JP2001108692A - Dispensing device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] To efficiently supply a liquid sample that needs to be kept cool,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a dispensing device capable of simplifying cold storage equipment. SOLUTION: In a dispensing apparatus in which a liquid sample is suctioned from a reservoir 5 by a dispensing head 7 having a plurality of dispensing tips 8 and discharged to a microplate 4, a liquid sample 19 stored in a storage container 18 is removed. When the liquid sample is stored in the cooling device 17 and the liquid sample is supplied to the reservoir 5, the liquid sample is sucked by the pump 15 and
Is supplied to the reservoir 5 from the discharge nozzle 11. This eliminates the need for a cool box for storing a large number of microplates 4 and does not require a cooling station for the dispensing stage, so that the liquid sample can be efficiently replenished and the cool equipment can be simplified. Can be.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a dispensing apparatus used for dispensing a liquid sample in the field of biochemistry and the like.

2. Description of the Related Art In tests and analyzes performed in the field of biochemistry and the like, a liquid sample such as a sample or a reagent is dispensed into a microplate as a sample container. This dispensing is performed by inhaling a predetermined amount of the liquid sample stored in the reservoir by the dispensing head and discharging the liquid sample to each well of the microplate. By the way, liquid samples used for testing and analysis are usually stored at a low temperature to prevent deterioration. Even when dispensing, if the dispensing operation is time-consuming due to the large number of dispensing targets, it is necessary to take measures to prevent the deterioration from progressing due to prolonged exposure to normal temperature. Conventionally, when a dispensing operation is performed, a liquid sample is stored in a cool box in a state of being stored in a supply container such as a reservoir in advance, and the reservoir is taken out and used each time. Further, in order to prevent a rise in the temperature of the reservoir during the dispensing operation, measures such as providing a cooling station at a position where the reservoir is placed in the dispensing area have been adopted.

However, in the above-described conventional dispensing apparatus, when a test is performed on a large number of samples, a supply container containing the samples is always stored and kept in a cool box. It was necessary to prepare many supply containers and a large cool box. Also, if a cooling station is provided in the dispensing area, dew condensation will occur in the normal temperature exposed part of the cooling station, and it will be necessary to take additional measures to treat the condensed water. There is a problem that labor for taking out the supply container from the cool box every time and equipment cost for measures for keeping cool are required. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing apparatus capable of efficiently replenishing a liquid sample requiring cooling, and simplifying the cooling equipment.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a dispensing apparatus in which a dispensing head having a plurality of dispensing tips suctions a liquid sample from a supply container and discharges the liquid sample to a dispensing target container. A cooling device that refrigerates and stores the liquid sample at a predetermined temperature; and a liquid transfer unit that sucks the liquid sample stored in the cooling device and transfers the liquid sample to the supply container. The dispensing device according to a second aspect is the dispensing device according to the first aspect, wherein the liquid transfer unit includes a detection unit that detects a liquid amount of the liquid sample in the supply container. A dispensing device according to a third aspect is the dispensing device according to the first aspect, wherein the supply container is moved from a liquid sample injection position by the liquid transfer means to a liquid sample suction position by the dispensing head. With means of transportation. According to the present invention, the supply container is provided by including a cooling device that refrigerates and stores the liquid sample at a predetermined temperature, and a liquid transfer unit that suctions and transfers the liquid sample stored in the cooling device to the supply container. Since there is no need to store in a cool box and no need for a cooling station in the dispensing stage, it is possible to efficiently supply the liquid sample and to simplify the cool keeping facility.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are partial cross-sectional views of the dispensing device. First, the overall structure of the dispensing device will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 1, a dispensing stage 3 is provided on a base plate 2 of a base 1, and a microplate 4 as a dispensing target container to which a liquid sample is dispensed and a liquid sample are temporarily stored on the dispensing stage 3. A reservoir 5 is placed as a supply container for temporarily storing. As shown in FIG. 2, the microplate 4 is provided with a large number of wells 4a, which are concave portions for accommodating a liquid sample, in a lattice shape. The reservoir 5 is a flat-bottomed box-shaped container, and a partition 5a is provided inside. The partition 5a is for preventing the stored liquid sample from shaking in the container. Dispensing is performed by transferring the liquid sample stored in the reservoir 5 to each well 4 a of the microplate 4. Above the dispensing stage 3, a moving table 6 is arranged in a horizontal direction. Dispensing tip 8 on the lower surface of the moving table 6
Are mounted on the dispensing head 7 provided in a large number in a grid pattern. With the dispensing head 7 being lowered with respect to the reservoir 5 with the dispensing head 7 positioned above the reservoir 5 on the dispensing stage 3 by driving the moving table 6, the lower end of the dispensing tip 8 Is inserted into the liquid sample stored in the reservoir 5. Then, after the liquid sample is sucked by the dispensing tip 8, the moving table 6 is driven again to move the dispensing head 7 onto the microplate 4, and the liquid sample is dispensed with the dispensing tip 8 inserted into each well 4a. Dispensing is performed by discharging the sample from the dispensing tip 8. A liquid transfer stage 9 is provided on the base plate 2, and the liquid sample is supplied to the reservoir 5 in the liquid transfer stage 9. Above the liquid transfer stage 9, a liquid sample discharge unit 10 is provided. The discharge unit 10 includes a plurality of discharge nozzles 11 for discharging a liquid sample, and the discharge nozzle 11 is moved up and down on the liquid transfer stage 9 by an elevating unit (not shown). With the reservoir 5 placed on the liquid transfer stage 9, the discharge nozzle 11 is lowered,
The liquid sample 19 in the storage container 18 is sucked, and the discharge nozzle 1
By discharging from the reservoir 1 into the reservoir 5,
Is supplied with a liquid sample 19. The storage container 18 is stored at a low temperature in a cooling device 17 attached to the dispensing device, so that the deterioration of the liquid sample 19 inside does not progress. As shown in FIG. 3, a dripping suction pipe 16 is inserted into the storage container 18 from below the liquid transfer pump 15, and the liquid sample 19 is sucked up by the pump 15 via the suction pipe 16, 14 and is sent to the discharge nozzle 11. A valve 13 is provided in front of the discharge nozzle 11 to control the discharge of the liquid sample from the discharge nozzle 11. The pump 15, the discharge nozzle 11, and the valve 13 are liquid transfer means for sucking the liquid sample 19 stored in the cool device 17 and transferring it to the supply container. By providing such a liquid transfer means, the cooled liquid sample 1
9 to the reservoir 5 at the required timing and in the required amount.
Therefore, there is no need to prepare a large number of reservoirs in advance and store them in the cool box and take them out, and it is possible to efficiently supply the liquid sample in the dispensing operation. A non-contact type liquid level sensor 12 is provided below the discharge unit 10, and the liquid level sensor 12 detects the level of the liquid sample in the reservoir 5. When the liquid sample 19 is supplied to the reservoir 5, the liquid level of the liquid sample is detected by the liquid level sensor 12, so that the liquid sample 19 can be supplied to the reservoir 5 to a predetermined liquid level. The dispensing device is
A transfer arm 20 for reservoir transfer is provided, and the transfer arm 20 can be rotated by a drive mechanism (not shown) in a direction orthogonal to the three axes of XYZ and θ around the Z axis.
The transfer arm 20 transfers the reservoir 5 between the liquid transfer stage 9 and the dispensing stage 3. Therefore, the transfer arm and the drive mechanism (not shown) serve as moving means for moving the reservoir 5 from the liquid sample injection position to the liquid sample suction position by the dispensing head 7. By providing such a moving means, the reservoir 5 to which the liquid sample 19 has been automatically supplied at the liquid transfer stage 9 can be automatically transported to the dispensing stage 3, and requires manual intervention. Efficient dispensing work becomes possible. This dispensing apparatus is configured as described above, and the operation will be described below.
Prior to the start of the dispensing operation, a liquid sample is prepared. That is, the storage container 18 for the liquid sample stored at a low temperature in another place is set in the cooling device 17 of the dispensing device, and the suction pipe 16 is inserted into the storage container 18. Next, reservoir 5
The liquid sample 19 is supplied to the inside. First, liquid transfer stage 9
The empty reservoir 5. After this, the discharge unit 10
Is driven to lower the discharge nozzle 11 into the reservoir 5, and the pump 15 is driven to suck the liquid sample 19 in the storage container 18 and discharge it from the discharge nozzle 11. At the time of this discharge, the reservoir 5 is detected by the liquid level sensor 12.
The liquid level of the liquid sample 19 in the inside is detected, and when the liquid level reaches a predetermined level, the discharge of the liquid sample 19 is stopped by operating the valve 13. Thus, the liquid sample 19 is supplied to the reservoir 5 up to a predetermined liquid level. Thereafter, the reservoir 5 to which the liquid sample 19 has been supplied is clamped by the transfer arm 20 and the dispensing stage 3
And is placed at a predetermined position. Thereafter, a dispensing operation by the dispensing head 7 is performed. That is, the dispensing head 7 is moved above the reservoir 5 to lower the dispensing tip 8 to a predetermined height position, and the liquid sample 19 is sucked. At this time, since the liquid level in the reservoir 5 is set to the correct liquid level at the time of the supply in the liquid transfer stage 9, the suction amount when the liquid sample 19 is sucked by the dispensing tip 8 is correctly maintained. Accuracy of the discharge amount to the well 4a of the plate 4 is ensured. In addition, reservoir 5
The liquid sample 19 supplied to the sample is kept cool at a predetermined temperature by the cooling device 17 until immediately before, so that the liquid sample does not deteriorate due to long-time exposure to normal temperature. And, when keeping the liquid sample cool, it does not perform the cooling process in the state of being housed in the reservoir as conventionally performed, so even when dispensing a large number of samples, a large number of reservoirs and these Since there is no need to prepare a large cool box for storing the reservoir, and there is no need to provide a cooling station having a cool function in the dispensing stage 3,
Cooling equipment required for the dispensing device can be simplified.

According to the present invention, there are provided a cooling device for refrigerated storage of a liquid sample at a predetermined temperature, and a liquid transfer section for sucking the liquid sample stored in the cooling device and transferring it to the supply container. Therefore, there is no need to prepare a large number of supply containers and store them in a cool box, and it is possible to efficiently supply the liquid sample. Further, since a large cooling box for cooling the supply container and a cooling station in the dispensing stage are not required, the cooling equipment can be simplified.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dispensing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the dispensing device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the dispensing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 Dispensing stage 4 Microplate 5 Reservoir 7 Dispensing head 8 Dispensing tip 9 Liquid transfer stage 10 Discharge unit 11 Discharge nozzle 12 Liquid level sensor 17 Cooler 18 Storage container

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A dispensing apparatus for sucking a liquid sample from a supply container by a dispensing head having a plurality of dispensing tips and discharging the liquid sample to a container to be dispensed, wherein the liquid sample is refrigerated and stored at a predetermined temperature. A dispensing apparatus comprising: an apparatus; and a liquid transfer means for sucking a liquid sample stored in the cooling device and transferring the liquid sample to the supply container. 2. A dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said liquid transfer means includes a detecting means for detecting a liquid amount of the liquid sample in said supply container. 3. A dispensing device according to claim 1, further comprising moving means for moving the supply container from a position at which the liquid transfer device injects the liquid sample to a position at which the liquid dispensing head sucks the liquid sample. apparatus.