US 2009/0151448 A1 · TEST PIECE MAGAZINE, MAGAZINE HOLDER, AND TEST PIECE ATTACHMENT APPARATUS

Abstract

A test piece attachment apparatus includes a test piece magazine having an inner space storing a plurality of specimen component test pieces aligned in a predetermined direction and a feed outlet via which the specimen component test pieces can be successively extruded, a magazine holder exchangeably holding the test piece magazine, a torsion spring generating a bias force to press the specimen component test pieces aligned in the test piece magazine toward the feed outlet, and a cylindrical casing. The cylindrical casing includes a recessed groove that allows the magazine holder to move in its axial direction and an extrusion projection disposed at a position where the extrusion projection can push one specimen component test piece positioned at the feed outlet and can extrude the specimen component test piece out of the test piece magazine in accordance with a movement of the magazine holder.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A test piece magazine capable of storing a plurality of specimen component test pieces aligned in a predetermined direction under an external bias force and extruding a specimen component test piece via a feed outlet under an external extrusion force, comprising:

a boxlike casing having an inner space storing a plurality of specimen component test pieces aligned in a thickness direction;
an aperture formed in at least a rear side surface portion of the boxlike casing to which a rear side surface of a biasing plate faces, and supplying a bias force to the biasing plate;
a test piece outlet formed at an upper surface portion of the boxlike casing via which a foremost specimen component test piece can be extruded in an up-and-down direction;
and
a slit provided in a front side surface portion of the boxlike casing to which the specimen component test pieces are pressed, the slit extending over a full length of the front side surface portion from a lower surface portion of the boxlike casing to the upper surface of the boxlike casing with a uniform width for supplying an extrusion force to extrude the specimen component test piece upward,
wherein, at the lower surface portion of the boxlike casing, the slit has an extrusion length in the thickness direction of the specimen component test piece, the extrusion length being equivalent to the sum of the thickness of the front side surface portion of the boxlike casing and the thickness of the specimen component test piece,
on the upper surface portion of the boxlike casing, the slit is connected to the test piece outlet and has a length corresponding to the extrusion length in the thickness direction of the specimen component test piece, and
the external extrusion force can be applied to the specimen component test piece using an extrusion surface defined by the extrusion length and the slit width.

5 more elements

A test piece attachment apparatus operable to attach a specimen component test piece to a portable specimen analyzer that has a distal end portion configured into a test piece holding portion for holding the specimen component test piece, the test piece attachment apparatus comprising:

a test piece magazine having an inner space storing a plurality of specimen component test pieces aligned in a predetermined direction and a feed outlet via which the specimen component test pieces can be successively extruded;
a magazine holder holding the test piece magazine in an exchangeable manner;
a test piece urging member generating a bias force to press the specimen component test pieces aligned in the test piece magazine toward the feed outlet;
and
an extrusion mechanism capable of adjusting the position of the feed outlet to accord with the position of the test piece holding portion of the portable specimen analyzer and extruding one specimen component test piece positioned at the feed outlet to the test piece holding portion,
wherein the extrusion mechanism includes:
a guide casing that allows the magazine holder to move in an extrusion direction of the specimen component test piece positioned at the feed outlet;
and
an extrusion portion provided on the guide casing at a position where the extrusion portion can push the specimen component test piece positioned at the feed outlet of the test piece magazine and can extrude the specimen component test piece positioned at the feed outlet out of the test piece magazine in accordance with a movement of the magazine holder.

6 more elements

a test piece magazine having an inner space storing a plurality of specimen component test pieces aligned in a predetermined direction and a feed outlet via which the specimen component test pieces can be successively extruded;
a magazine holder exchangeably holding the test piece magazine;
a test piece urging member generating a bias force to press the specimen component test pieces aligned in the test piece magazine toward the feed outlet;
a distal end guide portion provided on the magazine holder into which a distal end portion of the portable specimen analyzer can be inserted, and a positional relationship between the feed outlet of the specimen component test piece and the distal end guide portion is determined such that the specimen component test piece extruded from the feed outlet can be received by the test piece holding portion when the distal end portion of the portable specimen analyzer is inserted into the distal end guide portion;
and
an extrusion mechanism capable of adjusting the position of the feed outlet to accord with the position of the test piece holding portion of the portable specimen analyzer and extruding one specimen component test piece positioned at the feed outlet to the test piece holding portion, wherein the extrusion mechanism comprising:
a guide casing that allows the magazine holder to move in an extrusion direction of the specimen component test piece positioned at the feed outlet and guides the magazine holder between an extruded position where the specimen component test piece can be pushed by the extrusion portion and an ordinary position where the specimen component test piece does not contact with the extrusion portion, the extrusion portion provided on the guide casing at a position where the extrusion portion can push the specimen component test piece positioned at the feed outlet of the test piece magazine and can extrude the specimen component test piece positioned at the feed outlet out of the test piece magazine in accordance with a movement of the magazine holder;
and
a holder urging member that presses the magazine holder from the extruded position toward the ordinary position,
wherein the extrusion portion extrudes one specimen component test piece out of the test piece magazine via the feed outlet and sends the extruded test piece to the test piece holding portion of the portable analyzer when a user inserts the distal end portion of the portable specimen analyzer into the distal end guide portion of the magazine holder in the ordinary position and pushes the portable analyzer against the distal end guide portion such that the magazine holder reaches the extruded position.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Test piece magazine, magazine holder, and test piece attachment apparatus

Life of this patent

Test piece magazine, magazine holder, and test piece attachment apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15