Sample measuring apparatus and sample measuring method

Abstract

A sample measuring apparatus according to one or more embodiments is disclosed, which is provided with a reagent container storage, in which a reagent container with a reagent is accommodated, and a measuring unit that measures a sample using a reagent. The reagent container storage has a housing, in which the reagent container is accommodated, and a cooling section that cools the housing. A ventilation passage is provided below a reagent container rack in the housing, and at least a part of the cooling section is provided at a higher part of the housing than the ventilation passage.

1 . A sample measuring apparatus comprising:
 a reagent container storage that stores reagent container with a reagent, the reagent container storage comprises:
 a housing that accommodates the reagent container; and 
 a cooling section that cools the housing; and 
   a measuring unit that measures a sample using the reagent, wherein   a ventilation passage is arranged below the reagent container in the housing, and   at least a part of the cooling section is provided in the housing at a higher part of the housing than the ventilation passage.   
     
     
         2 . The sample measuring apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the housing comprises a top part, a bottom part, and a side part, and   the cooling section is provided on the side part or the top part of the housing.   
     
     
         3 . The sample measuring apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the side part comprises:
 a first side part; and 
 a second side part that is arranged facing the first side part, and 
   the cooling section is provided on one of the first side part and the second side part in the housing.   
     
     
         4 . The sample measuring apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 a pipette that aspirates a reagent stored in the reagent container in the reagent container storage and dispenses the reagent into a reaction container, in which the sample is stored; and 
 a through hole for the pipette to enter and exit that is arranged on a top part of the housing. 
 
     
     
         5 . The sample measuring apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the housing comprises a heat transfer housing part that has thermal conductivity, wherein
 the heat transfer housing part comprises:
 a first side wall; 
 a second side wall that is arranged facing the first side wall across the reagent container; and 
 a top surface connection part that connects the first side wall and the second side wall, and 
 
   the cooling section is provided on the first side wall, the second side wall, or the top surface connection part.   
     
     
         6 . The sample measuring apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the cooling section is provided on the first side wall or the second side wall.   
     
     
         7 . The sample measuring apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein,
 the bottom part of the housing comprises a material that has a lower thermal conductivity than the heat transfer housing part.   
     
     
         8 . The sample measuring apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the top surface connection part of the heat transfer housing part is provided in a location where the top surface connection part does not overlap a reagent container accommodated in the housing in a plan view.   
     
     
         9 . The sample measuring apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the housing accommodates a plurality of reagent containers side by side along a direction perpendicular to a direction from the first side wall to the second side wall.   
     
     
         10 . The sample measuring apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the reagent container is accommodated in the housing while being stored in a reagent container rack, wherein
 the reagent container rack has a shape that extends in a longitudinal direction, in which a plurality of reagent containers are accommodated side by side, and 
 the housing accommodates the reagent container rack with the longitudinal direction of the reagent container rack oriented in a direction perpendicular to a direction from the first side wall to the second side wall. 
   
     
     
         11 . The sample measuring apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the housing comprises an insulation housing part that covers the heat transfer housing part.   
     
     
         12 . The sample measuring apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the reagent container is accommodated in the housing while being stored in a reagent container rack, and   the reagent container storage comprises a rack support that supports the reagent container rack in the housing, wherein
 the rack support is freely pulled out from the housing. 
   
     
     
         13 . The sample measuring apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein
 the ventilation passage is provided between the reagent container rack and the rack support.   
     
     
         14 . The sample measuring apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein
 the ventilation passage is provided in the rack support.   
     
     
         15 . The sample measuring apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein
 the bottom part of the housing comprises a rail that slides the rack support, and   the ventilation passage is provided in the rail.   
     
     
         16 . The sample measuring apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein
 the ventilation passage is provided in the reagent container rack.   
     
     
         17 . The sample measuring apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a heat exhaust section that exhausts heat generated by the cooling section.   
     
     
         18 . The sample measuring apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an apparatus housing that accommodates the measuring unit and the reagent container storage inside.   
     
     
         19 . The sample measuring apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein
 natural convection generated inside the housing by cooling of the cooling section circulates between the first side part of the housing and the reagent container, the ventilation passage, between the second side part facing the first side part of the housing and the reagent container, and between the top part of the housing and the reagent container in the order.   
     
     
         20 . A method of measuring a sample using a sample measuring apparatus, in which a ventilation passage is provided below a reagent container in a housing that the reagent container is accommodated comprising:
 cooling a reagent in the reagent container by cooling at least a part of the housing that is higher than the ventilation passage;   aspirating the cooled reagent in the reagent container and dispenses the cooled reagent into a reaction container; and   measuring a sample in the reaction container, into which the cooled reagent is dispensed.