JPS6339642Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] This invention relates to an electrophoretic biochemical analysis device used for biochemical analysis such as measuring the concentration of proteins contained in serum.

In measuring serum proteins and the like by electrophoresis, a cellulose acetate membrane called a support is used. That is, by applying a serum sample onto this support and applying electricity through the wetted paper, a separate image (electrophoretic image) of each sample is formed on the support, and the density of each sample is determined. This is done by optically detecting the protein concentration. To form this image, a migration chamber 1 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is used. In this electrophoresis chamber 1, electrode tanks 2, 2 in which a buffer solution is stored and paper holders 3, 3 are integrally provided. 4, 4 are placed on it. Also,
Electrode wires 5, 5 made of platinum are stretched in the electrode baths 2, 2 so as to be submerged in the buffer solution. In this case, each electrode wire 5, 5 is shown in this conventional example. The wires are wired between the holding pieces 6, which are fixed in each tank. Note that one holding piece 6 is connected to a power source 8 via a terminal 7 attached to the side wall of the migration chamber 1, and a lid 9 is detachably attached to the upper opening of the migration chamber 1. . According to this electrophoresis chamber 1, the support 10 coated with a serum sample in advance at another location is placed across the sheets of paper 4, or the sample is applied after the support 10 is appropriately moistened.
Then, by turning on the power source 8, the electrode wire 5,
5 and the paper 4, 4, the support body 10 is energized. However, in this conventional device, if there are air bubbles between the paper 4 and the paper holder 3, the resistance value will change significantly, which will hinder image formation. Therefore, careful attention must be paid when attaching the paper 4. On the other hand, since the electrode wires 5, 5 are fixedly attached in each electrode tank 2, they can be stretched neatly without loosening, or they can be cut midway if they are cut during use. It is difficult to connect the pieces together. In addition, electrode tank 2
Since it is integrally formed within the migration chamber 1, there are disadvantages in that leakage current is large and the inside of the tank cannot be easily cleaned.

Therefore, an object of this invention is to provide a biochemical analyzer equipped with an electrophoresis chamber that is easy to maintain and that can form accurate minute images and has a low leakage current.

Hereinafter, embodiments of this invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 3 shows a vertical cross section of an electrophoresis chamber used in this biochemical analyzer, and this electrophoresis chamber consists of a base 11 and a box 12 placed on it.
It is formed from. The box body 12 includes a rectangular frame body 13 and a lid body 14 detachably attached thereto.
A support 10 is provided in the center of the combination.
An endless conveyor belt consisting of a pair of strings 15, 15 is provided for conveying the material in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing in FIG. Further, inside the box body 12, a pair of electrode tanks 16, 16 are arranged independently from each other on both sides of the conveyor belt 15.
is removably provided. In this case, each electrode tank 16 is moved up and down synchronously with each other while maintaining its horizontal position by a drive member such as a cam roller provided on the base 11 side (not shown in the figure). It is becoming more and more common. Since each electrode tank 16 has the same configuration, one of them will be explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 4. That is,
This electrode tank 16 has a winding core 17 made of a plate-shaped body configured to be detachably attached in the tank.
have. In this invention, the energizing paper 18 is configured to be installed in the electrode container 16 together with the winding core 17. Guide grooves 19, 19 for guiding the winding core 17 are provided on both side walls of the electrode tank 16.
In this case, the paper 18 wound on the winding core 17 is brought into contact with the inner wall of the tank, and the buffer solution is sufficiently sucked into the paper 18 by the capillary phenomenon that occurs between them. It is preferable that the The upper edge of the winding core 17 is provided with a tapered surface 20 that acts to apply tension to the support 10 when the support 10 is held in cooperation with a presser plate, which will be described later. Further, in this electrode bath 16, an electrode wire 21 made of platinum wire or the like is detachably attached. That is, this electrode tank 16 is provided with a pair of electrode wire holding pieces 22, 22 which are removably attached to both side walls thereof with screws or the like. Therefore, the electrode wire 21 is wired in the electrode tank 16 while being stretched between the holding pieces 22, 22, and
It is connected to a power source (not shown) via an eyelet-shaped terminal 23 drawn out from one holding piece 22 and a terminal screw 24 screwed into the eyelet-shaped terminal 23 . In addition, reference numeral 2
5 is a guide protrusion for positioning the lower end of the holding piece 22, and 26 is a driven roller that cooperates with the cam roller of the above-mentioned driving means for moving the electrode tank 16 up and down, only one of which is shown in this drawing. There is actually one on the other side as well. Further, inside the box body 12, as described above, an electrode tank 1 is provided.
Holding plates 30, 30 are provided for holding the support body 10, on which the conveyor belt 15 is lifted by the winding cores 17, 17 when the conveyor belts 6, 16 move upward. In this case, each press plate 30 has a spring 32 wound around the tip of the support rod 31, 31 protruding from the inner wall of the lid 14.
32, and is provided with a tapered surface 33 that acts in conjunction with the tapered surface 20 of the winding core 17 to apply tension to the support 10. Note that support separation plates 35, 35 having auxiliary rollers 34, 34 are suspended on each presser plate 30 so as to be slidable in the vertical direction. The lid 14 has a window 3 for inserting a serum application head (not shown) into the box 12.
7, but under normal conditions, this window 37 is closed by a slide shutter plate 38 which is biased by a spring.

On the other hand, in this box body 12, in addition to one set of electrode tanks 16, 16, a water tank 40 formed in the lid body 14, a water tank 41 formed between the electrode tanks 16, 16, and a base. A water tank 42 formed within the stand 11 is provided. In this case, the water tank 40 communicates with each electrode tank 16 via an overflow pipe 43. Further, this water tank 40 is connected to the conveyor belt 1
5 also communicates with a buffering tank (not shown) provided for pre-wetting the support 10, and the buffer overflowing from this buffering tank flows into a water tank 41. And each of these electrode tanks 16 and water tank 4
1 communicate with a water tank 42 via overflow pipes 44 and 45, respectively. Further, a tank 46 for storing a buffer solution is provided on the outside of the box 12, and the buffer solution in the tank 46 is sent into the water tank 40 via a water supply pump 47. On the other hand, the buffer solution in the electrode tank 16 and the water tank 4
The buffer solution in 2 is pumped by water pumps 48 and 49, respectively.
The water is returned to the tank 46 via the .

Next, the operation of this invention will be explained. First, the pump 47 is operated, and the buffer solution in the tank 46 is supplied into the water tank 40, and then sequentially from this water tank 40 through the overflow pipe 43 to the electrode tank 1.
A buffer solution is stored in 6 and 16. Further, a buffer solution is also sent from this water tank 40 into a water tank 41 via an overflow pipe (not shown). Note that the water level in the electrode tank 16 is adjusted by a water level detection switch (not shown), and this switch controls the pump 4.
7 is now under control. Then, the support 10 is cut into a fixed size by a support supply device (not shown) connected to the box 12 and moistened by a buffering roller or the like, and transferred to the box by the conveyor belt 10. 12 and set directly under window 37. In this state, the serum application head (not shown) moves horizontally onto the box 12 from the right direction as shown in FIG.
The serum application head comes into contact with a protrusion 50 provided on the shutter plate 38 and moves further to the right to slide the shutter plate 38, thereby closing the window 3.
7 will be opened automatically. Afterwards, this window 37
The serum application head is lowered into the box body 12 through the
A serum sample is applied onto the support 10. After application,
The serum application head is pulled back upwards and moved from above the box 12 to the right in FIG. 3. Along with this, the shutter plate 38 is pulled back by the spring to close the window 37, and then the electrode tanks 16, 16 are both moved upward by a drive member (not shown). Thereby, the support body 10 is lifted from above the conveyor belt 15 by the cores 17, 17, and is held between the cores 17, 17 and the presser plates 30, 30. In this case, due to the cooperative action of the tapered surfaces 20 and 33, each presser plate 30
The support body 10 is held firmly and horizontally under tension because the core 17 is pushed up from below and the support body 10 is slightly expanded. Also, by pressing the winding core 17, the paper 18
Air bubbles in the contact area between the support body 10 and the support body 10 are extruded and are reliably removed without causing any practical problems. The electrode wires 21, 21 are connected to a power source (not shown), and are connected to the support body 18 through moistened paper 18, 18 wound on the winding cores 17, 17.
0 is energized, and as a result, the support 10
A separate image of each sample is formed on top. After energization for a predetermined time, each electrode tank 16 is moved down again and returned to the state shown in FIG. 3. At this time, the support 10 is placed on the conveyor belt 15 so as to be peeled off from the presser plate 30 by the weight of the support separation plate 35 and the auxiliary roller 34 . Then, the conveyor belt 15 moves again, and the support body 10 is carried out of the box body 12 from an outlet (not shown), and undergoes the next process, for example, dyeing → bleaching → drying →
It is sent to a densitometer (colorimeter). After completing all the operations in this way, the water pumps 48 and 4
9 is activated, the buffer solution with unequal ionic strength in the electrode tank 16 and the buffer solution in the water tank 42 are returned to the tank 46, and the mixed buffer solution there is pumped back into the box body 12 by the pump 47. are supplied to each tank to prepare for the next step.

As is clear from the description of the embodiments described above, according to this invention, the electrode tanks are configured as a set that is independent of each other, and are arranged detachably inside the box, making it easy to handle the electrode tanks. Extremely easy to operate. Furthermore, this structure of the electrode tank has the advantage that leakage current can be extremely reduced. Furthermore, by winding the energizing paper around the core and then detachably installing it into the electrode tank together with the core, it is easy to install the paper, and the work of wrapping the paper around the core is also easy. It can be easily done on a desk. In addition, since the electrode wire can be easily attached to and removed from the electrode tank, wiring work and disconnection repair work can be easily performed. On the other hand, since the paper wound around the core is placed so as to be in contact with the inner wall on one side of the electrode tank, the capillary action that occurs between the paper and the inner wall causes sufficient buffer solution to be sucked into the paper, resulting in a stable state. Electricity can be applied. In addition, when the core is pressed against the presser plate, air bubbles that exist between the support and the paper are removed from the narrow tapered surface without any practical problems, making it possible to obtain highly reliable images. . Furthermore, since the support during energization is held horizontally under tension by the winding core and presser plate, the buffer solution impregnated therein is uniformly distributed. Thereby, the reliability of the partial images can be further improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 and 2 are cross-sectional views showing conventional examples, FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of an electrophoresis chamber according to this invention, and FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the electrode chamber shown in FIG. 3. . In the figure, 11 is a base, 12 is a box, 15 is a conveyor belt, 16 is an electrode tank, 17 is paper, 20, 33 are tapered surfaces, 21 is an electrode wire, 22 is a holding piece, 30 is a presser plate, 37 is a window, 38 is a shutter board, 40-4
2 is a water tank, 46 is a tank, and 47 to 49 are pumps.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] (1) By applying a sample onto a support made of a cellulose acetate membrane or the like, and applying electricity to the support through a current-carrying filter paper moistened with a buffer solution, In a biochemical analysis apparatus including an electrophoresis chamber for forming a partial image of the sample on a support, in the electrophoresis chamber, two electrodes are disposed at a predetermined interval, independently from each other, and removably. Biochemical analysis by electrophoresis, characterized in that a set of electrode vessels is provided, the filter paper is wound around a plate-shaped core, and the filter paper and the core are detachably attached to each of the electrode vessels. Device. (2) In claim (1) of the utility model registration, each of the electrode vessels is provided with an electrode wire stretched through a pair of holders that are detachably attached to the respective electrode vessels. A biochemical analysis device using electrophoresis. (3) The electrophoresis device according to claim (1), wherein the filter paper is attached to the inner wall of the electrode tank in a state where it is wound around the core. Biochemical analyzer by.