Abstract:
A cuvette supplying device is disclosed. The cuvette supplying device comprises: a cuvette storage for storing cuvettes; a carrier, provided inside the cuvette storage, for carrying the cuvettes in the cuvette storage outside the cuvette storage; a conveyor for conveying the cuvettes existing at the bottom of the cuvette storage towards the carrier; and an arranging section for arranging the cuvettes carried outside the cuvette storage by the carrier at a predetermined position. The specimen analyzer comprising the cuvette supplying device is also disclosed.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/337,574 filed on Dec. 27, 2011, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-294565 filed on Dec. 29, 2010, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a cuvette supplying device and a specimen analyzer. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    A specimen analyzer equipped with a cuvette supplying device for supplying a translucent container (cuvette) used for the optical detection of a specimen is conventionally known (see e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 7,931,861). 
         [0006]    As shown in  FIG. 12 , the cuvette supplying device includes a first accumulation unit  401  for accumulating a cuvette inserted by a user, an annular belt  403  for carrying out a cuvette  402  stored in the first accumulation unit  401 , and a second accumulation unit  404  for accumulating the cuvette  402  carried out by the annular belt  403 . 
         [0007]    The cuvette  402  accumulated in the first accumulation unit  401  is scooped up by a holding plate  405  attached to the annular belt  403  with the rotation of the annular belt  403 , and carried out to the second accumulation unit  404 . 
         [0008]    The cuvette  402  carried out to the second accumulation unit  404  is passed through a predetermined passage one at a time and aligned on a transportation rail  406 , and is rotationally transferred by a rotation transfer unit  407  arranged at the tip of the transportation rail  406 . The rotationally transferred cuvette  402  is supplied to a dispensing table by a supplying catcher unit (not shown). 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    A first aspect of the present invention is a cuvette supplying device comprising: a cuvette storage for storing cuvettes; a carrier, provided inside the cuvette storage, for carrying the cuvettes in the cuvette storage outside the cuvette storage; a conveyor for conveying the cuvettes existing at the bottom of the cuvette storage towards the carrier; and an arranging section for arranging the cuvettes carried outside the cuvette storage by the carrier at a predetermined position. 
         [0010]    A second aspect of the present invention is a specimen analyzer comprising the device according to the first aspect, an optical detector for optically interrogating a specimen accommodated in a cuvette; and a container transporter for transporting the cuvette arranged at the predetermined position to the optical detector. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing an outer appearance of a specimen analyzer; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is an internal plan view of the specimen analyzer; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of a cuvette; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a cuvette supply mechanism section (container supplying device); 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the cuvette supply mechanism section seen from the side; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a plan view of the cuvette supply mechanism section; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is another perspective view of the cuvette supply mechanism section; 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a plan view showing a configuration of an arrangement unit; 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a side view showing a configuration of the arrangement unit; 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is a side view showing a configuration of the arrangement unit; 
           [0021]      FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view showing a variant of the cuvette supply mechanism section; 
           [0022]      FIG. 12  is an explanatory view of a conventional cuvette supply mechanism section; and 
           [0023]      FIG. 13  is an explanatory view of another cuvette supply mechanism section (container supplying device). 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0024]    Embodiments of the present invention will be hereinafter described based on the drawings. 
       [1. Overall Configuration of Specimen Analyzer  1 ] 
       [0025]    A specimen analyzer  1  according to the present embodiment is an apparatus for analyzing the amount or degree of activity of a specific substance related to coagulation and fibrolytic function of the blood by optically measuring the same. 
         [0026]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the specimen analyzer  1  includes a measurement mechanism section  2 , a transport mechanism section  3  arranged on a front face side of the measurement mechanism section  2 , and a control device  4  electrically connected to the measurement mechanism section  2 . The measurement mechanism section  2  includes an insertion unit  5  for the user to insert a cuvette (specimen container)  200  or a container of a sample when performing a measurement. The insertion unit  5  has an opening that opens to an upper side, which opening is an insertion port  5   b  of the cuvette  200 . A lid  5   a  for opening and closing the insertion port  5   b  is also arranged. The cuvette  200  is inserted to an cuvette storage  9  (see  FIG. 4 ) of a cuvette supply mechanism section  6 , to be described later, through the insertion port  5   b.    
       [2. Configuration of Control Device  4 ] 
       [0027]    The control device  4  includes a personal computer (PC), and includes a control unit  4   a , a display unit  4   b  and a keyboard  4   c . The control unit  4   a  has a function of transmitting an operation start signal of the measurement mechanism section  2  to a control unit (not shown) of the measurement mechanism section  2 , and analysis processing optical information of a sample obtained in the measurement mechanism section  2 . The control unit  4   a  is made up of CPU, ROM, RAM, or the like. The display unit  4   b  can display various types of information, and displays analysis result etc. obtained by the control unit  4   a , the notification information to the user, and the like. 
       [3. Configuration of Transport Mechanism Section  3 ] 
       [0028]    As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the transport mechanism section  3  has a function of transporting a rack  251  mounted with a plurality of (ten in the present embodiment) test tubes  250  accommodating a sample to an aspirating position  2   a  (see  FIG. 2 ) of the measurement mechanism section  2  to supply the sample to the measurement mechanism section  2 . 
       [4. Configuration of Measurement Mechanism Section  2 ] 
       [0029]    The measurement mechanism section  2  performs optical measurement on the sample supplied from the transport mechanism section  3  to acquire optical information about the supplied sample. In the present embodiment, the optical measurement is performed on the sample dispensed into the cuvette  200  of the measurement mechanism section  2  from the test tube  250  mounted on the rack  251  of the transport mechanism section  3 . The measurement mechanism section  2  includes a cuvette supply mechanism section  6  and an analysis mechanism section (optical detector)  7 . 
       [4.1 Analysis Mechanism Section  7 ] 
       [0030]    The analysis mechanism section  7  includes a rotation transport unit  100 , a sample dispensing arm  110 , a first optical information acquiring unit  120 , a lamp unit  130 , a reagent dispensing arm  140 , a cuvette moving unit  150 , and a second optical information acquiring unit  160 . 
         [0031]    The rotation transport unit  100  transports the cuvette  200  supplied from the cuvette supply mechanism section  6  and a reagent container (not shown) accommodating a reagent to be added to the sample in the cuvette  200  in the rotation direction. The rotation transport unit  100  is configured by a circular reagent table  101 , a circular ring shaped reagent table  102  arranged on an outer side of the reagent table  101 , and a circular ring shaped dispensing table  103  arranged on an outer side of the reagent table  102 . The dispensing table  103 , the reagent table  101 , and the reagent table  102  are independently rotatable. 
         [0032]    The reagent tables  101  and  102  respectively have a plurality of holes  101   a  and  102   a  arranged with a predetermined interval along a circumferential direction. The holes  101   a  and  102  are for mounting a plurality of reagent containers (not shown) accommodating various reagents to be added when preparing a measurement specimen from the sample. The dispensing table  103  includes a plurality of cylindrical holders  103   a  arranged with a predetermined interval along the circumferential direction. The holder  103   a  holds the cuvette  200  supplied from the cuvette supply mechanism section  6 . The sample accommodated in the test tube  250  of the transport mechanism section  3  is dispensed to the cuvette  200  held in the holder  103   a  in the dispensing process. 
         [0033]    The sample dispensing arm  110  aspirates the sample accommodated in the test tube  250  transported to the aspirating position  2   a  by the transport mechanism section  3  and dispenses the aspirated sample into the cuvette  200  transferred to the rotation transport unit  100 . 
         [0034]    The first optical information acquiring unit  120  acquires optical information from the sample to measure the presence/absence and the concentration of an interfering substance in the sample of before the reagent is added. The first optical information acquiring unit  120  acquires optical information (information by transmitted light of sample) from the sample in the cuvette  200  held in the holder  103   a  of the dispensing table  103 . 
         [0035]    The first optical information acquiring unit  120  is electrically connected to the control unit  4   a  of the control device  4 , where data (optical information) acquired by the first optical information acquiring unit  120  is transmitted to the control unit  4   a  of the control device  4 . The control device  4  then analyzes (performs analysis of) the data from the first optical information acquiring unit  120 . In the present embodiment, whether or not the second optical information acquiring unit  160 , to be described later, carries out the analysis is determined based on the analysis result. 
         [0036]    The lamp unit  130  supplies light having five types of wavelengths used in the optical measurement performed by the first optical information acquiring unit  120  and the second optical information acquiring unit  160 . 
         [0037]    The reagent dispensing arm  140  is arranged to mix the reagent to the sample in the cuvette  200  by dispensing the reagent in a reagent container (not shown) mounted on the rotation transport unit  100  to the cuvette  200  held in the rotation transport unit  100 . The reagent is added to the sample in which the optical measurement by the first optical information acquiring unit  120  is terminated to prepare the measurement specimen. 
         [0038]    The cuvette moving unit  150  moves the cuvette  200  between the rotation transport unit  100  and the second optical information acquiring unit  160 . 
         [0039]    The second optical information acquiring unit  160  warms the measurement specimen prepared by adding the reagent to the sample, and measures the optical information from the measurement specimen. The second optical information acquiring unit  160  carries out the optical measurement (actual measurement) under a plurality of conditions with respect to the measurement specimen in the cuvette  200 . The second optical information acquiring unit  160  is electrically connected to the control unit  4   a  of the control device  4 , where the acquired data (optical information) is transmitted to the control unit  4   a  of the control device  4 . Thus, in the control device  4 , the data (optical information) transmitted from the second optical information acquiring unit  160  is analyzed based on the analysis result of the data (optical information) from the first optical information acquiring unit  120 , which is acquired in advance, and displayed on the display unit  4   b.    
       [4.2 Cuvette Supply Mechanism Section  6 ] 
       [0040]    The cuvette supply mechanism section  6  is arranged to supply a plurality of cuvettes  200  (see  FIG. 3 ) inserted in an offhand manner by the user one at a time to the rotation transport unit  100  of the analysis mechanism section  7 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the cuvette  200  is configured by a flange portion  200   a  having a diameter D 1  (about 10 mm) and a body portion  200   b  having a diameter D 2  (about 8 mm) smaller than the diameter D 1 . The cuvette  200  has a length of about 30 mm. 
         [0041]    As shown in  FIG. 4  to  FIG. 7 , the cuvette supply mechanism section  6  includes an cuvette storage  9  for accumulating the cuvette  200  inserted from the insertion port  5   b  (see  FIG. 1 ), a carry-out unit  20  for receiving the cuvette  200  accumulated in the cuvette storage  9  and carrying out the same to outside the cuvette storage  9 , a transfer unit  300  for transferring the cuvette  200  existing at the bottom of the cuvette storage  9  towards the carry-out unit  20 , and an arrangement unit  90  for arranging the cuvette  200  carried out by the carry-out unit  20  at a predetermined position (rotation transfer unit  60  to be described later). 
         [0042]    The cuvette storage  9  deposits and accumulates one part (container mounting portion  304  to be described later) of the transfer unit  300  configuring the bottom surface of the cuvette storage  9 . The transfer unit  300  transfers the cuvette  200  existing at the bottom of the cuvette storage  9  towards a receiving region A 1  where the carry-out unit  20  receives the cuvette  200 . In the present embodiment, a transfer direction (direction of arrow X) in which the transfer unit  300  transfers the cuvette  200  towards the receiving region A 1  is the front side in the front and back direction, the opposite direction is the back side in the transfer direction, and the orthogonal direction of the transfer direction is the left and right direction. 
         [0043]    Describing the outline of the arrangement unit  90  first, the arrangement unit  90  includes a receiving portion  30  for receiving the cuvette  200  carried out by the carry-out unit  20 , a cuvette sending portion  40  for sending out the cuvette  200  one at a time from the receiving portion  30 , and a transport arrangement portion  50  for transporting the cuvette  200  sent out from the sending portion  40  to the rotation transfer unit  60 , to be described later. 
         [0044]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the measurement mechanism section  2  includes the rotation transfer unit  60  arranged at the lower end of the transport arrangement portion  50 , and a supply catcher unit (container transport unit)  70  arranged with a predetermined spacing from the rotation transfer unit  60 , in addition to the cuvette supply mechanism section  6  and the analysis mechanism section  7 . 
       [4.2.1 Cuvette Storage  9 ] 
       [0045]    As shown in  FIG. 4  to  FIG. 7 , the cuvette supply mechanism section  6  includes the cuvette storage  9  for accumulating the cuvette  200 . The cuvette storage  9  is configured as a container in which the upper side is opened, and includes a first side surface  13  and a second side surface  14  facing each other in the left and right direction, and a third side surface  15  and a fourth side surface  16  facing each other in the front and back direction. In  FIG. 4 , a state in which the first side surface  13  on one side is removed is shown to describe the state inside the cuvette storage  9 . 
         [0046]    A first space  10  is formed in the cuvette storage  9 . That is, the cuvette storage  9  is defined to the first space  10  and a second space  11  by a partitioning member  12 . The partitioning member  12  partitions such that the capacity of the first space  10  becomes larger than that of the second space  11 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the partitioning by the partitioning member  12  is a range from the intermediate part to the upper part in the up and down direction of the cuvette storage  9 , where the first space  10  and the second space  11  are connected at the lower part. 
         [0047]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the cuvette storage  9  and the first space  10  have an elongate shape that is long in the transfer direction (direction of arrow X) of the cuvette  200  and short in the orthogonal direction (direction of arrow Y) of the transfer direction in plan view at the upper part, the intermediate part and the lower part (bottom). 
         [0048]    The first space  10  has an opening on the upper side of the space surrounded by the partitioning member  12 , the fourth side surface  16 , the first side surface  13 , and the second side surface  14 , which opening is the insertion port  5   b  (see  FIG. 1 ) in the present embodiment. The cuvette  200  inserted from the insertion port  5   b  is passed through the insertion port  5   b  and accumulated in the cuvette storage  9 . The second space  11  is connected to the insertion port  5   b  through only the first space  10 . Therefore, the cuvette  200  inserted from the insertion port  5   b  is not directly inserted to the second space  11 . 
         [0049]    The cuvette storage  9  lowers the inserted cuvette  200  by its own weight, and accumulates the lowered cuvette  200  in great numbers. For instance, even if 2000 cuvettes  200  are inserted at one time, such cuvettes  200  can be collectively accumulated. 
         [0050]    The partitioning member  12  has a function serving as a regulation member of regulating the cuvette  200  at the upper layer part of a great number of cuvette groups accumulated in the first space  10  of the cuvette storage  9  from rolling down towards the receiving region A 1 . The transfer unit  300  transfers the cuvette  200  existing at the bottom of the first space  10  of the cuvette storage  9  towards the receiving region A 1 . A specific configuration of the transfer unit  300  will be described later. 
         [0051]    The first side surface  13  is a perpendicular surface formed to a planar shape as a whole. The second side surface  14  includes an upper side surface portion  14   a  parallel to the first side surface  13 , and intermediate side surface portions  14   b ,  14   c  extending inclined from the lower end of the upper side surface portion  14   a  towards the bottom. 
         [0052]    The third side surface  15  is positioned on the front surface side of the cuvette storage  9 , and the fourth side surface  16  is positioned on the back surface side. The third and fourth side surfaces  15 ,  16  are respectively inclined such that the opposing spacing becomes smaller towards the lower side. 
         [0053]    Therefore, in the cuvette storage  9 , the first side surface  13 , which is one side of the first side surface  13  and the second side surface  14  facing each other, has an inclined surface (intermediate side surface portion  14   b ,  14   c ) that narrows the cuvette storage  9  towards the bottom. 
         [0054]    Thus, even if the upper part side of the cuvette storage  9  is enlarged in the left and right direction, the inserted cuvettes  200  can be easily collected towards the bottom by the inclined surface, and as a result, the cuvettes  200  can be reliably transferred by the transfer unit  300  positioned on the bottom surface side. In other words, the upper part side of the cuvette storage  9  can be made as wide as possible while ensuring the transfer ability of the cuvette  200  by the transfer unit  300 , and the accumulation amount of the cuvette  200  can be increased. 
         [0055]    The partitioning member  12  has an L shape with a substantially vertical plate shaped first member  12   a  and a horizontal second member  12   b , and is arranged in the cuvette storage  9  opened to the upper side. Both left and right sides of the partitioning member  12  are joined with the first and second side surfaces  13 ,  14 . 
         [0056]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , the first member  12   a  is slightly inclined (inclination angle θ) with respect to the vertical surface, and is inclined towards the receiving region A 1  side with advancement to the lower side. The first member  12   a  is substantially parallel to the fourth side surface  16 , and the dimension in the front and back direction of the cuvette storage  9  is suppressed from becoming narrower towards the lower side. On the other hand, the second space  11  formed between the first member  12   a  and the third side surface  15  (and annular belt  301 , to be described later, horizontally in line with the third side surface  15 ) has a shape that becomes wider towards the upper side. 
       [4.2.2 Carry-Out Unit  20 ] 
       [0057]    In  FIG. 5 , the carry-out unit  20  includes an annular belt  21  including a plurality of holding plates  21   a , a chain  22  to which the annular belt  21  is attached, upper and lower sprockets  23 ,  24  engaged with the chain  22 , and a motor  25  (see  FIG. 7 ) for rotationally driving the sprocket  23 . When the motor  25  rotates the sprocket  23 , the annular belt  21  that received the rotation power from the sprocket  23  rotates. The annular belt  21  includes a belt with projection (holding plate). The drive portion of the carry-out unit  20  is configured by the chain  22 , the sprockets  23 ,  24  and the motor  25 . 
         [0058]    The cuvette  200  is lifted up and held when the cuvette  200  is placed on the holding plate  21   a . That is, the holding plate  21  becomes a container holder for holding the cuvette  200  when carrying out the cuvette  200 . 
         [0059]    The annular belt  21  is arranged lined in the left and right direction with the third side surface  15  (see  FIG. 6 ), and the annular belt  21  is arranged from the bottom to the upper part of the second space  11 . 
         [0060]    The holding plate  21   a  normally has a size in which one to three cuvettes  200  can be stably mounted. The direction of the cuvette  200  held on the holding plate  21   a  does not need to be constant. 
         [0061]    When the annular belt  21  is rotated, the cuvette  200  near the bottom of the second space  11  can be received by the holding plate  21 , and thus the region near the bottom is the receiving region A 1 . 
         [0062]    The cuvette  200  held by the holding plate  21   a  and carried out to the upper side is dropped to the side opposite to the second space  11  with the rotation of the annular belt  21 . A receiving portion  30  is arranged at the destination to which the cuvette  200  is dropped, which receiving portion  30  receives the cuvette  200  carried out through the second space  11  from the first space  10 . 
         [0063]    Therefore, the carry-out unit  20  can lift up the cuvette  200  near the bottom of the first space  11  to the carry-out port  19  on the upper side and carry out the same to the receiving portion  30  side. 
       [4.2.3 Transfer Unit  300 ] 
       [0064]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , the transfer unit  300  includes a container mounting portion  304  exposed at the bottom of the first space  10  and mounted with the cuvette  200  existing at the bottom, and a drive portion  305  for moving the container mounting portion  304  to the receiving region A 1  side and transferring the cuvette  200  mounted on the container mounting portion  304  to the receiving region A 1  side to provide a moving force towards the receiving region A 1  side with respect to the cuvette  200  existing at the bottom of the first space  10  of the cuvette storage  9 . 
         [0065]    Specifically describing, the transfer unit  300  includes an annular belt  301  bridged between pulleys  302 ,  303  arranged on the back side and the front side in the front and back direction, and the cuvette storage  9  of the present embodiment includes an opening  10   a  where the bottom surface is entirely opened, where the annular belt  301  is exposed to the cuvette storage  9  from the opening  10   a . Therefore, the container mounting portion  304  becomes the portion towards the receiving region A 1 , that is, the upper side portion of the annular belt  301  of the annular belt  301 , and such upper side portion of the annular belt  301  becomes the bottom surface in the first space  10  of the cuvette storage  9 . The annular belt  301  includes a flat belt. 
         [0066]    The opening  10   a  is formed to an elongate shape from the lower end of the fourth side surface  16  to the annular belt  21  of the carry-out unit  20 . The bottom surface of the cuvette storage  9  is configured by the upper side portion of the annular belt  301  arranged at the opening  10   a  and a transfer member  8 , to be described later. 
         [0067]    Therefore, the container mounting portion  304  configures the bottom surface in the first space  10  of the cuvette storage  9 , so that the inserted cuvettes  200  are not concentrated at one area at the lower side of the partitioning member  12  and the receiving region A 1  but are spread and mounted on the container mounting portion  304 . 
         [0068]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , the upper side portion of the annular belt  301  is configured as the inclined surface that becomes lower towards the receiving region A 1  side. 
         [0069]    The drive portion  305  includes a motor for rotating the annular belt  301 . In the present embodiment, the motor of the drive portion  305  arranged in the transfer unit  300  is the motor  25  (see  FIG. 7 ) arranged in the carry-out unit  20 , and thus the motor is commonly used by the transfer unit  300  and the carry-out unit  20 . 
         [0070]    The common use of the motor will be specifically described. The rotation shaft  24   a  (see  FIG. 7 ) of the sprocket  24  (see  FIG. 5 ) of the carry-out unit  20  is extended axially outward, and the pulley  303  receives the rotation power from the rotation shaft  24   a . That is, in  FIG. 7 , a first transmission pulley  311  is attached in an integrally rotatable manner to the rotation shaft  24   a , a second transmission pulley  312  is attached in an integrally rotatable manner to the rotation shaft  303   a  of the pulley  303  for the annular belt  301 , and a transmission belt  313  is bridged between the first transmission pulley  311  and the second transmission pulley  312 . The second transmission pulley  312  has a greater diameter than the first transmission pulley  311 , and can decelerate the rotation of the rotation shaft  24   a  to transmit it to the pulley  303 . Therefore, the annular belt  21  of the carry-out unit  20  rotates at higher speed than the annular belt  301  of the transfer unit  300 , and the movement speed of the cuvette  200  by the carry-out unit  20  can be made greater than the movement speed of the cuvette  200  by the transfer unit  300 . 
         [0071]    Therefore, when the sprocket  23  for the carry-out unit  20  is rotated by the rotation of the motor  25 , the annular belt  301  of the transfer unit  300  can be rotated through the annular belt  21 , the chain  22 , the sprocket  24 , the rotation shaft  24   a , and the like. The cuvette  200  existing at the bottom in the first space  10  of the cuvette storage  9  is transferred to the receiving region A 1  side by the rotation of the annular belt  301 . The drive portion  305  of the transfer unit  300  is configured to include the pulleys  302 ,  303 , the second transmission pulley  312 , the first transmission pulley  311 , and the transmission belt  313 . 
         [0072]    As described above, the carry-out unit  20  includes the motor  25  as a power source for driving the holding plate  21   a  of the annular belt  21 , where the drive portion  305  of the transfer unit  300  is driven by the power of the motor  25 . Therefore, the carry-out unit  20  and the transfer unit  300  are driven by the common motor  25 , so that the carry-out unit  20  and the transfer unit  300  can synchronously carry out the operation and stop thereof. 
         [0073]    In the present embodiment, the transfer member  8  ( FIG. 5 ) for transferring the cuvette  200  is arranged on the front side of the container mounting portion  304 . The transfer member  8  includes a plate member, where the cuvette  200  transferred on the annular belt  301  is sent to the transfer member  8 , and can be placed on the holding plate  21   a  of the carry-out unit  20  through the transfer member  8 . The transfer member  8  can be turned up and down with the back side as the center, and has a length in the front and back direction capable of being placed on the distal end of the holding plate  21   a . The transfer member  8  is pushed up and turned upward with the rise of the holding plate  21   a , but the transfer member  8  is turned downward and dropped and is placed on the distal end of the holding plate  21   a  underneath when the holding plate  21   a  is separated from the distal end of the holding plate  21   a . In the present embodiment, the bottom surface of the second space  11  is configured by the transfer member  8 . 
         [0074]    According to the cuvette storage  9 , the carry-out unit  20 , and the transfer unit  300  having the above configuration, some of the great number of cuvettes  200  inserted and accumulated in the cuvette storage  9  are passed through the opening formed at the lower side of the partitioning member  12  by the transfer unit  300 , transferred from the first space  10  to the second space  11 , and accumulated in the second space  11 . Even if the first space  10  is filled with a great number of cuvettes  200  up to near the upper end, the cuvettes  200  can be suppressed from rolling down by its own weight to the second space  11  by the partitioning member  12 . 
         [0075]    Thus, the second space  11  is not filled up to near the upper part even if a great amount of cuvettes  200  is accumulated in the first space  10 . Therefore, even if the cuvette  200  is in great amount in the first space  10 , the cuvette  200  exists only near the bottom in the second space  11  and the cuvettes  200  are not accumulated in the upper space. 
         [0076]    The carry-out port  19  through which the cuvette  200  passes when the cuvette  200  is carried out to the receiving portion  30  side is arranged at the upper part of the second space  11 , and the cuvette  200  accumulated near the bottom of the second space  11  is lifted upward in the second space  11  by the carry-out unit  20  and carried out from the carry-out port  19  towards the receiving portion  30 . 
       [4.2.4 Arrangement Unit  90 ] 
       [0077]    In  FIG. 8 ,  FIG. 9 , and  FIG. 10 , the arrangement unit  90  includes a receiving portion  30  for receiving the cuvette  200  carried out by the carry-out unit  20 , a cuvette sending portion  40  of sending out the cuvette  200  one at a time from the receiving portion  30 , and a transport arrangement portion  50  for transporting the cuvette  200  sent out from the sending portion  40  to the rotation transfer unit  60 . 
         [0078]    The receiving portion  30  includes a cuvette receiving part  31   a  and a cuvette accumulating part  31   b , and has an L shape in plan view. The inner bottom surface of the receiving portion  30  is inclined downward from the cuvette receiving part  31   a  towards the cuvette accumulating part  31   b , so that the cuvette  200  dropped from the annular belt  21  to the cuvette receiving part  31   a  is automatically moved to the cuvette accumulating part  31   b.    
         [0079]    The receiving portion  30  has a storage amount (about 100) of the cuvette  200  less than the storage amount (about 2000) of the cuvette  200  of the cuvette storage  9 . A sensor  32  detects when the cuvette  200  stored in the receiving portion  30  becomes greater than or equal to a predetermined amount. In the present embodiment, when the sensor  32  makes the detection, the control unit  4   a  determines that the receiving portion  30  is full and stops the operation of the motor  25  (see  FIG. 7 ) to stop the operation of the transfer unit  300  and the carry-out unit  20 . 
         [0080]    The cuvette sending portion  40  includes an oscillation rail  41  that can be turned with the turning shaft  41   a  as a center, an oscillation guide  42  that can be turned with another turning shaft  42   a  as a center, a link  43  for coupling and cooperatively moving the oscillation rail  41  and the oscillation guide  42 , a motor  44 , and an arm  45  for transmitting the drive force of the motor  44  to the oscillation rail  41 . The arm  45  is rotated by the rotating motor  44 , and the oscillation rail  41  and the oscillation guide  42  are reciprocatively oscillated. 
         [0081]    The oscillation rail  41  has a pair of fan-shaped plates  41   b  made of metal and a spacer  41   c  made of resin fixed by being sandwiched by the pair of fan-shaped plates  41   b . As shown in  FIG. 8 , a spacing (thickness of spacer  41   c ) D 3  of the pair of fan-shaped plates  41   b  is smaller than the diameter D 1  (see  FIG. 3 ) of the flange portion  200   a  of the cuvette  20  and greater than the diameter D 2  (see  FIG. 3 ) of the body portion  200   b.    
         [0082]    The oscillation guide  42  has a pair of guide plates  42   b  arranged to contact the outer sides of the pair of fan-shaped plates  41   b  of the oscillation rail  41 , and a spacer  42   c  made of resin fixed by being sandwiched by the guide plates  42   b . A path P through which the cuvette  200  can pass is formed between the oscillation rail  41  and the oscillation guide  42 . 
         [0083]    As shown in  FIG. 9 , the spacing D 4  of the spacer  41   c  of the oscillation rail  41  and the spacer  42   c  of the oscillation guide  42  is greater than the diameter D 1  (see  FIG. 3 ) of the flange portion  200   a  of the cuvette  200  but does not allow two cuvettes  200  to be arranged. As shown in  FIG. 8 , the spacing D 5  of the pair of guide plates  42   b  is greater than the diameter D 1  (see  FIG. 3 ) of the flange portion  200   a  of the cuvette  200  but does not allow two cuvettes  200  to be arranged. Therefore, only one cuvette  200  is arranged at the sending position  46  (see  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9 ). 
         [0084]    As shown in  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9 , the direction of the cuvette  200  is parallel to the oscillation rail  41  at the sending position  46 . The open end of the cuvette  200  may be directed in either direction, the direction of the arrow F or the direction of the arrow G. When the cuvette  200  is moved on the oscillation rail  41 , the spacer  41   c  of the oscillation rail  41  is cut at the position  47  in the middle of the fan-shaped plate  41   b , as shown in  FIG. 10 , and hence the cuvette  200  has the closed end lower downward by its own weight at the position  47 . As described above, the interval D 3  (see  FIG. 8 ) is smaller than the diameter D 1  (see  FIG. 3 ) of the flange portion  200   a  of the cuvette  200  and greater than the diameter D 2  (see  FIG. 3 ) of the body portion  200   b , and thus the flange portion  200   a  is supported by the pair of fan-shaped plates  41   b , as shown in  FIG. 10 . Thus, the cuvette sending portion  40  causes the open end of the cuvette  200  to face upward in the process of passing the cuvette  200  through the path P. 
         [0085]    Therefore, when the oscillation rail  41  and the oscillation guide  42  are oscillated with the cuvette  200  arranged at the sending position  46 , the cuvette  200  is passed through the path P and transported to the transportation rail  51  of the transport arrangement portion  50 , as shown in  FIG. 9  and  FIG. 10 . 
         [0086]    The transport arrangement portion  50  includes a pair of transportation rails  51  configuring the path for transporting the cuvette  200  to the rotation transfer unit  60  or a predetermined position, and a reflective sensor  52 . The pair of transportation rails  51  are arranged in parallel to each other with a spacing smaller than the diameter D 1  of the flange portion  200   a  of the cuvette  200  (see  FIG. 3 ) and greater than the diameter D 2  of the body portion  200   b  of the cuvette  200 . The cuvette  200  that passed through the path P moves while slidably dropping towards the rotation transfer unit  60  with the flange portion  200   a  engaged to the upper surfaces of the pair of transportation rails  51 . 
         [0087]    The transportation rail  51  can accommodate the cuvette  200  by a predetermined number lined in a line, where when the number of cuvettes  200  accommodated in the transportation rail  51  becomes greater than or equal to a predetermined number, this is detected by the sensor  52  (see  FIG. 8 ). In the present embodiment, when the sensor  52  carries out the detection, the control unit  4   a  stops the operations of the sending portion  40 , the transfer unit  300 , and the carry-out unit  20 . Thus, the transfer from the first space  10  to the second space  11  and the carry out from the second space  11  to the receiving portion  30 , as well as the sending from the receiving portion  30  to the transfer arrangement portion  50  of the cuvette  200  are stopped. 
         [0088]    On the contrary, when the sensor  52  no longer detects the cuvette  200 , the control unit  4   a  operates the sending portion  40  and sends out one cuvette  200 . Furthermore, if the sensor  52  does not detect the cuvette even if the sending portion  40  is operated for a constant time, the transfer unit  300  and the carry-out unit  20  are operated while operating the sending portion  40 . This is when the cuvette  200  does not exist in the receiving portion  30 , and the receiving portion  30  can be replenished with the cuvette  200  by operating the transfer unit  300  and the carry-out unit  20 . 
         [0089]    That is, the sensor (detection unit)  52  is a sensor for detecting presence/absence of the cuvette  200  to be arranged on the rotation transfer unit  60  or a predetermined position on the transportation rail  51 , where the control unit  4   a  (control means) can alternatively switch between drive and non-drive for the sending portion  40 , the transfer unit  300  and the carry-out unit  20  according to the detection result of the sensor  52 . 
         [0090]    A state in which a constant number of cuvettes  200  is waiting on the transportation rail  51  on a steady basis is thereby obtained. 
       [4.3 Rotation Transfer Unit  60  and Supply Catcher Unit  70 ] 
       [0091]    The rotation transfer unit  60  rotatably transfers the cuvette  200  slidably dropped from the transportation rail  51  to a waiting position at where it can be gripped by the supply catcher unit  70 . The rotation transfer unit  60  includes a supporting table  61 , a rotatable rotary table  62  attached to the supporting table  61 , and a motor  63  for driving the rotary table  62 . When the rotary table  62  is rotated by the motor  63 , the cuvette  200  fitted to three cutouts  62   a  of the rotary table  62  is transported to a cutout  61   a  (waiting position) of the supporting table  61 . 
         [0092]    In  FIG. 2 , the supply catcher unit (container transport unit)  70  transports the cuvette  200  transported to the waiting position (cutout  61   a ) by the rotation transfer unit  60  to the dispensing table  103  of the rotation transport unit  100  of the analysis mechanism section  7 , which is another area. 
         [0093]    In the analysis mechanism section (optical detector)  7 , the reagent dispensing arm  140  dispenses (supplies) the reagent in the reagent container (not shown) mounted on the rotation transport unit  100  to the cuvette  200  transported to the dispensing table  103  by the supply catcher unit  70  to mix the sample in the cuvette  200  and the reagent, whereby the optical detection of the sample (specimen) is carried out. 
       [4.4 Regarding Accumulation and Carry-Out of Cuvette in Cuvette Storage] 
       [0094]    In  FIG. 5 , the first space  10  can be filled with the cuvette  200  up to the maximum accumulation position (upper end of cuvette group when about 2000 cuvettes are inserted) shown with P 1 . Thus, even if a great number of (about 2000) cuvettes  200  are inserted at one time, some of the cuvettes  200  (about more than a dozen to a few dozen) transferred by the transfer unit  300  are merely positioned near the receiving region A 1  in the second space  11 , and the cuvettes  200  are not filled up to the upper end of the second space  11 . In  FIG. 5 , the upper end of the cuvette group accumulated in the second space  11  is shown with P 2 . 
         [0095]    The accumulation position upper end P 2  of the cuvette  200  in the second space  11  is a position lower than the maximum accumulation position P 1  of the first space  10 . Thus, the carry-out unit  20  can lift up the few number of cuvettes  200  in the second space  11  with the holding plate  21   a , and can prevent an excessive amount of cuvettes  200  from being carried out. 
         [0096]    That is, since the carry-out unit  20  is arranged at a steep slope (60 to 80 degrees) from the bottom part to the upper part of the second space  11 , even if the cuvette  200  being transported on the holding plate  21   a  is in excess, some of the cuvettes  200  may be expected to fall off from the holding plate  21   a  and drop onto the bottom of the second space  11  while being transported to the carry-out port  19 . 
         [0097]    In other words, the number of cuvettes  200  that can be stably held by the holding plate  21   a  is a couple for one holding plate  21   a , and thus even if the cuvette  200  of a number in which the holding by the holding plate  21   a  becomes unstable is lifted up by the holding plate  21   a  at one time, such cuvettes  200  are held in an unstable state and thus have a high probability of being dropped from the holding plate  21   a  before reaching the carry-out port  19  of the cuvette  200 . 
         [0098]    When the cuvettes  200  are carried out to the receiving portion  30  in great amount at one time, the following phenomenon tends to easily occur and the cuvette  200  may not be smoothly arranged at a predetermined position (rotation transfer unit  60 ). 
         [0099]    As described with  FIG. 8  to  FIG. 10 , the cuvette  200  carried out by the carry-out unit  20  is accumulated in the receiving portion  30 , passed through the path P by the sending portion  40 , and arranged at a predetermined position (rotation transfer unit  60 ). The path P has a size that allows only one cuvette  200  to pass, but if a great number of cuvettes  200  are accumulated in the receiving portion  30  at one time, the plurality of cuvettes  200  are pushed against the path P by the weight of the entire cuvette and the cuvettes tend to easily block the entrance of the path P. 
         [0100]    Thus, even if a great number of cuvettes  200  are accumulated in the cuvette storage  9 , the great number of cuvettes  200  can be suppressed from being carried out at one time to the receiving portion  30  by arranging the partitioning member  12  as in the present embodiment and limiting the number of cuvettes  200  that can be accumulated in the second space  11 . Therefore, the user can increase the number of cuvettes  200  that can be inserted to the cuvette storage  9  at one time. 
         [0101]    When the cuvette  200  of the second space  11  is lifted up by the carry-out unit  20 , the number of cuvettes  200  in the second space (receiving region A 1 ) reduces. The transfer unit  300  then forcibly transfers the cuvette  200  at the bottom of the cuvette storage  9  towards the carry-out unit  20  to supplement the cuvette  200  in the second space  11 . 
         [0102]    In the present embodiment, the transfer amount of the cuvette  200  by the transfer unit  300 , that is, the rotation speed of the annular belt  301  is made smaller than the transfer amount of the cuvette  200  by the carry-out unit  20 , that is, the rotation speed of the annular belt  21 . 
         [0103]    Thus, the transfer amount of the cuvette  200  to the receiving region A 1  by the transfer unit  300  can be prevented from becoming an excess. As a result, the cuvette  200  is prevented from being supplied in excess to the receiving region A 1  and the cuvette  200  from being stuck at the cuvette storage  9 . 
         [0104]    In the present embodiment, the rotation speed of the belt of the transfer unit  300  is made smaller than that of the carry-out unit  20  to have the transfer amount by the transfer unit  300  smaller than the transfer amount by the carry-out unit  20 , but it is not particularly limited as long as there is a difference in the transfer amount. For instance, the frictional force of the belt of the transfer unit  300  may be made smaller than the frictional force of the belt of the carry-out unit  20 , or the width of the belt of the transfer unit  300  may be made smaller than the width of the belt of the carry-out unit  20  to create a difference in the transfer amount. 
         [0105]    The cuvette supply mechanism section  6  according to the present embodiment configured as above has the following advantages compared to the conventional cuvette supply mechanism section.  FIG. 12  is an explanatory view of the conventional cuvette supply mechanism section. In the conventional cuvette supply mechanism section, the capacity of the first cuvette storage  401  is increased to increase the number of cuvettes that can be accommodated in order to increase the number of cuvettes that can be inserted at one time by the user. In other words, in order to increase the capacity of the cuvette that can be inserted in the first cuvette storage  401  at one time by two times such as from 500 to 1000, the height of the first cuvette storage  401  can be doubled, but in this case, it is not convenient for the user since the position of the insertion port becomes high. Thus, consideration is made in enlarging the first cuvette storage  401  to two times in the front and back direction, as shown with a chain double dashed line in  FIG. 12 . In this case, however, when the number of cuvettes in the first cuvette storage  401  reduces, the cuvettes remain in the region  408  on the back side thereof, and all the cuvettes may not be smoothly supplied to the annular belt  403  side. 
         [0106]    According to the cuvette supply mechanism section  6  of the present embodiment, on the other hand, the cuvette  200  existing at the bottom of the cuvette storage  9  can be transferred to the receiving region A 1  side by the transfer unit  300  even if the cuvette storage  9  is enlarged in the front and back direction to increase the number of cuvettes  200  that can be inserted to the cuvette storage  9  at one time. In particular, even the cuvette  200  existing in the region on the back side of the cuvette storage  9  can be mounted on the annular belt  301  of the transfer unit  300  and transferred towards the receiving region A 1 . Therefore, according to the cuvette supply mechanism section of the present embodiment, the cuvettes can be smoothly supplied while increasing the number of cuvettes that can be inserted at one time. 
         [0107]    The cuvette  200  at the upper layer part of a great number of cuvette groups accumulated in the cuvette storage  9  can be regulated from rolling down towards the receiving region A 1  by the partitioning member  12 . In other words, the transfer of the cuvette  200  towards the receiving region A 1  side can be mainly performed by the transfer unit  300 , and the cuvette  200  can be prevented from being unnecessarily collected on the receiving region A 1  side. 
         [0108]    Therefore, even if the number of cuvettes  200  that can be inserted to the cuvette storage  9  at one time is increased, the cuvette  200  accumulated in the cuvette storage  9  can be smoothly carried out towards the receiving portion  30  at an appropriate number by the carry-out unit  20 , and the cuvette  200  that is carried out can be arranged in the rotation transfer unit  60  by the arrangement unit  90 . 
         [0109]    As a result, the cuvette  200  is arranged in the rotation transfer unit  60  and transported to the analysis mechanism section  7  by the supply catcher unit  70 , so that the optical detection of the sample (specimen) can be sequentially carried out by the cuvette  200  according to the analysis mechanism section  7 . 
         [0110]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , in the present embodiment, a sensor  17  for detecting the accumulation height of the cuvette  200  is arranged in the cuvette storage  9  (first space  10  or second space  11 ). The sensor  17  is a light transmissive sensor having the position of a predetermined height from the bottom surface as a detection height, and transmits a detection signal to the control unit  4   a  when the number of cuvettes  200  is reduced and the sensor  17  no longer detects the cuvette  200 . That is, the reduction of the number of cuvettes  200  is detected. When the detection signal is transmitted to the control unit  4   a , the control unit  4   a  makes a display on the display unit  4   b  to urge refill of the cuvette  200  to notify the user. 
         [0111]    The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications may be made. 
         [0112]    For instance, only the second side surface  14  has an inclined surface in the cuvette storage  9  in the embodiment described above, but both the first side surface  13  and the second side surface  14  facing each other may have an inclined surface, or at least one of which may have an inclined surface that narrows the cuvette storage  9  towards the bottom. 
         [0113]    A case in which the transfer unit  300  and the carry-out unit  20  synchronously operate has been described in the above embodiment, but each unit may be independently operated. In this case, the control unit  4   a  (control means) alternately switch between drive and non-drive of only one of the transfer unit  300  or the carry-out unit  20  according to the detection result of the sensor (detection unit)  52  for detecting the presence/absence of the cuvette  200  to be arranged in the rotation transfer unit  60  on the transportation rail  51  in the arrangement unit  90 . 
         [0114]    Furthermore, a flat belt has been described as an example of the transfer unit in the embodiment described above, but the cuvette  200  accumulated in the cuvette storage  9  merely needs to be transferred towards the carry-out unit, and the mode of the transfer unit is not limited. For instance, as shown in  FIG. 13 , a gear  700  with a plurality of teeth  701  may be arranged at the bottom surface of the cuvette storage  9  and rotated in the direction indicated with an arrow in  FIG. 13  to transfer the cuvette  200  to the receiving region A 1  for the transfer unit. 
         [0115]    Furthermore, the transfer unit  300  and the carry-out unit  20  are configured by separate transportation belts in the embodiment described above, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the transfer unit  300  and the carry-out unit  20  may be configured with one belt. 
         [0116]    A case in which the cuvette storage  9  has an opening  10   a  where the bottom surface is entirely opened, and the annular belt  301  is exposed to the interior of the cuvette storage  9  from such opening  10   a  has been described, but one part of the bottom surface of the cuvette storage  9  may be opened and the annular belt  301  may be exposed from such opening. 
         [0117]    For instance, not limited to a mode in which the cuvette storage  9  is defined by the partitioning member  12  including a plate member, the inner wall of the cuvette storage  9  may be defined to the first space  10  and the second space  11  by the partitioning portion  12  depressed to the inner side, and such first space  10  and second space  11  may be coupled through a tunnel shaped passage  400 , as shown in  FIG. 11 . In this case as well, the partitioning portion  12  functions as a regulation member for regulating the cuvette  200  at the upper layer part of a great number or cuvette groups accumulated in the first space  10  from rolling down to the receiving region A 1  side. 
         [0118]    In the embodiment described above, a configuration including the receiving portion  30 , the cuvette sending portion  40 , and the transport arrangement portion  50  has been described for the arrangement unit  90 , but such configuration is not the sole case. The arrangement unit  90  may be in a mode in which the cuvette  200  is arranged at a predetermined position through only a series of passages (e.g., downhill slope path such as a dust shoot).