Sample measuring device

{
  "publication_number": "US9903965B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Sample measuring device",
  "abstract": "Each adapter disposed on a rack includes a pair of arms that configure an opening/closing mechanism. During rack conveyance, a guiding block is slotted between a pair of legs contained in the rack. The opening/closing mechanism being abutted against the guiding block causes the opening/closing mechanism to perform an opening/closing operation. When the state of the opening/closing mechanism is changed from closed to open, a pre-measurement sample container is passed from a sample storage unit to a lifting mechanism. Subsequent to the post-measurement sample container being returned to the sample storage unit, the state of the opening/closing mechanism is changed from open to closed.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A sample measurement device, comprising: a rack that has a longitudinal direction and a short-side direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, that has a pair of legs distanced from each other in the short-side direction, and that has a sample storage unit having an open/close mechanism including a pair of contact members: a rack-transporting mechanism that transports the rack on a transport surface; a guide block provided on the transport surface that enters a lower part of the rack during transport of the rack and that has a lower layer that enters a region between the pair of the legs for centering the rack in the short-side direction and an upper layer that is a layer above the lower layer and that enters a region between the pair of the contact members to set the open/close mechanism to an open state; and a lifting/lowering mechanism that transports a sample container between the sample storage unit and a sample measurement chamber provided below the transport surface in an open state of the open/close mechanism; wherein: the sample measurement device measures a radioactive substance in a sample housed in the sample container when the sample container is set in the sample measurement chamber; the upper layer has: a front-side form that contacts the pair of contact members of the open/close mechanism during relative movement of the rack with respect to the guide block, to transition the open/close mechanism from a closed state to an open state; and a rear-side form that contacts the pair of contact members of the open/close mechanism during the relative movement, to recover the open/close mechanism from the open state to the closed state; holding of the sample container is executed in the closed state; and holding of the sample container is released in the open state.",
    "2. The sample measurement device according to claim 1, wherein the front-side form has a pair of front-side included surfaces that apply a press-spreading force on the open/close mechanism.",
    "3. The sample measurement device according to claim 2, wherein the rear-side form has a pair of rear-side inclined surfaces that allow a recovery movement of the open/close mechanism.",
    "4. The sample measurement device according to claim 1, wherein the upper layer has an intermediate form provided between the front-side form and the rear-side form that maintains the open state of the open/close mechanism, and the intermediate form has an opening that forms an upper end portion of a lifting/lowering path of the sample container.",
    "5. The sample measurement device according to claim 4, wherein the guide block has: a front-side protrusion provided at a front side of the opening that temporarily supports a lower surface of the sample container from below, after holding of the sample container by the open/close mechanism disappears; and a rear-side protrusion provided at a rear side of the opening that temporarily supports the lower surface of the sample container from below, until the holding of the sample container by the open/close mechanism is resumed.",
    "6. The sample measurement device according to claim 5, wherein the lifting/lowering mechanism has a head that has a placement surface on which the sample container is placed, and in a state where the head is inserted into the opening, the placement surface is positioned at substantially the same height as an upper surface level of the front-side protrusion and the rear-side protrusion.",
    "7. The sample measurement device according to claim 1, wherein the lower layer has a front end portion, an intermediate portion, and a rear end portion arranged along the longitudinal direction, the front end portion has a tapered from and a width of the intermediate portion in the short-side direction is substantially equal to a gap between the pair of the legs.",
    "8. The sample measurement device according to claim 1, wherein the rack has a plurality of sample storage units arranged along the longitudinal direction, each sample storage unit respectively has the open/close mechanism, and the guide block causes the plurality of open/close mechanisms to be sequentially opened and closed while passing a region between the pair of the legs during a transport process of the rack in the longitudinal direction.",
    "9. The sample measurement device to according to claim 1, further comprising: a pressing unit provided on one side of the guide block, having a pressing mechanism that applies a pressing force on an outer surface of one leg in the rack to cause an inner surface of the one leg to closely contact the guide block and form a state of an appropriate position and an appropriate orientation of the rack.",
    "10. The sample measurement device according to claim 9, wherein the pressing unit has: a first contact member that applies a first pressing force on the outer surface of the one leg; and a second contact member provided at a position distanced from the first contact member that applies a second pressing force on the outer surface of the one leg.",
    "11. The sample measurement device according to claim 10, wherein the first contact member is a first roller, and the second contact member is a second roller.",
    "12. The sample measurement device according to claim 1, wherein in the process of entry of the guide block of the pair of the legs, inclined surfaces of the lower layer centers the rack in the short-side direction and inclined surfaces of the upper layer sets the open/close mechanism to an open state.",
    "13. A sample transport device, comprising: a rack that has a longitudinal direction and a short-side direction at an angle to the longitudinal direction, that has a pair of legs distanced from each other in the short-side direction, and that has a sample storage unit having an open/close mechanism including a pair of contact members: a rack-transporting mechanism that transports the rack on a transport surface; a guide block provided on the transport surface that enters a lower part of the rack during transport of the rack and that has a lower layer that enters a region between the pair of the legs for centering the rack in the short-side direction, and an upper layer that is a layer above the lower layer and that enters a region between the pair of the contact members to set the open/close mechanism to an open state; and a lifting/lowering mechanism that transports a sample container between the sample storage unit and a sample measurement chamber provided below the transport surface in an open state of the open/close mechanism; wherein: the upper layer has: a front-side form that contacts the pair of contact members of the open/close mechanism during relative movement of the rack with respect to the guide block, to transition the open/close mechanism from a closed state to an open state; and a rear-side form that contacts the pair of contact members of the open/close mechanism during the relative movement, to recover the open/close mechanism from the open state to the closed state; holding of the sample container is executed in the closed state; and holding of the sample container is released in the open state.",
    "14. A sample transport device, comprising: a rack that has a longitudinal direction and a short-side direction at an angle to the longitudinal direction, that has a pair of legs distanced from each other in the short-side direction, and that has a sample storage unit having an open/close mechanism including a pair of contact members: a rack-transporting mechanism that transports the rack on a transport surface; a guide block provided on the transport surface that enters a lower part of the rack during transport of the rack and that has inclined surfaces on a lower layer that enters a region between the pair of the legs for centering the rack in the short-side direction, and an upper layer that is a layer above the lower layer and that enters a region between the pair of the contact members to set the open/close mechanism to an open state; and a lifting/lowering mechanism that transports a sample container between the sample storage unit and a sample measurement chamber provided below the transport surface in an open state of the open/close mechanism; wherein: the upper layer has: front-side inclined surfaces that contact the pair of contact members of the open/close mechanism during relative movement of the rack with respect to the guide block, to transition the open/close mechanism from a closed state to an open state; and rear-side inclined surfaces that contact the pair of contact members of the open/close mechanism during the relative movement, to recover the open/close mechanism from the open state to the closed state; holding of the sample container is executed in the closed state; and holding of the sample container is released in the open state."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to a sample measurement device, and in particular, to a sample measurement device which measures a radioactive substance in a sample using a liquid scintillator.\n\nA sample measurement device is a device that individually measures a plurality of samples. Representative sample measurement devices include a liquid scintillation counter. The liquid scintillation counter has a rack-transporting mechanism which transports a rack holding a plurality of sample containers, a measurement unit which measures light caused by a radioactive substance contained in each sample container, a container transporting mechanism which transports the sample container between the rack and a measurement chamber unit, or the like. In the sample container, in addition to liquid sample, liquid scintillator is included. When a radiation (for example, a β ray) is emitted from the radioactive substance in the sample, light emission in the liquid scintillator is caused by the radiation. The light is detected by a pair of photomultiplier tubes forming the measurement unit.\n\nIn general, a shielding structure must be provided in order to block an extrinsic radiation at a periphery of a measurement chamber which stores the sample container to be measured. Such a shielding structure is formed from a metal which is very heavy. Therefore, it is more preferable that the shielding structure be placed below a rack placement surface rather than being placed above the rack placement surface.",
  "cpc": [
    "G01T 7/08",
    "G01N 2035/0405",
    "G01N 2035/041",
    "G01N 2035/0412",
    "G01N 35/04",
    "G01T 1/204"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "G01N 35/04",
    "G01T 1/204",
    "G01T 7/08"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Hitachi Ltd"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Tomonori HANAYA",
    "Yujiro AKUTA"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2014-09-30",
  "publication_date": "2018-02-27",
  "grant_date": "2018-02-27",
  "priority_date": "2013-10-09",
  "application_number": "US-201415028157-A",
  "family_id": "52812952",
  "cited_by_count": 1,
  "citations": [
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  ]
}