35/04

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

• G01N2035/0415

  moving in two dimensions in a horizontal plane · CPC title

• G01N2035/041

  lifting items out of a rack for access · CPC title