JP7332143B2 - Reagent container manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a reagent container containing reagents used in biochemical tests.

In biochemical tests such as blood tests, it is necessary to accurately analyze a large number of specimens in a short period of time, and the tests are usually performed using an automatic analyzer without human intervention. This automatic analyzer is equipped with a disk-shaped turntable on which a reagent container containing a liquid reagent is placed, the turntable is rotated to move a specific reagent container directly below the probe, and then A structure in which a probe is inserted into the inside of a reagent container to suck up the reagent is widely used, and an example of the shape of the reagent container is shown in FIG.

Although the reagent container in FIG. 4 is drawn with its detailed shape omitted, it is composed of two elements, a main body and a partition tube. In addition, the partition pipe is inserted into the neck and functions to block air bubbles generated by the rotation of the turntable, thereby preventing malfunction of the automatic analyzer. Therefore, the lower part of the partition tube is provided with a leg that contacts the bottom of the main body, and a bottom hole is provided in the center of the bottom plate to allow the reagent to flow inside, allowing air bubbles floating near the liquid surface to enter. never. In order to prevent the inserted partition tube from rotating, the upper end of the partition tube is formed with a very small projection, and the inner peripheral surface of the neck is formed with a small groove into which the projection is fitted. In addition, a window is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the partition pipe for ventilation.

Examples of prior art related to the present invention include the following patent documents. Among them, Patent Document 1 discloses a reagent container adapter used for an automatic biochemical analyzer or the like. This adapter is designed to prevent malfunction due to air bubbles existing near the liquid surface in the reagent container. It is characterized by having holes. Then, the adapter is inserted into the reagent through the opening on the upper surface of the reagent container, and the reagent is introduced into the adapter through the small hole. As a result, a bubble-free reagent liquid surface is formed in the adapter, and malfunctions due to bubbles can be prevented.

Patent Literature 2 discloses a reagent container that suppresses the generation of air bubbles due to high-speed movement of the reagent container and is capable of stably inhaling a predetermined amount of reagent. This reagent container has a tubular reagent outlet at the top, into which a tubular wave-removing adapter is inserted. is characterized by The passage is a groove or the like provided on the outer surface of the wave-breaking adapter, and even if the liquid surface moves due to centrifugal force, it is possible to suppress the generation of air bubbles inside the wave-breaking adapter. A notch is provided in the upper part of the wave shielding adapter for close contact with the reagent extraction port.

US Pat. No. 6,200,009 discloses a reagent container for use with an automated analyzer. This reagent container is designed to prevent splashing of the reagent due to high-speed movement when it is incorporated into an automatic analyzer. An opening is provided for the pipe to be inserted, and the reagent is sucked up by inserting the analyzer probe inside the pipe. The pipe wall of the pipe is formed with vertically extending ribs, and the pipe is fixed to the bottle by interference fitting between the ribs and the opening.

Published practical application No. 63-172955 JP 2013-242221 A Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-524901

Biochemical tests are widely used, and a huge number of reagent containers are required. For this reason, reagent containers are mass-produced, and synthetic resin is molded using a mold. It is necessary to allow a certain amount of error from the balance. As a result, the combination of the main body with a large inner diameter of the neck and the partition tube with a small outer diameter creates a gap at the boundary between the two, making it impossible to fix the partition tube. Rotation of the turntable may cause the partition pipe to protrude greatly, preventing the inspection from proceeding normally. Conversely, if the main body is finished with a small inner diameter at the neck and the partition pipe is finished with a large outer diameter, it will be difficult to insert the partition pipe. there is a risk of

As measures to overcome such dimensional errors, a method of increasing elasticity by providing a notch in the upper part of the wave protection adapter (partition pipe) as in Patent Document 2, and a pipe ( A method such as providing a rib on the upper part of the partition pipe) can be mentioned. However, in order for the notch to function normally, it is necessary to increase the diameter of only the upper part where the notch is formed, and it is difficult to make the wave-break adapter a simple cylindrical shape. In addition, notches and ribs are, by their very nature, fine lines, which complicates the shape of the mold. In addition, there is a risk that the molten resin will not flow sufficiently during molding, making it impossible to obtain the original shape. . In addition, since partition pipes are premised on mass production, there is a risk that various uncertain factors will be added in the manufacturing process, and from the viewpoint of reliability and cost reduction, it is desirable to simplify the shape as much as possible.

The present invention has been developed based on these circumstances, and aims to provide a method for manufacturing a reagent container in which a partition tube to be inserted into the neck can be stably fixed to the main body and the shape of the partition tube can be simplified.

A first aspect of the invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is a method for manufacturing a reagent container comprising a main body made of synthetic resin for containing various liquids and a cylindrical partition pipe made of synthetic resin. A cylindrical neck is formed in the upper part of the main body for inserting the partition pipe, and the partition pipe is fixed to the main body by contact between the inner peripheral surface of the neck and the outer peripheral surface of the partition pipe. In the boundary between the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface, regions in which both are in contact while elastic deformation occurs and regions in which both are apart are alternately arranged in the circumferential direction . The outer peripheral surface of the partition tube has a circular cross section, the inner peripheral surface of the neck has a non-circular cross section with varying distances from the center, and the mold for molding the inner peripheral surface molds the main body. A manufacturing method for a reagent container characterized in that it can be removed from a mold .

A reagent container according to the present invention is for supplying a liquid reagent to an automatic analyzer used in biochemical tests or the like, and is composed of two elements, a main body made of synthetic resin and a partition tube. Among them, the main body is shaped like a box to accommodate liquids such as reagents, and is placed on the turntable of the automatic analyzer. For this reason, the lower part of the main body is provided with some unevenness in order to be fixed to the turntable. In addition, the upper part of the main body is provided with a cylindrical neck that serves as an inlet and outlet for the liquid. The neck portion extends vertically, and its upper end surface is open to the outside.

The partition tube has a cylindrical shape and is inserted into the neck of the main body. A probe of an automatic analyzer is inserted into the partition tube, and a predetermined amount of liquid is sucked up. The partition pipe plays a role of blocking air bubbles formed on the liquid surface, and prevents the automatic analyzer from malfunctioning due to air bubbles when the probe is inserted. However, it is necessary to allow the liquid to flow into the interior of the partition pipe as well, so a flow path is secured in the lower portion of the partition pipe. Since the lower part of the partition tube is located near the bottom of the main body, air bubbles do not enter from there. Although the surface of the liquid inside the partition tube may undulate due to the rotation of the turntable, air bubbles are not generated due to the narrowness of the area.

After the partition pipe is inserted into the neck, the inner peripheral surface of the neck and the outer peripheral surface of the partition pipe press against each other to restrict the movement of the partition pipe and fix the partition pipe to the main body. At this time, if the fit between the neck and the partition pipe is tight, it becomes impossible to insert the partition pipe to a predetermined position. There is a risk that the partition tube will protrude greatly due to the external force, which may interfere with the operation of the automatic analyzer. Therefore, in the present invention, when the boundary between the inner peripheral surface of the neck and the outer peripheral surface of the partition pipe is viewed from the cross-section, the areas where the two are in contact and the areas where they are separated are arranged alternately. It should be noted that the fact that the inner peripheral surface of the neck and the outer peripheral surface of the partition pipe have such a relationship only means a design dimension.

In this way, by making the contact between the neck and the partition pipe intermittent rather than continuous, even if the outer diameter of the partition pipe is slightly smaller than the specified size, the contact area between the neck and the partition pipe is reduced. Since the area where both of them are in contact with each other and elastically deformed remains even though the area is reduced, the partition tube is still fixed. Conversely, if the outer diameter of the partition tube is slightly larger than the specified size, the contact area between the two will increase, but the portion pushed out by this contact will enter the adjacent gap, It is possible to prevent the faces from being pressed excessively.

In addition, the outer peripheral surface of the partition tube has a circular cross section, but the inner peripheral surface of the neck has a non-circular cross section whose distance from the center changes. By making the partition pipe simple cylindrical in this way , the shape of the mold used for molding is simplified, and problems during molding due to complicated shapes such as ribs and notches can be avoided, and high Mass production can be achieved at low cost while maintaining quality. Examples of the cross-sectional shape of the inner peripheral surface of the neck include a polygon with rounded corners and a continuous waveform such as a serration.

When molding the main body, it is necessary to use some kind of inner mold in order to make the neck hollow. can be easily removed. Therefore, the present invention can be realized by exchanging only the inner mold for molding the inner peripheral surface of the neck, and conventional manufacturing processes and molds can be used almost as they are, resulting in a large cost reduction effect. As for the cross-sectional shape of the inner peripheral surface of the neck, a hexagonal to octagonal shape that can reasonably secure a gap with the partition pipe while approximating a circle is optimal.

As in the first aspect of the invention, in the method for manufacturing a reagent container composed of a main body and a partition tube, when the boundary between the inner peripheral surface of the neck and the outer peripheral surface of the partition tube is traced in the circumferential direction, the two come into contact with each other. By arranging the contact area and the non-contact area alternately, moderate friction can be obtained between the neck and the partition pipe, and the partition pipe can be inserted without difficulty. As a result, the partition pipe can be stably fixed to the main body without loosening.

In addition, the present invention can flexibly deal with dimensional errors, and even if the inner diameter of the neck is large and the outer diameter of the partition pipe is small, the two will contact each other and elastic deformation will occur. The resulting area tends to remain, and the partition pipe can be reliably fixed. Conversely, even if the inner diameter of the neck is made smaller and the outer diameter of the partition tube is made larger, there will still be some areas where the two do not contact each other, and there will be areas that are pushed out by elastic deformation. By entering, the increase in friction is suppressed, and the partition pipe can be inserted to the end.

In addition to making the outer circumference of the partition pipe a circular cross section, the inner circumference of the neck is made a non-circular cross section. The shape of the mold used for molding is simplified, and mass production at low cost is possible while maintaining high quality. Since a special inner mold is used to form the inner peripheral surface of the neck, even if the shape of the inner peripheral surface is different, only this inner mold needs to be replaced, and the manufacturing process of the main body remains the same as before. In addition, the inner peripheral surface of the neck can have a simple polygonal cross section, and the shape does not become extremely complicated.

Although it is a perspective view showing an example of the shape of the reagent container according to the present invention, a horizontal end face showing the fitting between the main body and the partition tube is drawn at the bottom of the drawing. It is a perspective view which shows the state which divided the main body and partition pipe of FIG. 1 into half. FIG. 10 is a lateral end view showing an example of the shape of the inner peripheral surface of the neck, showing only the neck and the partition pipe; Although it is a perspective view showing an example of the shape of a conventionally used reagent container, the detailed shape is omitted from the drawing.

FIG. 1 shows an example of the shape of a reagent container according to the invention. This reagent container is composed of a main body 11 and a partition tube 21 both made of synthetic resin. A cylindrical neck portion 13 is formed on the upper portion of the main body 11 to serve as an entrance and exit for the liquid L, and a male screw 18 is formed around the neck portion 13 to attach a cap 31 thereto. The inner peripheral surface 15 of the neck portion 13 has a regular octagonal cross section instead of a circular cross section.

The partition pipe 21 is inserted into the neck portion 13 and has the role of preventing the inflow of air bubbles floating on the liquid surface. A bottom plate 26 for isolating the inside is arranged just above the legs 28, and a bottom hole 27 is provided in the center thereof. Therefore, the liquid L flows into the partition pipe 21 through the bottom hole 27 from the gap between the adjacent legs 28 . In addition, a window 23 is provided on the outer peripheral surface 25 of the partition tube 21 to release the air in the main body 11 to the outside. The window 23 is provided at a height considering the liquid surface.

The partition tube 21 is preferably non-rotatable with respect to the main body 11. The upper end of the partition tube 21 is formed with a very small projection 24 projecting outward, and the inner peripheral surface 15 of the neck portion 13 is formed with a very small projection 24. is formed with a small groove 14 into which a projection 24 is fitted. The protrusions 24 and the small grooves 14 only need to restrict the rotation of the partition tube 21, and need not be brought into close contact with each other. In this way, the outer peripheral surface 25 of the partition tube 21 is a simple circumferential surface that does not have any recesses, protrusions, notches, or steps except for the protrusions 24, which simplifies the manufacturing process. , quality control is also easy. The projection 24 has a size corresponding to the small groove 14 and does not have a line shape extending downward.

In the lower part of FIG. 1, a lateral end surface showing the fitting between the main body 11 and the partition tube 21 is drawn. Note that this drawing assumes an end face exposed by horizontally cutting the neck portion 13 and the partition pipe 21 after inserting the partition pipe 21 into the neck portion 13 . As shown in the lower left part of FIG. 1, when the partition pipe 21 is finished with a small diameter, the contact range with the neck 13 is narrowed, but at a position away from the corner of the inner peripheral surface 15, both maintain the contact state. Then, the partition pipe 21 is fixed by the friction.

On the other hand, as shown in the lower right part of FIG. 1, when the partition pipe 21 is finished to have a large diameter, both come into contact with each other except at the corners of the inner peripheral surface 15, but near the corners of the inner peripheral surface 15 there is no contact. remains, the friction between the two does not become excessively large. Therefore, the insertion of the partition pipe 21 is not hindered, and the neck portion 13 and the partition pipe 21 are not damaged. In the lower part of FIG. 1, it is assumed that there is a dimensional error in the partition pipe 21, but a similar relationship occurs when the neck portion 13 has a dimensional error. The fit becomes loose, and conversely, if the diameter is small, the fit becomes tight. In addition, the protrusions 24 of the partition tube 21 are fitted into the small grooves 14 of the neck portion 13 on both the left and right sides of the lower portion of FIG. 1, making the partition tube 21 unrotatable.

In FIG. 1, the inner peripheral surface 15 of the neck portion 13 has a regular octagonal cross section. Such regular octagons and regular hexagons are similar to circles, so the difference from conventional products is slight, and it is easy to ensure compatibility. As for the inner mold for molding the inner peripheral surface 15, it may be possible to reduce labor during molding by using a regular polygon with an even number of corners rather than a regular polygon with an odd number of corners.

FIG. 2 shows a state in which the main body 11 and the partition tube 21 of FIG. 1 are split in half. As depicted in this figure, the inner peripheral surface 15 of the neck 13 maintains a regular octagonal cross-section from its upper end to its lower end, so that the inner peripheral surface 15 can contact the partition pipe 21 over the entire area above and below. Also, the legs 28 of the partition tube 21 are in contact with the bottom surface of the main body 11, and the partition tube 21 cannot be inserted deeper than this. In this state, the liquid L contained in the main body 11 flows into the partition tube 21 through the bottom hole 27 from between the adjacent legs 28 .

FIG. 3 shows an example of the shape of the inner peripheral surface 15 of the neck portion 13, and depicts the lateral end surfaces of the neck portion 13 and the partition tube 21. As shown in FIG. In this figure, the projections 24 and small grooves 14 shown in FIG. 1 and the like are omitted. The inner peripheral surface 15 of the neck 13 drawn at the top of the figure has a triangular cross-section, but the corners are inevitably far away from the center of the neck 13 and will be separated from the neck 13 as they are. Therefore, this corner is smoothly connected with a circle. Then, when the partition pipe 21 is inserted into the neck portion 13, both sides come into contact at a total of three points lined up at equal intervals (120 degree intervals), and the partition pipe 21 is fixed by the elastic deformation that occurs there. and the partition pipe 21 have a gap.

The neck portion 13 drawn in the middle of FIG. 3 has an inner peripheral surface 15 of a square cross section, and contacts the partition tube 21 near the center of each side. The neck portion 13 drawn at the bottom of FIG. 3 has a cross section with a continuous wave formed by a curved surface, and contacts the partition pipe 21 at a portion of the inner peripheral surface 15 that protrudes toward the center. 3, when the large-diameter partition pipe 21 is inserted, the gap between the inner peripheral surface 15 and the outer peripheral surface 25 is filled, and the inner peripheral surface 15 follows the partition pipe 21 and becomes close to a circular cross section.

11 main body 13 neck 14 small groove 15 inner peripheral surface 18 male thread 21 partition tube 23 window 24 protrusion 25 outer peripheral surface 26 bottom plate 27 bottom hole 28 leg 31 cap L liquid (reagent)

Claims (1)

A method for manufacturing a reagent container comprising a main body (11) made of synthetic resin for containing various liquids (L) and a cylindrical partition pipe (21) made of synthetic resin, wherein the main body (11) is The upper part is formed with a cylindrical neck (13) for inserting the partition pipe (21),
The inner peripheral surface (15) of the neck portion (13) and the outer peripheral surface (25) of the partition tube (21) are brought into contact with each other, thereby fixing the partition tube (21) to the main body (11), and the inner peripheral surface In the boundary between (15) and the outer peripheral surface (25), in the circumferential direction, a region where both are in contact while elastic deformation and a region where both are apart are alternately arranged,
The outer peripheral surface (25) of the partition pipe (21) is a circular cross section, and the inner peripheral surface (15) of the neck (13) is a non-circular cross section whose distance from the center changes, and the inner peripheral surface A method for manufacturing a reagent container, wherein a mold for molding (15) is removable from a mold for molding said main body (11).

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