Device with sample temperature adjustment function

Abstract

A device includes a sample rack having a mounting region for mounting a sample plate that holds a sample, a housing in which a temperature adjustment space for adjusting a temperature of the sample plate mounted on the sample rack while accommodating the sample rack inside is provided therein, and the housing having, in a lateral surface, a rack insertion opening through which the sample rack is inserted into the temperature adjustment space; and an air temperature adjustment part having an air intake port for taking in air in the temperature adjustment space, a temperature adjustment element for cooling or heating air taken in from the air intake portion, and an outlet for blowing out air cooled or heated by the temperature adjustment element.

Claims

1. A device comprising: a sample rack having a mounting region for mounting a sample plate that holds a sample; a housing in which a temperature adjustment space for adjusting a temperature of the sample plate mounted on the sample rack while accommodating the sample rack inside is provided therein, and the housing having, in a lateral surface, a rack insertion opening through which the sample rack is inserted into the temperature adjustment space; and an air temperature adjustment part having an air intake portion for taking in air in the temperature adjustment space, a temperature adjustment element for cooling or heating air taken in from the air intake portion, and an outlet for blowing out air cooled or heated by the temperature adjustment element, wherein an air passage through which air flows is formed between a bottom surface of the mounting region of the sample rack and a floor surface of the temperature adjustment space when the sample rack is inserted into the temperature adjustment space through the rack insertion opening and is accommodated in the temperature adjustment space, the air passage has a width in a height direction narrower than that of the outlet of the air temperature adjustment part, the air temperature adjustment part is configured so that air blown out from the outlet is directly introduced from one end side of the sample rack into the air passage formed between the bottom surface of the mounting region of the sample rack and the floor surface of the temperature adjustment space, and the device is configured so that the air introduced into the air passage flows from one end of the mounting region of the sample rack to the other end through the air passage.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is an autosampler for a liquid chromatograph.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the air temperature adjustment part includes, at the outlet, a hood for guiding air cooled or heated by the temperature adjustment element to the air passage.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the sample rack has an air guide plate at the one end, and as a result of a contact between the air guide plate of the sample rack accommodated in the temperature adjustment space and the hood, a path for guiding air cooled or heated by the temperature adjustment element to the air passage is formed.

5. A device comprising: a sample rack having a mounting region for mounting a sample plate that holds a sample; a temperature adjustment space for adjusting a temperature of the sample plate mounted on the sample rack while accommodating the sample rack inside; and an air temperature adjustment part having an air intake portion for taking in air in the temperature adjustment space, a temperature adjustment element for cooling or heating air taken in from the air intake portion, and an outlet for blowing out air cooled or heated by the temperature adjustment element, wherein an air passage through which air flows is formed between a bottom surface of the mounting region of the sample rack and a floor surface of the temperature adjustment space in a state where the sample rack is accommodated in the temperature adjustment space, the device is configured so that air blown out from the outlet of the air temperature adjustment part is directly introduced into the air passage between the bottom surface of the mounting region of the sample rack accommodated in the temperature adjustment space and the floor surface of the temperature adjustment space, and the air flows from one end of the mounting region of the sample rack to the other end through the air passage, and at least one opening is provided in the mounting region of the sample rack so that air flowing through the air passage comes into contact with a bottom surface of the sample plate mounted on the mounting region.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein a size of the at least one opening and/or a number of the at least one opening in the mounting region of the sample rack is larger in a region on the other end side than in a region on the one end side.

7. The device according to claim 5, wherein the sample rack has regions on the one end side and the other end side of the mounting region respectively, and the regions on the one end side and the other end side are configured to be able to mount sample plates individually, and a size of the at least one opening and/or a number of the at least one opening in the region on the one end side is set to a size by which the air passage is substantially formed even if the sample plate is not mounted.

8. The device according to claim 5, wherein the device is an autosampler for a liquid chromatograph.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a device having a sample temperature adjustment function.

(2) FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view for explaining flow of air in temperature adjustment space when a sample rack is pulled out in the embodiment.

(3) FIG. 3 is a plan view of the sample rack on which a sample plate is not mounted.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

(4) Hereinafter, an embodiment of a device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(5) As shown in FIG. 1, a device 1 includes temperature adjustment space 4 inside a housing 2. Temperature adjustment space 4 is defined by sheet metal 6, and an outer peripheral surface of the sheet metal 6 is covered with a heat insulating layer 8 made from, for example, a polyethylene resin foam material or the like, except for a rear surface side (right side in FIG. 1) on which an air temperature adjustment part 16 is provided.

(6) A sample plate 10 holding a sample is placed on the bottom of the temperature adjustment space 4 in a state of being mounted on a sample rack 12. Note that the sample plate 10 may hold a plurality of vials containing a sample, or may have a plurality of wells containing a sample on a top surface. On a front side (left side in FIG. 1) which is one side of the housing 2, there is provided a rack insertion opening 14 which is an opening for inserting the sample rack 12 from one end side to be accommodated in the temperature adjustment space 4.

(7) The other end of the sample rack 12 is provided with a handle 12a for holding the sample rack 12. Packing is attached to a peripheral edge of a surface facing the housing 2 (surface on the right side in the diagram) of the handle 12a, and when the sample rack 12 is inserted from the one end side into the temperature adjustment space 4, the packing of the handle 12a abuts on an edge of the rack insertion opening 14 so that sealing property of the rack insertion opening 14 is maintained.

(8) The sample rack 12 has a mounting region 12d for mounting the sample plate 10. In the present embodiment, the sample plate 10 can be mounted in each of a region on one end side, a center region, and a region on the other end side of the mounting region 12d of the sample rack 12. The sample rack 12 is accommodated in the temperature adjustment space 4 with a gap between a plate material on which the mounting region 12d is formed and a floor surface of the temperature adjustment space 4 so that an air passage 32 through which air flows is formed between a bottom surface of the mounting region 12d and the floor surface of the temperature adjustment space 4.

(9) An air guide plate 12b is provided in one end portion of the sample rack 12. The air guide plate 12b is provided, for example, to extend vertically upward from one end of the sample rack 12. The air guide plate 12b is for guiding cooled air together with a hood 24, described later, to the air passage 32. An opening 12c for allowing air flowing through the air passage 32 to escape upward is provided closer to the other end side than the mounting region 12d of the sample rack 12.

(10) The air temperature adjustment part 16 is provided on a back surface side of the housing 2. The air temperature adjustment part 16 includes a Peltier element 18 which is a temperature adjustment element, a fan 20, an air intake portion 22, the hood 24, an outlet 23, a rising guide 26, and heat exchange fins 28 and 30. The air temperature adjustment part 16 is configured to take in air in the temperature adjustment space 4 from the air intake portion 22, and cool or heat the intake air with the Peltier element 18 and blow the air out from the outlet 23.

(11) The Peltier element 18 is provided so that one heat transfer surface is disposed inside the temperature adjustment space 4, and the other heat transfer surface is disposed outside the temperature adjustment space 4, the heat exchange fin 30 is attached to the one heat transfer surface of the Peltier element 18, and the heat exchange fin 28 is attached to the other heat transfer surface of the Peltier element 18. The fan 20 is provided to blow air from the outlet toward a front side of the housing 2 in a lower portion in the temperature adjustment space 4. The air intake portion 22 is an opening for intake provided near the air intake portion in the temperature adjustment space 4.

(12) The hood 24 and the rising guide 26 are provided in the outlet 23 of the air temperature adjustment part 16. The hood 24 is provided to guide air for temperature adjustment blown by the fan 20 to the air passage 32 between the lower surface of the sample rack 12 and the floor surface of the temperature adjustment space 4 together with the air guide plate 12b of the sample rack 12 accommodated in the temperature adjustment space 4. The rising guide 26 is provided so as to guide the air blown by the fan 20 to an upper portion in the temperature adjustment space 4 when the sample rack 12 is pulled out from the temperature adjustment space.

(13) When the sample rack 12 is accommodated in the temperature adjustment space 4, the upward air flow is blocked by the air guide plate 12b and the hood 24, so the rising guide 26 does not function. For this reason, in a state where the sample rack 12 is accommodated in the temperature adjustment space 4, air taken in from the air intake portion 22 and cooled or heated by the Peltier element 18 takes a circulation path, in which the air flows through the air passage 32, escapes upward from the opening 12c of the sample rack 12, and is taken in again from the air intake portion 22, as shown by an arrow in FIG. 1.

(14) On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, when the sample rack 12 is pulled out of the temperature adjustment space 4, the rising guide 26 functions. Air blown by the fan 20 takes a circulation path, in which the air rises to an upper portion in the temperature adjustment space 4 by the rising guide 26 and is taken in again from the air intake portion 22. In this manner, flow of air in the vicinity of the rack insertion opening 14 is reduced, and inflow and outflow of air through the rack insertion opening 14 is suppressed.

(15) Further, in the present embodiment, the plate material constituting the mounting region 12d of the sample rack 12 is made from resin. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 3, the mounting region 12d of the sample rack 12 is provided with an opening 12e for bringing the air for temperature adjustment flowing through the air passage 32 into contact with the sample plate 10 mounted in the mounting region 12d, and the air for temperature adjustment and the sample plate 10 directly exchange heat.

(16) An area occupation rate occupied by the opening 12e is different between each of the region on the one end side, the center region, and the region on the other end side of the mounting region 12d, and the ratio is smallest in the region on the one end side of the mounting region 12d, and the ratio is largest in the region on the other end side. An area occupation rate of the opening 12 in each of the region on the one end side, the center region, and the region on the other end side of the mounting region 12d is designed so that heat exchange efficiency between the air for temperature adjustment flowing through the air passage 32 and the sample plate 10 is substantially uniform in the regions from the one end side to the other end side of the mounting region 12d.

(17) Further, the size of the opening 12e in the region on the one end side and the center region of the mounting region 12d is designed to be the size by which the air passage 32 is substantially formed even if the sample plate 10 is not mounted in these regions, that is, the size by which most of the air for temperature adjustment reaches the other end side of the mounting region 12d without escaping from the opening 12e even if the sample plate 10 is not mounted in these regions. In this manner, even in a case where the sample plate 10 is mounted only in part of the mounting region 12d of the sample rack 12, the temperature adjustment of the sample plate 10 can be performed in a similar manner regardless of the mounting position.

(18) Note that, in the above embodiment, three of the sample plates 10 can be mounted in the mounting region of the sample rack 12. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and two or less or four or more of the sample plates 10 may be mounted.

(19) Further, in FIG. 3, the opening e of the mounting region 12d of the sample rack 12 has a slit shape parallel to the longitudinal direction of the sample rack 12. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the opening e may have any shape.

(20) Further, the device 1 of the above embodiment is realized by, for example, an autosampler for a liquid chromatograph. When the device 1 is an autosampler, a needle or a syringe pump for sucking a sample held by the sample plate 10, a drive mechanism for moving the needle, and the like are also provided in the temperature adjustment space 4.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(21) 1: Device

(22) 2: Housing

(23) 4: Temperature adjustment space

(24) 6: Sheet metal

(25) 8: Heat insulating layer

(26) 10: Sample rack

(27) 12: Sample plate

(28) 12a: Handle

(29) 12b: Air guide plate

(30) 12c, 12e: Opening

(31) 12d: Mounting region

(32) 14: Rack insertion portion

(33) 16: Air temperature adjustment part

(34) 18: Peltier element

(35) 20: Fan

(36) 22: Air intake portion

(37) 23: Outlet

(38) 24: Hood

(39) 26: Rising guide

(40) 28, 30: Heat exchange fin

(41) 32: Air passage