JP2002122607A - Automatic analysis device, and connecting unit for automatic analysis device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a general-purpose connecting unit usable for an analysis device with the different pitches of a carry-in port and a carry-out port of a rack, and provide an automatic analysis device having the same carry-in and carry-out port. SOLUTION: The connecting unit is provided with a mechanism for moving a specimen rack enclosing a specimen, parallel in the almost orthogonal direction to the specimen rack carry-in or carry-out direction of the automatic analysis device at a point of time when carrying the specimen into the automatic analysis device or carrying the specimen out of the automatic analysis device. The connecting unit is constituted not to depend on the analysis device to reduce cost and to shorten a delivery term in a connecting device.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic analyzer for automatically testing a sample such as blood or urine in the field of clinical testing, and transporting a sample between different automatic analyzers or a device for pre-processing a sample. The present invention relates to a connection unit that transfers a sample to and from a transport line.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An automatic analyzer that sorts samples such as blood and urine collected from a patient according to test contents, automates preprocessing, analysis, storage, and test result reporting, and enables rapid analysis of a large number of samples has been developed. Widespread. Automatic analyzers include an immune analyzer for examining an immune reaction and a biochemical analyzer for analyzing components such as blood. In recent years, various sample transport systems have been proposed for interconnecting these different types of automatic analyzers in order to analyze a large amount of various types of test items in a short time. There are various types of connection between the analyzer and the sample transport system. Among them, a rack in which a plurality of samples are loaded (stored) is delivered to the analyzer (loading), and after the analysis is completed, the rack is received by the sample transport system again. (Export) There is a connection to store or transport to the next analyzer.

In such a case, there is a method in which a rotating unit is provided, the rack is moved from the main line to the analyzer, the rack is transferred, and the rack after analysis is received by the rotating unit and returned to the transport line. Are known. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-43249 discloses such a technique. Depending on the analysis device, the carry-in entrance for receiving the rack and the carry-out exit for passing the rack may be installed at different positions. In that case, the above-mentioned JP-A-9-4
As disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3249, two rotating units must be used. In this case, separately controlling these rotary units requires two units of information exchange for rack transfer performed with the analyzer, which is complicated.
Connection units incorporating two rotating units have been used.

[0004]

[0006] When the manufacturers of automatic analyzers are different, the interval between the entrance for receiving the racks and the exit for passing the racks, the height of the entrances and the heights of the transport ports, and the like are different. On the other hand, disease (medicine) clinics and clinical test centers that use automatic analyzers do not always adopt automatic analyzers from one manufacturer, and automatic analyzers from different companies are used together. Is the actual situation. For this reason, such disease (medicine) clinics and clinical testing centers connect their own automatic analyzers to each other via a sample transport system to establish a system for quickly analyzing a large number and variety of specimens (samples). Even if you try to build,
Since the pitch (interval) between the entrance and the exit of the automatic analyzer differs from company to company, the connection unit connecting the automatic analyzer and the sample transport system becomes a dedicated connection unit for the analysis device, resulting in high cost. There was a problem that would be. In addition, since it is dedicated to a particular analyzer, it cannot be stocked and must be made to order, so that the time required for customer delivery has been long.

[0005] In addition, since a sample rack entrance and an exit must be provided at two locations on the transport line, respectively.
There is a problem that the structure of the transfer line becomes complicated.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided an automatic analyzer for analyzing a sample collected from a human body and a different automatic analyzer or a device for pre-processing the sample. In a connection unit that transfers a sample to and from a transport line that transports a sample, at any time when a sample is loaded into or out of the automatic analyzer, a sample rack containing the sample is stored. A mechanism for moving the sample rack in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of loading or unloading of the sample rack of the automatic analyzer, thereby loading and unloading the sample rack at the same location on the transport line, and A sample rack can be loaded and unloaded to and from a sample rack loading port and a sample rack loading port provided at different positions. Knit is provided.

Further, in the connection unit having the above structure, a rotation unit for changing the traveling direction of the sample rack to a substantially right angle may be provided between the mechanism for moving the sample rack in parallel and the transport line.

[0008] Further, with respect to the automatic analyzer, a sample rack for accommodating a sample is loaded and unloaded at the same position with respect to a transport line for transporting the sample between different automatic analyzers or devices for pre-processing the sample. The present invention also provides an automatic analyzer provided with a mechanism for moving the sample rack in a direction substantially perpendicular to the sample rack loading / unloading direction of the automatic analyzer.

In the present invention, it is preferable that one computer controls the rotation unit and the slide unit.

[0010]

(Embodiment 1) Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a sample transport system according to the present invention. The connection unit according to the present invention includes a rotation unit 5 and a slide unit 6, and is controlled by one computer. this is,
This is because when the rotation unit 5 and the slide unit 6 operate independently, their operations interfere with each other, and there is a possibility that a so-called deadlock that cannot operate is generated. For example, when the rotating unit 5 tries to unload the rack to the slider unit 6 and the slider unit 6 tries to unload the rack received from the analyzer to the rotating unit 5, a deadlock occurs. It is important to be done.

The rack on which the sample is installed is inserted into the sample transport system from the input section 1, and reaches the rotating unit 5a via pre-processing devices 2a, 2b, 2c for centrifugation, dispensing, etc.

The rotating unit 5a rotates 90 ° right to transport the rack to the analyzer, and the rack is carried into the analyzer 7a from above the rotating unit 5a via the slide unit 6a (FIG. 2), and the analysis is performed. Will be

The rotating unit 5a having finished unloading the rack to the analyzer has a 90-degree rotation so that subsequent rack transport can be continued.
° Rotate left and resume normal transport. After the analysis, the analyzer moves the rack to the carry-out port to return the rack to the transport system. At this time, the pitch between the carry-in port and the carry-out port in the analyzer is x1 (FIG. 3).

On the transport system side receiving the request to return the rack from the analyzer, the slide unit 6a
Is moved to a position x1 away from the home position (FIG. 4), and the rack is received (FIG. 5). Thereafter, the slide unit 6a is returned to the home position, and the rotation unit 5a is rotated.
If there is no rack being transported above, the rotation unit 5a is rotated 90 ° to the right (FIG. 6), the rack from the slide unit 6a is received (FIG. 7), and rotated 90 ° to the left to rotate the next line 4b, The transport of the rack continues at 5b (FIG. 8).

When the rack also stops at the analyzer 7b, the rack is carried into the analyzer 7b in the same procedure (FIGS. 9 and 10). Here, the pitch between the carry-in port and the carry-out port of the analyzer 7b is x2. Therefore, the slide unit 7b moves the position by x2 when receiving the rack (FIG. 11). Thereafter, the rack is received, moved to the home position, passed to the rotating unit 5b, and transferred to the transport line 4c.
Transporting the racks in the same manner as described above (FIG. 12,
13 and 14).

Finally, the rack after all the processing is completed is stored in the storage section 3b.

Next, FIG. 15 shows an example of the configuration of the analyzer connection unit according to the present invention. The rotation unit is a motor 20
The rack is loaded and unloaded by a belt line driven by a. The confirmation as to whether the rack has been properly loaded on the rotating unit is made by the rack detecting sensors 21a and 2a.
1b. Then, the entire belt line is rotated right 90 ° and left 90 ° by the motor 20b. The stop position at this time is determined by detecting plate 23 by rotational position detection sensor 22a,
Confirmed and confirmed by blocking 22b, 22c.

The slider unit carries in / out the rack by a belt line driven by a motor 30a. Confirmation as to whether the rack has been properly loaded onto the slider unit is performed by the rack detection sensors 31a and 31b. Then, the entire belt line is moved in parallel by the motor 30b by a distance such as S1 or S2. At this time, the stop position, that is, the moving distance is determined and confirmed by the detection plate 33 blocking the slide position detection sensors 32a, 32b, and 33b. That is, as in the present invention, in order to cope with a case where the pitch between the rack entrance and the exit of the analyzer is different, the slide position detection sensor 3 is required.
This is made possible by adopting a structure in which the mounting positions of 2b and 32c can be changed. (Embodiment 2) FIG. 16 shows an embodiment of the present invention which does not use a rotating unit. A connection unit 4 having the same structure for two automatic analyzers 44 and 45 having different pitches (intervals) between the entrance and the exit.
0 and 42 are used to connect to the transport lines 41 and 43. The sample rack transported from the left side of the transport line in the drawing is bent at a right angle by the connection unit 40 by the connection unit 40 and is taken into the analyzer from the sample rack entrance 46 of the analyzer 44. The sample rack for which dispensing and analysis of the sample has been completed by the analyzer is returned to the connection unit from the carry-out port 47 of the analyzer and returned to the transport line. The same operation is performed in the analyzer 45. Even if the pitch between the loading port and the loading port of the automatic analyzer is different, connection can be made only by changing the moving distance of the sample rack in the connection unit. The change only requires changing the set value of the computer controlling the connection unit. (Embodiment 3) In this embodiment, a configuration in which the sample rack parallel movement mechanism of the connection unit described in Embodiment 2 is incorporated into the automatic analyzer 54 and integrated therewith will be described. Transport line 51
The sample rack conveyed from the left side of the drawing is bent at a right angle in the conveyance line 52 and taken into the carry-in / out port of the automatic analyzer. After the operation of the connection unit described in Example 2 was performed inside the automatic analyzer and the sample was analyzed, the sample rack was returned to the transport line again, and another analyzer or the analysis was completed on the transport line 53. The sample is sent to the sample storage unit that stores the sample.

[0020]

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a general-purpose connection unit which is lower in cost than the conventional one.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an example of a system configuration for showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a rack flow according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a rack flow according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of a rack flow according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of a rack flow according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of a rack flow according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of a rack flow according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view of a rack flow according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory view of a rack flow according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory view of a rack flow according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory view of a rack flow according to the present invention.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory view of a rack flow according to the present invention.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory view of a rack flow according to the present invention.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory view of a rack flow according to the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory view of an embodiment that does not use the rotating unit of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is an explanatory view of an embodiment in which a parallel movement mechanism is incorporated in the automatic analyzer of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference numeral 1 denotes a charging section, 2a, 2b, 2c: a pretreatment unit, 3
a, 3b: storage unit, 4a, 4b, 4c: transport line, 5a, 5b: rotary unit, 6a, 6b: slide unit, 7a, 7b: analyzer, 20a: belt line drive motor, 20b: rotary drive motor, 21a, 21
b ... Rotating unit, rack detection sensor, 22a, 22
b, 22c: rotation unit, rotation position detection sensor, 23
... Rotation position detection plate, 30a ... Belt line drive motor,
30b: slide drive motor, 31a, 31b: slider unit, rack detection sensor, 32a, 32b, 32c
... Slider unit, slide position detection sensor, 33 ...
Slide position detection sensor, X1, X2: pitch between rack entrance and exit of analyzer; S1, S2: slide distance of slider unit.

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Kai, 882, Omo, Ichihiro-shi, Hitachinaka-shi, Ibaraki Prefecture F-term in Hitachi Instruments Group

Claims (3)

[Claims] A connection unit for transferring a sample between an automatic analyzer for analyzing a sample collected from a human body and a transport line for transferring a sample between different automatic analyzers or a device for pre-processing the sample, At any point in loading the sample into the automatic analyzer or unloading the sample from the automatic analyzer, the sample rack containing the sample, with respect to the sample rack loading or unloading direction of the automatic analyzer, By providing a mechanism for performing parallel movement in a substantially perpendicular direction, a sample rack is loaded and unloaded at the same location on the transport line, and a sample rack loading port and a sample rack loading port provided at different positions of the automatic analyzer are provided. On the other hand, a connection unit characterized in that loading and unloading of sample racks are enabled. 2. The connection unit according to claim 1, wherein a rotation unit for changing a traveling direction of the sample rack to a substantially right angle is provided between the mechanism for moving the sample rack in parallel and the transport line. Characteristic connection unit. 3. An automatic analyzer for analyzing a sample collected from a human body, comprising: a sample rack for storing a sample at a same position on a transport line for transferring a sample between different automatic analyzers or a device for pre-processing the sample. An automatic analyzer provided with a mechanism for moving the sample rack in a direction substantially perpendicular to the sample rack loading and unloading direction of the automatic analyzer to load and unload the sample rack.