Patent Publication Number: US-2023152237-A1

Title: Test strip holder and test strip discharging mechanism

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority under 35 USC 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-185192, filed on Nov. 12, 2021, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to a test strip holder and a test strip discharging mechanism. 
     Related Art 
     In order to carry out measurement continuously by using test strips that are used to measure a predetermined item included in a sample of urine or the like, a mechanism is used that inserts plural test strips into a device, and takes the inserted test strips out one-by-one. A specimen is applied to the test strip that is taken out by the mechanism, and the predetermined item is measured. 
     For example, in the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. H05-264540, an “in-drum claw portion” is provided at a drum container. While the drum container is rotatingly driven, testing papers that are stored therein catch on this “in-drum claw portion” one-by-one, and are dropped onto a sorter rack. Further, in the test strip feeding mechanism disclosed in JP-A No. 2000-35433, when plural test strips that have been inserted in an insertion section move to a test strip detection block, only one test strip is flattened by a partitioning plate. Thereby, test strips are taken out one-by-one from the insertion section, and are supplied to the testing section that is next. 
     In the technique of JP-A No. H05-264540, there are cases in which, if plural test strips enter into the “in-drum claw portion”, plural test strips are discharged. Further, in the technique of JP-A No. 2000-35433, at the time of flattening stacked test strips by the partitioning plate, the test strip that is stacked on top is pushed aside as if swept off. At this time, there are cases in which shavings due to contact between the partitioning plate and the test strip are formed. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure provides a test strip holder that can reliably take test strips out one-by-one, and at which damage that arises at the test strips accompanying this removal is reduced. 
     A test strip holder of an aspect of the present disclosure has a holding member, an opening portion, a sorting member, a pushing piece, and a sorting piece. At least a portion of the lower side of the inner periphery of the holding member is a cylindrical surface. A test strip that is elongated and has thickness X is held at the interior of the holding member. The direction of the imaginary central axis of the cylindrical surface is a horizontal direction or a direction inclined with respect to the vertical direction. The opening portion is provided in the outer surface of the holding member. The sorting member rotates at the interior of the holding member around a rotation axis that coincides with the central axis. The pushing piece projects out from a distal end edge, which is parallel to the central axis, at the sorting member in the direction of rotation of the sorting member. The sorting piece projects out from the distal end of the pushing piece toward the cylindrical surface. The distance between the cylindrical surface and the position, which is closest to the cylindrical surface, at the distal end edge is less than X. Distance A between the cylindrical surface and the position, which is closest to the cylindrical surface, at the sorting piece satisfies X≤A&lt;2X. 
     Because exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are structured as described above, there is provided a test strip holder that can reliably take test strips out one-by-one, and at which damage that arises at the test strips accompanying this removal is reduced. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Exemplary embodiments will be described in detail based on the following figures, wherein: 
         FIG.  1    illustrates a test strip holder of a first exemplary embodiment in a front view; 
         FIG.  2    illustrates the test strip holder of  FIG.  1    in a front perspective view; 
         FIG.  3    illustrates, in a front perspective view, a state in which a cap and a door member have been removed from the test strip holder of  FIG.  2   ; 
         FIG.  4    illustrates the test strip holder of  FIG.  1    in a rear perspective view; 
         FIG.  5    illustrates, in a cross-section along line B-B′ of  FIG.  1   , a cylindrical surface that is the inner periphery of a holding member at the test strip holder of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  6 A  illustrates a test strip in a perspective view; 
         FIG.  6 B  illustrates the test strip in a front view; 
         FIG.  6 C  illustrates the test strip in a side view; 
         FIG.  7    illustrates, in a front perspective view, a rotating member that is accommodated in the test strip holder of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  8    illustrates the rotating member of  FIG.  5    in a rear perspective view; 
         FIG.  9    is a cross-sectional view along line A-A′ of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  10    illustrates a pushing piece and a sorting piece in an enlarged manner; 
         FIG.  11    is a functional block drawing of a test strip discharging mechanism; 
         FIG.  12    is a block drawing illustrating hardware structures of a control section of  FIG.  11   ; 
         FIG.  13 A  is a flowchart illustrating an overview of test strip discharging processing; 
         FIG.  13 B  is a flowchart illustrating an overview of test strip discharging processing; 
         FIG.  14 A  illustrates a state of holding the test strip, in a cross-sectional view; 
         FIG.  14 B  illustrates a state of holding the test strip, in a cross-sectional view; 
         FIG.  14 C  illustrates a state of holding the test strip, in a cross-sectional view; 
         FIG.  14 D  illustrates a state of holding the test strip, in a cross-sectional view; 
         FIG.  14 E  illustrates a state in which the test strip is discharged, in a cross-sectional view; 
         FIG.  15    illustrates a test strip holder of a second exemplary embodiment in a front view; 
         FIG.  16    illustrates the test strip holder of  FIG.  15    in a front perspective view; 
         FIG.  17    is an outer perspective view of the door member; 
         FIG.  18    is an inner perspective view of the door member; 
         FIG.  19    is a cross-sectional view along line C-C′ of  FIG.  15   ; 
         FIG.  20 A  illustrates a state in which the test strip is discharged, in a cross-sectional view; 
         FIG.  20 B  illustrates a state in which the test strip is discharged, in a cross-sectional view; 
         FIG.  20 C  illustrates a state in which the test strip is discharged, in a cross-sectional view; 
         FIG.  21    illustrates a test strip holder of a third exemplary embodiment in a cross-sectional view; 
         FIG.  22    illustrates a modified example of the third exemplary embodiment in a cross-sectional view; and 
         FIG.  23    illustrates a portion of a test strip holder of a fourth exemplary embodiment in a cross-sectional view. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are described hereinafter with reference to the drawings. Note that reference numerals that are used in common in the respective drawings indicate the same objects even if not stated in the following descriptions of the respective drawings. 
     (1) First Exemplary Embodiment 
       FIG.  1    illustrates a test strip holder  10  of a first exemplary embodiment in a front view.  FIG.  2    illustrates the test strip holder  10  in a front perspective view.  FIG.  3    illustrates, in a front perspective view, a state in which a cap  21  and a door member  40  have been removed from the test strip holder  10 .  FIG.  4    illustrates the test strip holder  10  in a rear perspective view. Note that, in the following description, a direction in which a cap  21  ( FIG.  1   ,  FIG.  2   ,  FIG.  4   ) is provided at the test strip holder  10  is called a front side, and a direction in which a connecting portion  20 C is provided at the test strip holder  10  is called a rear side. 
     The test strip holder  10  of the present exemplary embodiment has a holding member  20  whose side surface is cylindrical. As illustrated in  FIG.  1   ,  FIG.  2    and  FIG.  4   , a cap  21  that is shaped as a short cylinder is attached to one end side of the holding member  20 . A door member  40 , which is substantially rectangular as seen in a front view ( FIG.  1   ), is provided at a side surface of the holding member  20 . A pair of bearings  40 B that project out toward an outer side in a cylindrical shape are provided at both ends of the door member  40 . The pair of bearings  40 B are respectively connected to bearings  20 B that are shaped as cylinders of the same diameter and bulge out from the side surface of the holding member  20 . A pair of door shafts  41  ( FIG.  3   ) are accommodated in these bearings  40 B,  20 B. The door member  40  is pivotally supported at the pair of door shafts  41 , and can rotate as described later. 
     On the other hand, a driving shaft accommodating portion  20 A, which is cylindrical and bulges out toward the outer side, is provided at another end side of the holding member  20 . As illustrated in  FIG.  4   , a door driving shaft  46  is accommodated in this driving shaft accommodating portion  20 A. The door driving shaft  46  and the door shafts  41  have the same axial centers. The door driving shaft  46  is held at an opening/closing operation device  4  (see  FIG.  11   ) that is described later, and the door member  40  is opened and closed due to the door driving shaft  46  rotating around the axial center. Moreover, the connecting portion  20 C that is shaped as a cylinder of a slightly smaller diameter projects out at the another end side of the holding member  20 . This connecting portion  20 C is connected to a rotation driving device  3  (see  FIG.  11   ) when the test strip holder  10  is attached to a test strip discharging mechanism  1  that is described later. A rotation driving shaft  36  of a rotating member  30  ( FIG.  7   ,  FIG.  8   ) that is described later is visible from an opening provided at the center of the connecting portion  20 C. 
     As illustrated in  FIG.  5    that shows the cross-section along line B-B′ of  FIG.  1   , at least a portion of (in the present exemplary embodiment, all of) the lower side of the inner periphery of the holding member  20  is a cylindrical surface  22  that has a cylindrical shape. The central axis of the cylindrical surface  22  is an imaginary central axis  15  ( FIG.  1   ) of the holding member  20 . Moreover, plural inner peripheral grooves  23  are formed in the cylindrical surface  22  along the peripheral direction. Note that, at the holding member  20 , there are cases in which the upper half may be an opening portion  24 , provided that at least a portion of the lower side (e.g., half) is the cylindrical surface  22 . 
     A test strip  90  that is elongated and illustrated in  FIG.  6 A  to  FIG.  6 C  is held at the interior of the holding member  20  of the test strip holder  10 . In the present exemplary embodiment, a urine test strip for measuring a concentration of or the absence or presence of a physical characteristic or a specific component within urine, is given as an example of the test strip  90 . 
     As illustrated, the test strip  90  is a structure in which plural reagent pads  93  are disposed on a strip-shaped substrate  94 . A grasping portion  95  that is grasped within an unillustrated measuring device is provided at one end of the substrate  94 , and the other region of the substrate  94  is a reagent pad placement region  96  (see  FIG.  6 C ). The plural reagent pads  93  are disposed at the reagent pad placement region  96  in series along the longitudinal direction with a fixed interval therebetween. 
     The material of the substrate  94  is not particularly limited, and examples thereof are resin, metal, glass and the like. The color of the substrate is not particularly limited, and may be any of white, grey, black, a chromatic color, or transparent. The size of the substrate  94  is not particularly limited, and is determined appropriately in accordance with items to be tested, standards of an analyzing device that is used, and the like, and can be, for example, a length of 50˜150 mm, a width of 2˜10 mm, and a thickness of 0.1˜1.0 mm. In the present exemplary embodiment, the length in a long-length direction of the test strip  90 , i.e., the length of long side  92 , is L2 ( FIG.  6 B ), and the length in a short-length direction, i.e., the length of short side  91 , is Y ( FIG.  6 B ). Accordingly, the length of the holding member  20  in the longitudinal direction is greater than or equal to the length of the test strip. In this way, the size of the test strip  90  that is suitable for the test strip holder  10  of the present exemplary embodiment is limited. 
     Examples of the material of the reagent pad  93  are filter paper, glass-fiber filter paper, knit fabric, woven fabric, non-woven fabric, a membrane filter, a porous resin sheet, a plastic film, and the like. Further, the shape of the reagent pad  93  is not particularly limited, and is square, rectangular, circular, oval or the like. The size of the reagent pad  93  is not particularly limited, and, when the shape thereof is rectangular, for example, the size can be made to be a length and width of 2˜10 mm and a thickness of 0.05˜1.0 mm. In the present exemplary embodiment, the thickness of the thick-walled portion is X ( FIG.  6 C ). At the time of forming the reagent pad  93 , the reagent pad may be molded into a predetermined shape after the reagent is suffused into the above-described pad material, or the reagent may be suffused after the pad material is molded into a predetermined shape. The suffusing of the reagent can be carried out by, for example, immersing the pad material in a reagent solution and drying the pad material. Further, for example, an adhesive or a tackifier can be used in disposing the reagent pads  93  at the substrate  94 . For example, polyurethane, acrylic, vinyl chloride, epoxy, nylon, hot melt, cyanoacrylate, rubber or the like can be used as the adhesives and tackifiers. 
     Note that the thickness X of the test strip  90  is a distance of the thickest portion of the test strip used in the test strip holder  10 , and, at the above-described test strip  90 , is the thickness of the reagent pad  93 . If the test strip  90  has a portion that is thicker than the reagent pad  93 , the thickness of that place is X. 
     At the test strip discharging mechanism  1  that is described later, the test strip holder  10  is attached such that the direction of the imaginary central axis  15  ( FIG.  1   ) of the holding member  20  is the horizontal direction. However, the direction of this central axis  15  is not limited to the horizontal direction, and the test strip  90  may be held provided that the direction is a direction that is inclined with respect to the vertical direction (in other words, is not the vertical direction). Namely, of the angles formed by the direction of the central axis  15  and the vertical direction, the magnitude of the angles that are less than or equal to 90° is greater than 0° and less than or equal to 90°, and preferably greater than or equal to 30° and less than or equal to 90°, and more preferably greater than or equal to 45° and less than or equal to 90°, and even more preferably greater than or equal to 60° and less than or equal to 90°, and most preferably 90°, i.e., the horizontal direction. 
     Cut-out portions  42  that are rectangular are formed in two places of one of the long sides of the door member  40 . This long side is divided into three scooping portions  43  that are shaped as tongue pieces by these cut-out portions  42  that are at two places. Further, sensing windows  26  that are rectangular are formed in the side surface of the holding member  20  at two places that are in the vicinity of the other long side of the door member  40 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG.  3    that shows a state in which the cap  21  and the door member  40  have been removed from the test strip holder  10 , the opening portion  24  that is rectangular is provided in the side surface of the holding member  20  along the longitudinal direction. The door member  40  is provided at the opening portion  24  so as to be able to open and close. A sorting member  31  of the rotating member  30 , which is accommodated in the interior of the holding member  20  and rotates within the holding member  20  with the central axis  15  being the rotation axis  15 , can be seen from the opening portion  24 . Length L1 of the opening portion  24  in the longitudinal direction is a length that is greater than or equal to the length L2 of the test strip  90  in the longitudinal direction, or, in other words, is a length of an extent that does not present problems with the test strip  90  being discharged from the opening portion  24 . Further, an insertion opening  25  for inserting the test strip  90  into the holding member  20  is formed in the center of the front side of the holding member  20 . Note that the opening portion  24  is provided in the cylindrical side surface of the holding member  20 . For example, in a case in which the test strip holder  10  is placed horizontally, the opening portion  24  may be provided in the lower side portion of the side surface of the holding member  20 . Note that it suffices for the opening portion  24  to be provided at an “outer surface” in a sense of including both the “side surface” and the “bottom surface”, and not only at the “side surface”, in the geometrical sense, of the holding member that is cylindrical. 
     Note that central line  24 A that is shown by a dashed line in the drawings is an imaginary line that bisects the opening portion  24  along the longitudinal direction. Here, the central line  24 A is at a position that is at the lower side in the rotation direction, with respect to an uppermost position  31 A ( FIG.  9   ) that the sorting member  31  at the interior of the holding member  20  reaches. Assuming that the rotational angle of this uppermost position  31 A is 0°, the central line  24 A is preferably at a position of a rotational angle of greater than or equal to 45° and less than or equal to 90°, and more preferably is at the position of 90°. 
     The rotating member  30  that is accommodated in the holding member  20  at the test strip holder  10  is illustrated in the front perspective view of  FIG.  7    and the rear perspective view of  FIG.  8   . The rotating member  30  has a front plate  30 A that is circular and positioned at the front side, and a rear plate  30 B that is circular and is the same diameter as the front plate  30 A and is positioned at the rear side so as to be apart from the front plate  30 A by a distance that is longer than the length L2 of the long side of the test strip. Moreover, the rotating member  30  has a structure in which plural, and specifically, three, of the sorting members  31  are disposed between the front plate  30 A and the rear plate  30 B. The sorting members  31  are respectively provided so as to be apart by a distance that is longer than the length Y of the short side  91  of the test strip. The diameters of the front plate  30 A and the rear plate  30 B are the same as the diameter of the cylinder formed by the cylindrical surface  22  of the holding member  20 . The front plate  30 A and the rear plate  30 B are fixed by the sorting members  31  such that the central axis of the circle of the front plate  30 A and the central axis of the circle of the rear plate  30 B coincide. 
     In other words, the central axis of the front plate  30 A and the central axis of the rear plate  30 B coincide, and this is the rotation axis  15  of the rotating member  30 . The rotation driving shaft  36  projects out toward the rear side along the central axis of the rear plate  30 B from the center of the circle of the rear plate  30 B ( FIG.  8   ). When the rotating member  30  is accommodated such that the outer peripheral surface of the front plate  30 A and the outer peripheral surface of the rear plate  30 B of the rotating member  30  contact the cylindrical surface  22  of the holding member  20 , the central axis  15  of the holding member  20  and the central axis  15  of the rotating member  30  coincide because the diameter of the cylinder formed by the cylindrical surface  22 , and the diameter of the front plate  30 A and the diameter of the rear plate  30 B, are the same. 
     The rotation driving shaft  36  is connected to the rotation driving device  3  that is described later. Due to rotational force from the rotation driving device  3  being transmitted, the entire rotating member  30  rotates in the direction of the arrows shown in  FIG.  7    and  FIG.  8   . Thereby, the sorting members  31  rotate within the holding member  20  around the rotation axis  15  that coincides with the central axis  15 , and thereby, the test strips  90  are moved at the interior of the holding member  20 . Namely, the sorting members  31  are formed as bodies separate from the holding member  20 , and rotate with respect to the holding member  20 . In other words, the sorting members  31  rotate around the central axis  15  of the holding member  20  while maintaining a predetermined distance from the central axis  15 . 
     A circular opening is provided in the front plate  30 A at the center of the circle of the front plate  30 A ( FIG.  8   ), and a cylinder of the same outer diameter as this opening is fit therein ( FIG.  7   ). The cylinder projects out forward from the front plate  30 A. When the rotating member  30  is accommodated in the holding member  20 , the cylinder is connected to the insertion opening  25  of the holding member  20 . Accordingly, the test strip  90  that is inserted in the insertion opening  25  of the test strip holder  10  is held between the front plate  30 A and the rear plate  30 B. 
     The sorting members  31  are members that are substantially plate-shaped and are provided along the direction of the rotation axis  15 . The sorting members  31  are mounted between the circular surface at the inner side of the front plate  30 A and the circular surface at the inner side of rear plate  30 B, so as to be apart from the rotation axis  15 . The sorting member  31  has an outer peripheral surface that faces in the direction of the outer side of the rotating member  30 , an inner peripheral surface that faces in the direction of the rotation axis  15 , a first side surface that is parallel to the central axis  15  and faces in the rotating direction, and a second side surface that is parallel to the central axis  15  and faces in the direction of the side opposite the rotating direction. The inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface are curved surfaces whose centers are the rotation axis  15 . The first side surface and the second side surface are surfaces connecting the outer peripheral surface and the inner peripheral surface, and are flat surfaces that expand from the outer peripheral surface in the direction toward the central axis. Plural sliding projections  35  are disposed at the outer peripheral surface, along the edge between the outer peripheral surface and the first side surface. The sliding projections  35  are projections that fit into the inner peripheral grooves  23  provided at the cylindrical surface  22 , at the time when the rotating member  30  is accommodated in the holding member  20 . The sliding projections  35  are shaped as truncated cones whose bottom surfaces are square and that become pointed toward the outer side of the rotating member  30 . The surfaces at the rotating direction sides of the sliding projections  35  are flat surfaces that expand toward the rotation axis  15 , and form portions of the first side surface of the sorting member  31 . The first side surface, which includes the rotating direction side surfaces of the sliding projections  35 , is a distal end edge  32  of the sorting member  31 . 
     Each of the sorting members  31  has a distal end edge  32  that corresponds to the distal end portion in the rotating direction and is parallel to the central axis. Two pushing pieces  33 , which are rectangular parallelepiped and have predetermined lengths in the longitudinal direction, project out in parallel in the rotating direction from the distal end edge  32  by a predetermined distance D (see  FIG.  10   ) that is longer than at least distance B. The number of the pushing pieces  33  is not limited to two. It suffices for the pushing pieces  33  to be able to hold the test strip  90  even during rotation, and the number thereof may be one or may be three or more. Further, the positions of the pushing pieces  33  in the longitudinal direction are not particularly limited, provided that they can hold the test strip  90  even during rotation. Moreover, a sorting piece  34  that is rectangular parallelepiped projects out from the distal end of the pushing piece  33  toward the outer side, i.e., toward the cylindrical surface  22  ( FIG.  5   ). The plural sliding projections  35  are disposed at the outer peripheral surface of the sorting member  31  in rows along the distal end edge  32  and a rear end edge  32 A respectively, toward the cylindrical surface  22  ( FIG.  5   ). The sliding projections  35  provided at the outer peripheral surface of the sorting member  31 , and the inner peripheral grooves  23  ( FIG.  5   ) provided at the cylindrical surface  22  of the holding member  20 , are formed as a structure of projections and indentations that mesh with each other. The pushing pieces  33  and the sorting pieces  34  are both fixed to the sorting member  31  that rotates around the central axis  15  of the holding member  20  while maintaining a predetermined distance from the central axis  15 . Therefore, the pushing pieces  33  and the sorting pieces  34  also rotate around the central axis  15  while maintaining a predetermined distance from the central axis  15 . 
       FIG.  9    is a cross-sectional view along line A-A′ of  FIG.  1   . The cylindrical surface  22  of the holding member  20  has a cross-section that is a substantially circular cross-section, and the inner peripheral surface of the door member  40  provided at the opening portion  24  is a circular arc shape that is flush with the cylindrical surface  22  of the holding member  20 . Further, the three sorting members  31  have cross-sectional shapes that are approximately circular arc shaped, and are disposed uniformly with respect to the central axis  15 . Note that the sorting members  31  do not absolutely have to be disposed uniformly, and the number thereof is not limited to three. However, the number of the test strips  90  that can be held in one round of the rotating member  30  increases in accordance with the number of the sorting members  31 , and it is preferable that plural sorting members  31  be provided in order to improve the speed of taking out the test strips  90  from the test strip holder  10 . On the other hand, the greater the number of sorting members  31 , the narrower the interval between the front and rear sorting members  31 , and the higher the probability of rotation without being able to hold the test strips  90 . Therefore, the number of sorting members  31  is preferably three to five. Moreover, the sliding projections  35  that are provided at both the distal end side and the rear end side of the sorting member  31  fit in the inner peripheral grooves  23  of the cylindrical surface  22 , and slide along the inner peripheral grooves  23  in the rotating direction that is shown by the arrows in the drawings. Note that, provided that two or more of the sliding projections  35  are provided, the test strip  90  becoming bitten-in between the sorting member  31  and the cylindrical surface  22  can be inhibited even if the sliding projections  35  and the inner peripheral grooves  23  are not meshing together as indentations and projections. 
     The positional relationships between the cylindrical surface  22 , and the pushing piece  33  and the sorting piece  34  of the sorting member  31  are shown in the enlarged sectional view of  FIG.  10   . Namely, the distance between the cylindrical surface  22  and the position nearest to the cylindrical surface  22  at the distal end edge  32  of the sorting member  31  (i.e., the distal end of the sliding projection  35 ) is set to be less than the thickness X of the test strip  90  ( FIG.  6 C ). Thereby, the test strip  90  becoming bitten-in between the sorting member  31  and the cylindrical surface  22  is inhibited, and the distal end edge  32  can push the test strip  90  in the rotating direction as the sorting member  31  rotates. Further, distance A between the cylindrical surface  22  and the position of the sorting piece  34  that is nearest to the cylindrical surface  22  is set to be greater than or equal to the thickness X of the test strip  90  and less than two times X. 
     Namely, the distance A is a distance such that one of the test strips  90  can enter in between the sorting piece  34  and the cylindrical surface  22 , but two or more of the test strips cannot enter in. Thereby, two or more of the test strips  90  overlapping and simultaneously entering in between the pushing piece  33  and the cylindrical surface  22  is inhibited. Note that, from the standpoints of tolerating errors in manufacturing of the test strips  90  and ease of entry of the test strips  90 , the distance A is preferably greater than or equal to 1.1 times the thickness X of the test strip  90 , and more preferably greater than or equal to 1.2 times. Further, because the reagent pad  93  at the test strip  90  such as that described above is formed of a material such as filter paper or the like, there are cases in which, due to the reagent pad  93  being pressed, the thickness X becomes thinner than X. Accordingly, the distance A is preferably less than  1 . 8  times the thickness X of the test strip  90 , and more preferably less than 1.6 times. 
     Further, the distance B from the distal end edge  32  of the sorting member  31  to the sorting piece  34 , with respect to the length Y ( FIG.  6 B ) in the short-length direction of the test strip  90 , is set to be greater than or equal to Y and less than two times Y. Namely, the distance B is a distance that is such that one of the test strips  90  can enter-in in the rotating direction between the cylindrical surface  22  and the pushing pieces  33  that are disposed between the distal end edge  32  and the sorting pieces  34 , but two or more of the test strips  90  cannot enter-in. Thereby, two or more of the test strips  90  being held so as to be lined-up in the rotating direction between the pushing pieces  33  and the cylindrical surface  22  is inhibited. Note that, from the standpoints of tolerating errors in manufacturing of the test strips  90  and ease of entry of the test strips  90 , the distance B is preferably greater than or equal to 1.1 times the length Y of the test strip  90 , and more preferably greater than or equal to 1.2 times. Further, there is a concern that two or more of the test strips will enter-in if the test strips  90  stand-up. Therefore, the distance B is preferably less than 1.8 times the length Y of the test strip  90 , and more preferably less than 1.6 times. 
     Moreover, length C of the portion which projects out from the pushing piece  33  toward the cylindrical surface  22  at the sorting piece  34  is set to be greater than or equal to 0.5 times the thickness X of the test strip  90 , and less than 1.5 times X. Namely, the length C is a distance that is such that the one test strip  90  that is between the cylindrical surface  22  and the pushing pieces  33  disposed between the distal end edge  32  and the sorting pieces  34  can be held, but two or more of the test strips  90  cannot be held. Due to these conditions of the distance B and the length C, even if the sorting member  31  (the pushing pieces  33 ) rotates while holding two or more of the test strips  90 , immediately after the pushing pieces  33  reach the uppermost position  31 A (i.e., when the pushing pieces  33  reach the position at which the vertically-downward vector is small), only the test strip  90  that is at the pushing pieces  33  side from the sorting member  31  is held at the inner sides of the projecting portions of length 
     C of the sorting pieces  34 , and the test strips  90  other than that cannot be held by the sorting pieces  34 , and therefore, fall down. Note that length C being greater than or equal to 0.5 times the thickness X of the test strip  90  and less than 1.0 times X is more preferable from the standpoint that the test strips that are other than the one test strip  90  that is held do not at all contact the inner sides of the projecting portions of length C of the sorting pieces  34 , and therefore, can reliably be made to drop down. 
     Further, distance E (see  FIG.  10   ), which is the length of the sorting piece  34  in the rotating direction, with respect to the length Y of the test strip  90  in the short-length direction, is set to be less than Y, and preferably is less than 0.5 times the length Y of the test strip  90 . Due to this condition of the distance E, the test strip that is held between the sorting pieces  34  and the cylindrical surface  22  can fall down immediately after the uppermost position  31 A is reached. Note that the distance E is substantially the same length as the distance obtained by subtracting the distance B from the distance D. 
     A functional block drawing of the test strip discharging mechanism  1  is illustrated in  FIG.  11   . The test strip discharging mechanism  1  is structured as a measuring apparatus that measures, by the test strip  90  to which a specific reagent has been applied, the concentration of or the absence or presence of a physical characteristic or a specific component of a biological specimen such as, for example, a urine sample. 
     A control section  100  controls the respective sections of the test strip discharging mechanism  1 . The control section  100  controls a proximity sensor  2 , the rotation driving device  3 , the opening/closing operation device  4 , and a measuring section  5  by hardware structures described later. When the test strip holder  10  is attached to the test strip discharging mechanism  1 , as described above, the rotation driving device  3  is connected to the rotation driving shaft  36  ( FIG.  8   ) of the rotating member  30 , and further, the opening/closing operation device  4  is connected to the door driving shaft  46  ( FIG.  4   ) of the door member  40 . The proximity sensor  2  is structured by, for example, an optical sensor or a proximity sensor or the like, and, through the sensing windows  26  ( FIG.  9   ) of the holding member  20 , senses the approach of the sorting member  31  to the opening portion  24 . Note that the proximity sensor  2  may sense the approach of the test strip  90  that is held at the sorting member  31 . In accordance with the sensing by the proximity sensor  2 , the control section  100  drives the rotation driving device  3 , and rotates or stops the rotating member  30  (the sorting members  31 ). Further, in accordance with the sensing by the proximity sensor  2 , the control section  100  drives the opening/closing operation device  4 , and opens or closes the door member  40 . Note that, in a case in which an opening/closing member  50  (see  FIG.  22   ) which is not the door member  40  is provided at the opening portion  24 , the opening/closing operation device  4  opens and closes the opening/closing member  50  instead of the door member  40 . Further, the control section  100  also controls the measuring section  5  that serves as a measuring apparatus and is structured by various portions and devices. 
     As illustrated by the hardware structures in  FIG.  12   , the control section  100  has a CPU (Central Processing Unit)  101 , a ROM (Read Only Memory)  102 , a RAM (Random Access Memory)  103 , and a storage  104 . These respective structures are connected so as to be able to communicate with one another via bus  109 . 
     The CPU  101  is a central computing processing unit, and executes various programs and controls respective sections. Namely, the CPU  101  reads-out a program from the ROM  102  or the storage  104 , and executes the program by using the RAM  103  as a workspace. The CPU  101  carries out control of the above-described respective structures, and various computing processings, in accordance with programs recorded in the ROM  102  or the storage  104 . 
     The ROM  102  stores various programs and various data. The RAM  103  temporarily stores programs and data as a workspace. The storage  104  is structured by an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), an SSD (Solid State Drive) or a flash memory, and stores various programs, including the operating system, and various data. In the present aspect, programs and various data relating to measurements and judgments are stored in the ROM  102  or the storage  104 . Further, measured data also can be stored in the storage  104 . 
     The control section  100  executes control of the proximity sensor  2 , the rotation driving device  3 , the opening/closing operation device  4  and the measuring section  5  due to, among the above-described hardware structures, the CPU  101  executing the above-described programs. 
     Due to the above-described structure, by control of the control section  100 , the rotation driving device  3  can stop the rotation of the sorting member  31  when the sorting member  31  approaches the opening portion  24 , and can restart rotation of the sorting member  31  when the opening/closing operation device  4  closes the opening portion  24 . The control section  100  can also carry out control such that this operation of the opening/closing operation device  4  is carried out due to the proximity sensor  2  sensing the approach of the sorting member  31 . Moreover, the control section  100  can control the stopping of rotation by the rotation driving device  3  due to the proximity sensor  2  sensing the approach of the sorting member  31 , and can control the restarting of rotation by the rotation driving device  3  when the opening/closing operation device  4  closes the opening portion  24 . 
     The taking-out of the test strip  90  by the test strip holder  10  of the present exemplary embodiment is described next with reference to the flowchart of  FIG.  13 A  (or  FIG.  13 B ) and the cross-sectional views of  FIG.  14 A  to  FIG.  14 E . Note that the cross-sectional views of  FIG.  14 A  to  FIG.  14 E  explain operation focusing on one of the sorting members  31 , but, of course, operations at the other two sorting members  31  also are executed concurrently. 
     First, when the power of the test strip discharging mechanism  1  is turned on, initial setting of the devices is executed in the step shown in S 100 . This initial setting also includes setting the rotating member  30  at its initial position of rotation due to the control section  100  controlling the rotation driving device  3 . 
     Then, after preparations for measurement have been completed, in the step shown in S 110 , the control section  100  drives the rotation driving device  3  and starts rotation of the rotating member  30 . In the step shown in S 120 , the control section  100  continues the rotation of the rotating member  30  until the proximity sensor  2  senses the sorting member  31  through the sensing windows  26 . Note that, in the case of a structure that does not have the proximity sensor  2  and that employs, for example, a step motor as the rotation driving device  3 , in the step shown in S 120 ′ in the flowchart of  FIG.  13 B , the control section  100  can continue the rotation of the rotating member  30  until a predetermined number of steps have passed (e.g., the number of steps needed until the next sorting member  31  approaches the opening portion  24  after stoppage of rotation and restarting of rotation). 
     During this time, in  FIG.  14 A , the plural test strips  90  stay at the lower portion of the interior space of the holding member  20 . The pushing pieces  33  of the sorting member  31  push, in the rotating direction, these plural test strips  90  that are staying there. 
     When the sorting member  31  continues to rotate and comes to a position past the lowermost position in the vertical direction as illustrated in  FIG.  14 B , only one of the test strips  90  that were positioned at the outermost side slips through the gap of width A (see  FIG.  10   ) that is between the sorting pieces  34  and the cylindrical surface  22 , and enters in to a position at which the long side  92  thereof is made to contact the distal end edge  32 . Note that there are cases in which only a portion of another test strip  90  as well enters into the gap between the sorting pieces  34  and the cylindrical surface  22 . The other test strips  90  are raised up by the pushing pieces  33 . 
     When the sorting member  31  continues to rotate further, and the pushing pieces  33  reach the uppermost position  31 A as illustrated in  FIG.  14 C , all of the test strips  90  that could not enter into the gap between the sorting pieces  34  and the cylindrical surface  22  fall downward. Then, when the sorting member  31  rotates further to the position shown in  FIG.  14 D , the test strip  90 , at which only a portion thereof entered into the gap between the sorting pieces  34  and the cylindrical surface  22 , also falls down ultimately, but the test strip  90 , which entered in up to the point of contacting the distal end edge  32 , is held by the pushing pieces  33  and the sorting pieces  34  and avoids falling down. 
     Namely, due to the distance A between the cylindrical surface  22  and the nearest position of the sorting piece  34  to the cylindrical surface  22  satisfying X≤A&lt;2X, only one of the test strips  90  is held at a position that is rotated slightly from the uppermost position  31 A due to the sorting member  31  rotating. Note that, due to the distance B from the distal end edge  32  of the pushing piece  33  to the sorting piece  34  satisfying Y≤B&lt;2Y, and the length C of the portion of the sorting piece  34  that projects out from the pushing piece  33  toward the cylindrical surface  22  satisfying 0.5X≤C&lt;1.5X, the sorting member  31  can be set in a state of even more reliably holding only the test strip  90  at a position that is rotated slightly from the uppermost position  31 A. 
     Further, when the sorting member  31  rotates to the position illustrated in  FIG.  14 E , in the step shown in S 120 , the proximity sensor  2  senses the approach of the sorting member  31  (or, in the step shown in S 120 ′, the control section  100  senses the passage of the predetermined number of steps), and, in the step shown in S 130 , the control section  100  stops driving of the rotation driving device  3 , and rotation of the sorting member  31  stops. Then, in the next step shown in S 140 , the control section  100  drives the opening/closing operation device  4 , and rotates and opens the door member  40  to the state illustrated in  FIG.  14 E . 
     Due to this rotation of the door member  40 , simultaneously with the cut-out portions  42  reaching the positions of the pushing pieces  33 , the scooping portions  43  collide with the pushing pieces  33  or the test strip  90 . Due to this collision, impact is applied to the test strip  90  that was held by the pushing pieces  33  and the sorting pieces  34 , and the test strip  90  falls down from the sorting member  31  toward the opened door member  40 . The test strip  90  slides down the concavely curved surface of the door member  40 , is discharged to the outer side from the holding member  20 , and thereafter, the test strip  90  is moved by unillustrated conveying means to the measuring section  5 , and is provided to the predetermined measurement thereat. 
     Then, in the step shown in S 150 , the control section  100  again drives the opening/closing operation device  4 , rotates the door member  40  reversely, and again closes the door member  40  as in the state illustrated in  FIG.  14 A . For the timing of closing the door member  40 , a discharge sensor that senses that the test strip  90  has been discharged to the outer side from the holding member  20  may be provided, and the door member  40  may be closed due to the discharging of the test strip  90  being sensed by the discharge sensor. Otherwise, the door member  40  may be closed after a predetermined time has elapsed from the opening thereof. Then, in the step shown in  5160 , the control section  100  judges whether or not there is a next measurement. If there is a next measurement, the control section  100  again returns to the step shown in S 110 , and drives the rotation driving device  3 , and restarts the rotation of the rotating member  30 . 
     In this way, because the door member  40  is opened only during the discharging of the test strip  90  from the holding member  20 , even if the flow line for the time of opening and closing the door member  40  is on the flow line by which the sorting member  31  rotates, the movement of the sorting member  31  is not affected. In addition, in a case of using the holding member  20  that is airtight except for the door member  40 , the test strips  90  that are accommodated in the holding member  20  can be cut-off from outside air except at the time when the door member  40  is opened. Thereby, changes in the quality of the test strips  90  due to humidity of the outside air or the like can be prevented. 
     (2) Second Exemplary Embodiment 
     The test strip holder  10  in which the door member  40  is made into a different form is illustrated in  FIG.  15    and  FIG.  16    in a front view and in a front perspective view, respectively. 
     A door accommodating portion  27  that is shaped as a cylinder and projects outward is provided at the side surface of the holding member  20 . The door accommodating portion  27  is a shape in which a portion of a solid cylinder, whose diameter is smaller than the holding member  20  and whose length in the longitudinal direction is greater than or equal to the length of the test strip  90 , projects outward from the holding member  20 . Further, a discharge opening  28 , which is an opening of the same length or longer than the test strip  90 , is provided along the longitudinal direction of the door accommodating portion  27 . The discharge opening  28  communicates the interior and the exterior of the door accommodating portion at the lower side of the door accommodating portion  27 . 
     The door member  40 , which is the shape illustrated in an outer perspective view in  FIG.  17    and in an inner perspective view in  FIG.  18   , is accommodated in the door accommodating portion  27 . The door member  40  has a shape that is substantially crescent-shaped in cross-section, as if a portion of the side surface of a solid cylinder has been hollowed out at the concavely curved surface of the cylindrical surface  22  of the holding member  20 . The convexly curved surface of this side surface is called a cutting-off portion  45 , and the concavely curved surface is called an inclined surface  44 . The cut-out portions  42  that are rectangular may be formed in two places of the lower edge of the inclined surface  44 . This lower edge is divided, by these cut-out portions  42  that are at two places, into the three scooping portions  43  that are shaped as tongue pieces. The door shafts  41 , which are provided on an axial center of the solid cylinder of the door member  40 , project out from the both ends of the door member  40 . 
     The front side of the door accommodating portion  27  is connected to the bearing  20 B that is cylindrical and has a smaller diameter than the door accommodating portion  27  and bulges out from the side surface of the holding member  20 . One of the door shafts  41  is accommodated in this bearing  20 B. Further, the sensing windows  26  that are rectangular are formed at two places in a vicinity above the door accommodating portion  27 . The door member  40  is provided at the side surface of the holding member  20  in a direction running along the longitudinal direction of the holding member  20 . 
     On the other hand, the driving shaft accommodating portion  20 A, which is cylindrical and bulges outward and is connected to the door accommodating portion  27 , is provided at the another end side of the holding member  20 . The door driving shaft  46  (see  FIG.  4   ) is accommodated in this driving shaft accommodating portion  20 A. The door driving shaft  46  and the door shafts  41  have the same axial centers. The door driving shaft  46  is held by the opening/closing operation device  4  (see  FIG.  11   ) that is similar to the first exemplary embodiment. Due to the door driving shaft  46  rotating around the axial center, the door member  40  rotates. Moreover, the connecting portion  20 C that is cylindrical and has a slightly smaller diameter projects out at the another end side of the holding member  20 . This connecting portion  20 C is connected to the rotation driving device  3  (see  FIG.  11   ) when the test strip holder  10  is attached to the test strip discharging mechanism  1  that is similar to the first exemplary embodiment. The rotation driving shaft  36  of the rotating member  30  ( FIG.  7   ,  FIG.  8   ) that is similar to the first exemplary embodiment can be seen from an opening provided in the center of the connecting portion  20 C. 
     The sorting members  31  rotate and move the test strips  90 , which are accommodated in the holding member  20 , along the cylindrical surface  22  that is the inner peripheral surface of the holding member  20 . The door member  40  is provided at the side surface of the holding member  20  so as to be able to open and close, in order to discharge the test strip  90  to the exterior of the holding member  20 . When closed, the door member  40  cuts-off the interior and the exterior of the holding member  20  from one another. The door accommodating portion  27  covers the door member  40  from the outer side of the holding member  20 . The door member  40  can open and close by rotating at the interior of the door accommodating portion  27 . 
     The discharge opening  28  is provided in order to discharge, to the exterior of the door accommodating portion  27 , the test strip that has been discharged to the exterior of the holding member  20 , i.e., into the door accommodating portion  27 . The discharge opening  28  can be opened and closed with respect to the exterior by the door member  40  that rotates within the door accommodating portion  27 . Namely, when the discharge opening  28  is closed, the interior and the exterior of the door accommodating portion  27  are cut-off from each other. On the other hand, when the discharge opening  28  is open, the door member  40  closes the opening portion  24  of the holding member  20  as will be described later. 
     The inclined surface  44  of the door member  40  is the inner peripheral surface that is shaped as a concave surface and is flush with the cylindrical surface  22  that is the inner side surface of the holding member  20 , at the time when the door member  40  is closed as illustrated in  FIG.  19   . The cutting-off portion  45  that is at the side opposite the inclined surface  44  is shaped as a cylindrical, convex surface that corresponds to the cylindrical, concave surface of the interior of the door accommodating portion  27 . At the time when the door member  40  is closed as illustrated in  FIG.  19   , the cutting-off portion  45  closes both the opening portion  24  and the discharge opening  28 . On the other hand, at the time when the discharge opening  28  is open as illustrated in  FIG.  20 C , the cutting-off portion  45  cuts the interior of the holding member  20  off from the exterior. 
     Namely, simultaneously with the cut-out portions  42  arriving at the positions of the pushing pieces  33  due to rotation of the door member  40 , the inclined surface  44  at the scooping portions  43  applies impact to the test strip  90  that was held by the pushing pieces  33  and the sorting pieces  34 , and causes the test strip  90  to be discharged out to the outer side from the holding member  20  (see  FIG.  20 A ). At this time, the test strip  90  that has been discharged out and fallen down is led to the exterior of the holding member  20  by the inclined surface  44  of the door member  40 . In this state, the door member  40  closes the discharge opening  28  while opening the holding member  20 . 
     When the door member  40  rotates further and reaches the state illustrated in  FIG.  20 B , the door member  40  again closes the opening portion  24  and the discharge opening  28  by the cutting-off portion  45 . Then, the test strip  90  that has been discharged drops down along the inclined surface  44  ( FIG.  20 B ). 
     When the door member  40  rotates even further and reaches the state illustrated in  FIG.  20 C , the cutting-off portion  45  opens the discharge opening  28  while closing the opening portion  24  (see  FIG.  20 C ). The test strip  90  that has been discharged is led along the inclined surface  44  to the opened discharge opening  28 , and the test strip  90 , which has been discharged from the discharge opening  28  to the exterior of the door accommodating portion  27 , moves toward the measuring section  5 , and is provided to the predetermined measurement thereat. 
     In the above-described second exemplary embodiment, the door member  40  always closes at least one of the opening portion  24  of the holding member  20  and the discharge opening  28  of the door accommodating portion  27 . In other words, because the opening portion  24  and the discharge opening  28  are not open at the same time, the test strips  90  accommodated in the holding member  20  can always be cut-off from outside air. Thereby, changes in the quality of the test strips  90  due to humidity of the outside air or the like can be prevented. 
     (3) Third Exemplary Embodiment 
       FIG.  21    illustrates the test strip holder  10  of a third exemplary embodiment in a cross-sectional view. In the present exemplary embodiment, the opening portion  24  is at a position of being rotated approximately 135° as seen from the uppermost position  31 A, and the door member  40  does not exist. Even with such a form, the test strip  90 , which is held by the sorting member  31  that has rotated and has been lowered, can be made to drop down from the opening portion  24 . 
     Note that the opening/closing member  50  that opens and closes the opening portion  24  may be provided, as in the modified example of the present exemplary embodiment that is illustrated in  FIG.  22   . This opening/closing member  50  can be opened and closed by the opening/closing operation device  4  in the block drawing of  FIG.  11   . 
     (4) Fourth Exemplary Embodiment 
       FIG.  23    is a cross-sectional view illustrating a portion of the test strip holder  10  of a fourth exemplary embodiment. In the above-described first to third exemplary embodiments, the holding member  20  does not rotate, and the sorting members  31  rotate with respect to the holding member  20 . However, in the present exemplary embodiment, the holding member  20 , whose entire inner periphery is a cylindrical surface, itself rotates. Further, the sorting members  31  project out toward the inner side from the inner surface of the holding member  20 . In other words, the sorting members  31  are fixed to the holding member  20  and rotate together with the holding member  20 . 
     The opening portion  24  is formed at a distal end side along a rotating direction with respect to the sorting member  31  or at a side facing the pushing piece  33  in the inner surface of the holding member  20 , and the door member  40  that can open and close is provided at this opening portion  24 . In this exemplary embodiment as well, the holding of the test strip  90  by the sorting member  31  can be carried out in the same way as illustrated in  FIG.  14 A  to  FIG.  14 E . Further, assuming that the rotational angle of the uppermost position  31 A is 0°, after the opening portion  24  rotates to the position of a rotational angle of greater than or equal to 90° and less than or equal to 180°, and more preferably the position of 135°, the test strip  90  can be removed to the outer side of the holding member  20  by opening the door member  40  by the opening/closing operation device  4  illustrated in  FIG.  11   . 
     Note that, while the sorting members  31  of the present exemplary embodiment are provided as bodies separate from the holding member  20 , the sorting members  31  can be rotated together with the holding member  20  by being fixed to the holding member  20  by an unillustrated fixing portion that is wound in an annular form on the outer periphery of the holding member  20 . 
     (5) Operation and Effects of First to Fourth Exemplary Embodiments 
     In the above-described first to fourth exemplary embodiments, the single test strip  90  passes through from the gap between the sorting pieces  34  and the cylindrical surface  22 , and the test strips  90  that could not pass through fall down when facing downward while the sorting member  31  is rotating. Thereby, merely due to the sorting member  31  rotating within the holding member  20 , only one of the test strips  90  is naturally grasped by the sorting pieces  34  and the pushing pieces  33  and can be taken out from the opening portion  24 , without excessively applying stress that is due to pushing to the test strips  90  that could not pass through. 
     (6) Other Points 
     Note that, although the above exemplary embodiments describe cases of using a urine test strip as the test strip  90 , the present invention is not limited to this, and it suffices for the test strip to be a test strip that is elongated and has thickness X. 
     The test strip holder may be a disposable type in which the insertion opening  25  is not provided at the holding member  20 , and plural test strips  90  are accommodated in advance in the test strip holder  10 .