JP2001004638A - Automatic analyzer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an automatic analyzer effectively using plural reaction vessels to reduce a maintenance cost by changing first analysis assignment positions. SOLUTION: In Step 1, N=1 is assigned to positions of reaction vessels to be assigned for analysis first. A threshold M for the number of use of the reaction vessels is set as memory information, and it is decided in Step 2 whether a used number of the reaction vessels in the 1st positions in below M, and the 1st positions are stored and first analysis assignment is executed to the reaction vessels in Step 3 in the case that the used number of the reaction vessels in the 1st positions is below M. In the case that the used number of the reaction vessels in position N is larger than M in Step 2, positions satisfying the condition is retrieved in Step 4 and Step 5 by sequentially changing the positions of the reaction vessels such that the used number of the reaction vessels is below M. In the case that the positions of the reaction vessels exceeds the number of all the reaction vessels in Step 5, the Nth position of the reaction vessels is reset to the 1st position that is the initial value and M is reset in Step 6.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic analyzer having reaction vessels arranged in a ring.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An automatic analyzer is an apparatus for analyzing a patient's serum or urine, and includes a sample holding mechanism having a sample container for storing a sample such as serum, and a reagent holding mechanism for storing a reagent corresponding to a test item. A reaction vessel holding mechanism having a reaction vessel for reacting a reaction solution obtained by mixing a sample and a reagent. Further, the automatic analyzer includes a stirring mechanism for stirring and mixing the reaction liquid, and a washing mechanism for washing the reaction container.

[0003] The reaction vessel holding mechanism often employs a configuration in which the reaction vessels are arranged in a ring shape, thereby improving the efficiency and reliability of analysis. Also, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-26
As described in Japanese Patent No. 4559, in order to measure the analysis with high reliability and high efficiency, a method is adopted in which the life is grasped by using the degree of damage of the reaction vessel as a variable, and a reaction vessel with severe deterioration is not used for the analysis. ing.

In general, analysis items are sequentially assigned to reaction vessels according to the order of samples, and a series of analyzes is performed. At this time, the same reaction vessel is used as the reaction vessel in which the sample is first dispensed and the analysis is performed, that is, the reaction vessel in which the analysis is allocated first, and is the first position (the foremost position) in the reaction vessel row. Is assigned.

[0005]

The problem to be solved by the present invention will be described with reference to an example in which a reaction table holds 160 reaction vessels. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the number of requests for each analysis, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the number of times a reaction vessel is used.
As shown in FIG. 4, the number of analyzes was 200 for the first time, 150 for the second time, 55 for the third time, 130 for the fourth time, and 75 for the fifth time.
The analysis is requested for each analysis irrespective of the number of reaction vessels held in the reaction table.

[0006] Here, every time the first reaction vessel in which the analysis is performed is always assigned the same position and the reaction vessel is in the first position, the analysis is repeated once and twice.
As shown in FIG. 5, there is a difference in the number of times of use depending on the position of the reaction vessel. In the example of FIG. 5, the number of uses is six in the first position and one in the 160th position. This tendency becomes even greater as the number of analyzes increases.

In other words, the deterioration such as contamination progresses in the reaction vessel at the position near the first position, and the polarization is promoted such that the deterioration does not progress so much in the reaction vessel at the position near the 160th position.

When the deterioration of the reaction vessel progresses, the reaction vessel is naturally replaced. In this case, from the viewpoint of apparatus management, all the reaction containers held in the reaction table are replaced and discarded at once. In the example of FIG. 5, all of the containers in the first position to the 160th position are discarded.

As described above, the number of times the reaction vessel attached to the reaction table is used differs depending on the position, and the degree of deterioration naturally depends on the position.

However, in the related art, since the replacement is performed based on the degree of deterioration of a part of the reaction vessels as a criterion, there is a problem that even the reaction vessels that do not need to be replaced are discarded, thereby increasing the maintenance cost.

An object of the present invention is to pay attention to the above-mentioned conventional problems, and to change an initial analysis allocation position, thereby effectively using a plurality of reaction vessels and reducing the maintenance cost. It is to realize.

[0012]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is configured as follows. (1) A plurality of reaction vessels arranged and held in a ring, a driving mechanism for holding the reaction vessels and rotating and driving a row of reaction vessels as a center of an annular arrangement of the reaction vessels, and an information storage unit And, in an automatic analyzer having a control unit that controls the operation of the drive mechanism, in the predetermined use number control information of the reaction container stored in the information storage unit, based on the use number information of the reaction container, From among the plurality of reaction vessels arranged in a ring, a reaction vessel to be subjected to analysis allocation is first determined, the plurality of reaction vessels are rotationally driven by the drive mechanism, and analysis is sequentially started from the reaction vessels to perform allocation. Then, the reaction vessels to be allocated are sequentially changed.

(2) Preferably, in the above (1),
When the reaction vessel assigned first for analysis is different from the reaction vessel assigned first for analysis in the previous analysis processing, a display means is provided for displaying that the reaction vessel assigned is different from the previous one.

(3) Preferably, in the above (1), it is presumed that, when the analysis assignment of the reaction vessel is performed next time, a reaction vessel different from the reaction vessel initially analyzed and assigned last time will be the analysis assignment vessel. Display means for displaying the information.

(4) Also, preferably, in (1) above, analysis assignment is performed first by giving information directly from the external input means to the information storage unit in preference to an arbitrarily set reaction vessel.

(5) Preferably, in (1) above, the change of the analysis allocation is managed by a timer function, and when the set control value is exceeded, the allocation is changed.

(6) Preferably, in the above (1), the change of the analysis assignment is managed by the absorbance value by the photometer, and when the set control value is exceeded, the assignment is changed.

(7) Preferably, in (1) above, the change of the analysis assignment is made by any one of the number of times of use of the reaction vessel, the time or interval time controlled by the timer function, and the absorbance value controlled by the photometer. If the value exceeds the set control value, the assignment is changed.

Each time the number of times of use of a reaction vessel initially assigned for analysis exceeds the control value, the reaction vessel to be first assigned for analysis is sequentially changed. Therefore, the initial assignment position is changed for each analysis. It is possible to average the number of times the reaction vessel is used as a whole.

As a result, it is possible to realize an automatic analyzer capable of effectively using a plurality of reaction vessels and reducing maintenance costs.

[0021]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an automatic analyzer to which the present invention is applied. The analysis unit side of the automatic analyzer includes a sample container 1 filled with a sample, a sample disk 2 and a drive mechanism 3 for holding the sample container, a reagent corresponding to the analysis test content, and a reagent for holding the reagent. The apparatus includes a reagent disk 4, a drive mechanism 5, and a reaction vessel 6 for reacting a sample with a reagent.

The analysis section has a reaction table 7 and a drive mechanism 8 for holding the reaction vessel, a sampling mechanism 9 for dispensing the sample to the reaction vessel 6, and a reagent for dispensing the reagent to the reaction vessel 6. Pipetting mechanism 10 for performing
A stirring mechanism 11 for stirring and mixing the sample and the reagent;
A cleaning mechanism 12 for cleaning the reaction vessel;
And a photometer 13 for measuring the absorbance of the reaction solution therein.

Further, the control system stores a control unit 14, an information storage unit 15 for storing known information on the reaction vessel and accumulated information accumulated with the operation of the automatic analyzer, and an allocation information of the reaction vessel 6. A display unit 16 for displaying information, an input unit 17 for inputting information to the information storage unit, and a timer 18 for time management are provided, and control of the analysis unit is performed via an interface 19.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of the operation of the automatic analyzer shown in FIG. In FIG. 2, first, N = 1 is given to the information storage unit 15 as known information at the position of the reaction vessel 6 to which analysis and assignment are first performed (step 1).

Further, a threshold value M of the number of times of using the reaction vessel 6 is given as stored information. If there is a request for analysis,
First, it is determined whether the number of uses of the reaction vessel 6 at the first position is equal to or less than the threshold value M (step 2). In step 2, if the number of uses of the reaction vessel 6 at the first position is equal to or less than the threshold value M, the first position is stored in the information storage unit 15 (step 3), and the first analysis allocation is performed on the reaction vessel 6. Perform

The above is the case where N = 1, but when the analysis is repeated many times, the following is obtained. If the position of the reaction vessel 6 allocated first last time is N,
When there is a request for analysis, it is determined whether or not the number of uses of the reaction vessel 6 at the N position is equal to or less than the threshold value M (step 2).

In step 2, if the number of uses of the N-position reaction vessel 6 is equal to or less than the threshold value M, the information storage unit 15 is used as the reaction vessel 6 to which the N position is allocated first.
(Step 3). However, when the number of uses of the reaction vessel 6 at the N position is larger than the threshold value M,
The positions of the reaction vessel 6 are sequentially changed so as to search for a position that satisfies the condition so that the number of times the reaction vessel 6 is used is equal to or less than the threshold value M (step 4).

Here, when the position of the reaction vessel 6 exceeds the number of reaction vessels held in the reaction table 7 (step 5), the N position of the reaction vessel 6 is returned to the first position which is the initial value. , The threshold value M is reset (step 6). Hereinafter, the above-described flow is repeated, and the N position and the threshold value M of the reaction vessel 6 are sequentially updated (sequentially changed), and the assigned position is determined.

Here, the number of times the reaction vessel 6 was used was used as a threshold value for calculating the first analysis assignment, and this was used as a control value. However, the cell blank absorbance value using the output from the photometer 13 was used. Alternatively, even if the absorbance value of the reagent related to the stain is stored in the information storage unit 15 as a control value, the same effect can be obtained by the same procedure.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the reaction vessel 6 to which the analysis is first assigned is updated every time the analysis is started.
The number of analysis start times may be used, and any of them may be stored in the information storage unit 14 as an update condition.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an analysis operation in the automatic analyzer according to the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 3, first, a sample to be analyzed is arranged on the sample disk 2 and analysis items are input. Next, when a start is input, the control unit 14 checks the analysis conditions to see if there is any inconvenience in the analysis (step 7). At the same time as confirming the analysis conditions, allocation of the reaction vessel 6 for starting the analysis first is also performed (step 8).

According to the above-described calculation flow, when the reaction vessel 6 initially analyzed and allocated is, for example, at the eleventh position, the following is performed. First, the automatic analyzer performs an initial operation to confirm the position of each mechanism (step 9). The position of the reaction table 7 holding the reaction vessel 6 is confirmed by a detector attached to the drive mechanism 8, and the position of each reaction vessel 6 is calculated based on the position relative to the detector.

The relative position between the reaction vessel 6 in the first position and the detector, that is, the straight line from the center of the annular reaction table 7 to the reaction vessel 6 in the first position, and the detection from the center of the reaction table 7 The angle with the straight line leading to the vessel is 0
In the case of °, the reaction vessel 6 in the eleventh position has a relative angle of 22.5 ° with respect to the detector. The reaction container 6 to which the first analysis is assigned is rotated by 22.5 ° to the first cleaning position of the cleaning mechanism 12 in the next operation cycle for cleaning the reaction container before analysis (step 10).

Then, the reaction vessel 6 moves to the sample dispensing position while undergoing the washing operation sequentially (step 11).
During this time, a water blank necessary for the measurement is also measured (steps 12 and 13). Dispensing of sample (Step 14)
After the addition of the first reagent and the stirring thereof are performed on the reaction vessel 6 (steps 15 and 16), the absorbance is measured while passing through the photometer 13.

If it is necessary to add the reagent again for the analysis, the second to fourth reagents are added and stirred at a predetermined time. When all the photometry is completed (Step 17), the apparatus stops after the reaction vessel 6 is washed (Step 18).

For the user of the apparatus, if the reaction vessel 6 initially assigned and analyzed is different from the reaction vessel 6 initially assigned last time, it is displayed on a display 16 such as a CRT or a printer and used. Is displayed so that others can understand.

Further, when it is estimated from the information in the storage information section 15 and the information on the reaction vessel 6 that has been first analyzed and assigned this time that the next reaction and analysis vessel 6 to be initially assigned is different from this time. Is displayed on the display unit 16.

In the above display, it is necessary to display which reaction container is used first, which reaction container is the first reaction container analyzed and allocated at present, and how many times it is used. Can also.

The display timing described above may be before the start of the analysis or after the end of the analysis. Further, the above-described display may be executed between step 8 and step 9 in the flowchart shown in FIG.

It is also possible to designate the reaction vessel 6 to be allocated first from the external input unit 17 and to forcibly change the allocation position.

As described above, according to the above-described embodiment of the present invention, the number of times of use of the reaction vessel 6 to be analyzed and assigned first is compared with the threshold value. The container 6 is first set as the reaction container 6 to be analyzed and assigned, and thereafter, whenever the number of times of use exceeds the threshold value, the reaction container 6 to be assigned first for analysis is sequentially updated. Can be changed, and the number of times of using the reaction vessel can be averaged as a whole.

Thus, it is possible to realize an automatic analyzer capable of effectively using a plurality of reaction vessels and reducing maintenance costs.

When the present invention is applied to an existing automatic analyzer, an additional flow step is shown in FIG.
Are the only steps 8 and 10 shown in the above. After the initial operation (step 9), a moving time for moving the initially allocated reaction vessel 6 to the first cleaning position of the cleaning mechanism 6 is required. However, the time required for the reaction table 7 to make one rotation is sufficient, and does not affect the analysis processing capacity of the automatic analyzer.

[0044]

According to the present invention, the number of uses of the reaction vessel attached to the reaction table is averaged, and the total number of uses and the time interval until replacement due to deterioration are extended, thereby achieving a long life of the reaction vessel. Can be. As a result, maintenance costs can be reduced.

That is, by changing the initial analysis allocation position, it is possible to realize an automatic analyzer capable of effectively using a plurality of reaction vessels and reducing maintenance costs.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an automatic analyzer to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a calculation method relating to a change in assignment of a reaction vessel according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an analysis operation of the automatic analyzer according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the number of requests for each analysis to the automatic analyzer.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the number of times of use for each reaction vessel based on the number of requests shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 sample container 2 sample disk 3 sample disk drive mechanism 4 reagent disk 5 reagent disk drive mechanism 6 reaction vessel 7 reaction table 8 reaction table drive mechanism 9 sampling mechanism 10 reagent pipetting mechanism 11 stirring mechanism 12 washing mechanism 13 photometer 14 controller 15 Information storage unit 16 Display unit 17 Input unit 18 Timer 19 Interface

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of reaction vessels held in an annular arrangement, a driving mechanism for holding the reaction vessels and rotatingly driving a row of reaction vessels as a center of an annular arrangement of the reaction vessels, and information. In an automatic analyzer including a storage unit and a control unit that controls the operation of the driving mechanism, based on the predetermined use number control information of the reaction container and the use number information of the reaction container stored in the information storage unit. From among the plurality of reaction vessels arranged in a ring, a reaction vessel to be assigned for analysis is first determined, and the plurality of reaction vessels are rotationally driven by the drive mechanism, and analysis is sequentially performed from the reaction vessels to be assigned. An automatic analyzer that starts and sequentially changes the reaction vessels in which the allocation is performed. 2. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the reaction vessel initially assigned for analysis is used in a previous analysis process.
If it is different from the reaction vessel initially assigned for analysis,
An automatic analyzer comprising a display means for displaying that the assigned reaction container is different from the previous reaction container. 3. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein when the analysis assignment of the reaction vessel is performed next time, it is estimated and displayed that a reaction vessel different from the reaction vessel initially analyzed and assigned last time becomes the analysis assignment vessel. An automatic analyzer, comprising: a display unit for performing an analysis. 4. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the analysis is assigned first by giving the information directly from the external input means to the information storage unit, in preference to the reaction vessel set arbitrarily. Automatic analyzer. 5. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein a change in analysis allocation is managed by a timer function, and the allocation is changed when a set control value is exceeded. . 6. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the change of the analysis assignment is managed by an absorbance value by a photometer, and the assignment is changed when the set control value is exceeded. Automatic analyzer. 7. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the analysis assignment is changed by any one of the number of times of use of the reaction container, the time or interval time controlled by the timer function, and the absorbance value controlled by the photometer. An automatic analyzer that changes the assignment when the set control value is exceeded.