JPH02176562A - Analysis equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To shorten the time for analyses by using a flow cell having >=2 sample liquid inlets, by which just one time of washing of sample liquid flow passages is merely necessitated after the end of the analyses of plural kinds. CONSTITUTION:A sample liquid nozzle 6 projects into a flow chamber 3 of the flow cell. The sample liquid nozzle 6 has the structure of double circular tubes consisting of nozzles 6a and 6b. Sample flows 15a, 16b are, therefore, formed in the same position in a capillary 8 even if the sample is passed from any side. The accuracy of the analyses is thus enhanced. The tips of the nozzles 6a, 6b are gradually reduced in thickness and do not disturb the flow and, therefore, the stable flow of sheath flow is possible. The accuracy of the analyses is thus enhanced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a flow cell and a particle analyzer using the same, and particularly to a particle analyzer suitable for blood cell analysis.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, blood cell analyzers used in clinical tests measure the number and particle size distribution of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets contained in a unit volume of blood, as well as the amount of hemoglobin. a! The basic principle is to introduce a sample liquid containing blood cells into a flow cell, flow it through a capillary tube using a sheath-flow method, and detect changes in electrical resistance due to the cells flowing through the capillary tube, as well as detect scattered light and fluorescence by irradiating the cells with light. This is used to analyze the size of cells and the presence of fluorescent substances in cells. For accurate analysis, it is necessary for cells to flow stably on the central axis of the capillary tube using the sheath-flow method.Normally, in blood tests, a diluted blood sample is used to count red blood cells and platelets. In a more detailed analysis method, two types of analysis are performed: one is to perform two types of analysis: one is to destroy the red blood cells in the blood using a hemolytic agent, and the number of white blood cells is counted.

In some cases, blood is subjected to different pretreatments and three or more types of analysis are performed. In order to perform these analyses, some types of equipment have multiple flow cells and each flow cell performs a different analysis. However, this method requires multiple sets of flow cells and detection systems, making the equipment large. It also costs a lot of money. Therefore, in another device, there is only one flow cell, and sample liquids subjected to different pretreatments are switched by a valve and sequentially flowed through the flow cell to perform one analysis.

Incidentally, related devices of this type include, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-228147.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In the above-mentioned conventional technology, the valve is switched after the first analysis, but at that time, the previous sample liquid remains in the flow path from the valve to the flow cell, so the washing liquid is flushed to remove the previous sample liquid. It was necessary to send the next sample solution and start the analysis. In other words, it is necessary to clean the inside of the flow path every time one type of analysis is completed, which has the drawback of increasing the analysis time per sample.

An object of the present invention is to provide a particle analyzer with short analysis time.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The above object is achieved by using a flow cell having two or more sample fluid inlets.

[Effect]

During analysis, sample fluids with different pretreatments are each guided to a separate sample fluid inlet.

Sample fluid is sent out only from two sample fluid inlets, and delivery of the other sample fluids is stopped. When one analysis is completed, delivery of that sample liquid is stopped, and delivery of another sample liquid is started to perform another analysis. At this time, each sample solution is led to the flow cell through a separate flow path, so there is no need to wash the previous sample solution when switching, and the next analysis can be started immediately, reducing the analysis time. can be shortened.

C Example] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an example in which the present invention is applied to a blood analyzer. The flow chamber 3 of the flow cell is provided with a sheath liquid inlet 5 and sample liquid inlets 4a and 4b, and the sheath liquid inlet 5 is connected to the sheath liquid supply section 1. At sample liquid inlets 48 and 4b.

Sample liquid supply sections 2a and 2b are connected to each other. A sample liquid nozzle 6 projects inside the flow chamber 3 . The sample liquid nozzle 6 is.

It has a double structure.

The flow chamber 3 is connected to the capillary tube 8 through the aperture section 7. A light source 9 is installed on the side of the capillary tube 8, and the light emitted from the light source 9 is focused on the central axis of the capillary tube 8 by a focusing lens 10. After focusing, it reaches the beam stop 11.

A photodetector 13 is installed on the extension of the optical axis, and a condenser lens 12 is installed at a position such that an image is formed on the detection surface of the area where the light on the central axis of the capillary tube 8 is focused.

Blood analysis is performed using the following procedure. A constant flow rate of sheath fluid is always allowed to flow from the sheath fluid supply section 1.

As the sheath fluid, one that does not harm blood cells, such as physiological saline, is suitable. A sample solution obtained by diluting the blood of the specimen is put into the sample solution supply section 2a, and a sample solution obtained by hemolyzing blood using a hemolytic agent is put into the sample solution supply section 2b. 2
Send out a small amount of sample liquid from both a and 2b, and fill the flow path up to the sample liquid nozzle 6 with each sample liquid.Next, stop sending out the sample liquid from the sample liquid supply section 2b, and fill the flow path up to the sample liquid nozzle 6. A fixed amount of sample liquid is sent out from the liquid supply section 2a.

Then, as shown in FIG. 2(a), the sample flow 15a exiting from the sample liquid nozzle 6a forms a sheath flow surrounded by the sheath flow 14, is narrowed by the constriction part, and enters the capillary tube 8. When the sample flow 15a is irradiated with light from the light source 9, scattered light is emitted to red blood cells and platelets contained in the sample liquid.

The emitted scattered light is collected by a condenser lens 12 and detected by a photodetector 13. Based on the signal detected by the photodetector 13, the number and particle size distribution of red blood cells and platelets contained in a certain amount of sample liquid are obtained. When the sample liquid supplying part 2a stops sending out the sample liquid, the sample liquid supply part 2a
The sample liquid remains in the flow path from the sample liquid nozzle 6 to the sample liquid nozzle 6. However, since the flow path of the sample flow sent out from the sample liquid supply part 2b does not pass through the flow path from the sample liquid supply part 2a to the sample liquid nozzle 6, the flow path remains stopped without being cleaned. Even if the sample liquid is sent out from the supply section 2b, it will not be mixed with another type of sample liquid.

Therefore, the sample liquid is immediately poured out from the sample liquid supply section 2b and the next analysis is started. This time, Figure 2 (b)
As shown in FIG. 2, the liquid coming out of the sample liquid nozzle 6b forms a sample flow 15b.

This sample liquid is a liquid obtained by dissolving red blood cells in the blood using a hemolytic agent, and the scattered light from the remaining white blood cells is detected to obtain the number and particle size distribution of white blood cells contained in a certain amount of the sample liquid. After the two types of analysis are completed, the sample liquid supply parts 2a and 2b
Clean the inside of the flow path by flowing cleaning liquid from the inside of the flow path.

By performing the analysis using such a procedure, a washing process is not required between the analysis of red blood cells and platelets and the analysis of white blood cells, so that the analysis time can be shortened.

Further, in the case of this embodiment, the sample liquid nozzles 6a and 6b have a double circular tube structure.

Sample flow 15 no matter which direction the sample flow flows from.
a and 15b are formed at the same position in the capillary tube 8, so that the accuracy of the analysis can be improved. Also.

This is because the tip portions of the sample nozzles 6a and 6b have gradually thinner walls and do not disturb the flow.

Enables stable sheath flow and improves analysis accuracy.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the invention, in which there are two sample nozzles 26a and 26b.

There are also two sheath liquid inlets 25. As shown in FIG. 3(a), when flowing the sample liquid from the sample nozzle 26a, the flow rate of the sheath liquid injected from the sheath liquid inlet 25a is made larger than the flow rate of the sheath liquid injected from the sheath liquid inlet 25b. Due to the imbalance between sheath fluids 14a and 14b, sample flow 15c is deflected and flows on the central axis of capillary tube 8. When flowing the sample liquid from the sample nozzle 26b as shown in FIG. 3(b), the sheath liquid population 2
By increasing the flow rate of the sheath liquid injected from 5b, the sample flow 15d can be made to flow on the central axis of the capillary tube 8. As described above, no matter which sample nozzle the sample liquid is flowed from, the sample flow can flow through the same position, and the accuracy of analysis can be improved.

Furthermore, in this example, since the sample nozzle has a simple shape, it is easy to create a flow cell. Furthermore, since the sample nozzle is independent, the sample flow path can be made narrower, and the amount of sample liquid wasted before and after measurement can be reduced.

FIG. 4 shows yet another embodiment of the invention, again in which:
Although the sample nozzles 36a and 36b are two separate ones, a nozzle slider 16 is provided, and the sample nozzle 36
The position of the nozzle can be changed when flowing the sample liquid from the sample nozzle 36b and when flowing the sample liquid from the sample nozzle 36b, and the sample flow can be formed at the same position in both cases.

FIG. 5 shows yet another embodiment of the invention, again with two separate sample nozzles.

The condenser lens 12 is mounted on a lens slider 17. The position of the sample flow in the capillary tube 8 changes depending on which nozzle the sample liquid is flowed from, but by moving the position of the lens 12 by the lens slider 17, it can be brought into focus in either case. This allows for highly accurate analysis. Further, in this embodiment, the lens slider 17 can also be used as an automatic focusing device.

FIG. 6 shows yet another embodiment of the invention.

Inside the capillary tube 8, there are two sample nozzles so that the sample flows 15θ and 15f flow side by side! It is placed. Two photodetectors 13 are installed side by side, and scattered light from cells in sample flows 15e and 15f is focused on the light receiving surface of each.

The analytical procedure in this example is different from the previous ones;
In the case of this embodiment, in which sample liquids are flowed from two sample nozzles at the same time and analyzed at the same time, the two analyzes can be performed simultaneously, so that the analysis time can be further shortened. The two sample solutions may be the same or different. Furthermore, in this case, the condenser lens 12 is used in common for the two analyses, so it is economical.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the sample liquid flow path only needs to be cleaned once after a plurality of types of analyzes are completed, which has the effect of shortening the analysis time.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the main part of FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 3 shows another embodiment, (a
) and (b) are explanatory diagrams of different functions, FIG. 4 is a sectional view of yet another embodiment, FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of the entire apparatus of still another embodiment, and FIG. FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram showing the main parts of another example of the embodiment. 1... Sheath liquid supply section, 2... Sample liquid supply section,
4...Sample liquid inlet, 6...Sample liquid nozzle,
9: Light source, 13: Photodetector, 16: Nozzle slider, 17: Lens slider. No. 1

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An inlet for supplying a sample fluid, a channel communicating with the inlet for receiving the sample fluid, and an inlet for supplying a sheath fluid, including a nozzle for discharging the sample fluid at the end of the channel; A channel communicating with the inlet and receiving the sheath fluid, a condenser section provided on the downstream side of the nozzle provided in the channel, a capillary section following the flow channel, and a discharge port at the end of the capillary section. An analysis device equipped with a flow cell, characterized in that the flow cell device is provided with a plurality of inlets for supplying a sample fluid. 2. An analysis device equipped with a flow cell according to claim 1, characterized in that the flow paths following the plurality of sample fluid inlets are formed into concentric inner and outer flow paths before reaching the sample nozzle. 3. The flow cell device according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of concentric inner and outer nozzles are formed at the terminal ends of the flow paths for the plurality of sample fluids. 4. The flow cell device according to claim 3, wherein the wall surface of the nozzle at the end of the flow path for the sample fluid is formed to be gradually thinner. 5. The flow cell device according to claim 1, wherein the sample flow paths following the inlets of the plurality of sample fluids are guided to the plurality of sample nozzles as they are the plurality of flow paths. 6. The flow cell device according to claim 5, wherein the flow cell has two or more sheath fluid inlets and is provided with a control means that can independently control the flow rate of the sheath fluid injected into each sheath fluid inlet. Analyzer equipped with 7. An analyzer equipped with a flow cell according to claim 5, wherein the sample nozzle is provided with a minute movement mechanism so that the sample nozzle position can be moved. 8. Control means for guiding different sample fluids to the plurality of sample fluid inlets of the flow cell device according to claim 2 and independently sending and stopping each sample fluid, and controlling the properties of the sample fluid flowing through the capillary section of the flow cell device. An analysis device characterized by being provided with means for optically or electrically detecting. 9. The flow cell device according to claim 5, and a control means for guiding different sample fluids to each of the plurality of sample fluid inlets of the flow cell device and independently sending and stopping each sample fluid, the sample flowing through the capillary portion of the flow cell. An analysis device comprising a detection system for optically detecting flow properties, characterized in that the analysis device is provided with means for automatically changing the relative position of the flow cell and the detection system. 10. A flow cell device according to claim 5, a sample supply section that guides different sample fluids to a plurality of sample fluid inlets of the flow cell device, and a detection system that optically detects the properties of the sample flow flowing through the capillary section of the flow cell. What is claimed is: 1. An analytical device characterized by having a plurality of detection system means for detecting at a plurality of locations in a capillary tube. 11. Using the flow cell device according to claim 6 or 7,
A control means for introducing and stopping each sample fluid independently is provided, and control means for controlling the flow rate of the sheath fluid or the sample fluid is provided in accordance with the control of the sample fluid. An analysis device characterized by being provided with means for moving the position of a nozzle.