JP2002267675A - Automatic analyzer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an automatic analyzer which reduces the waste of reagent and by which an analysis is performed with high reproducibility. SOLUTION: The automatic analyzer is provided with reagent containers 4 which house the reagent, a reagent heat-insulating warehouse 1 and a room- temperature reagent storage warehouse 2 which store the reagent containers, reagent dispensing flow channels 6 which transfer the reagent up to reagent dispensing nozzles 10 from the reagent containers 4, a reagent cooling flow channel 8 which cools the flow channel 6 up to the nozzle 10 from the warehouse 1, a plurality of reaction containers 11 in which a specimen is reacted with the reagent and reagent-dispensing-nozzle fixation bases 12 which are equipped with a reagent preliminary heating and dew-formation preventing function by using a heating element and a dispensing mechanism which dispenses the specimen to the reaction containers. The specimen and the reagent are dispensed sequentially so as to be reacted, and a reacted liquid is measured.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic analyzer, and more particularly to an automatic analyzer for a clinical test used for analyzing blood, urine, and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an automatic analyzer used for a clinical test or the like, a sample and a reagent are mixed and reacted, and a change in color of a reaction solution is measured with a photometer or the like to perform quantitative analysis of components in the sample. ing. Some of the reagents undergo chemical changes and deteriorate when left at room temperature for a long time, and such reagents are stored in a cool box provided in the automatic analyzer.
The reagent is supplied from a reagent container stored in a cool box via a tube to a dispensing nozzle for injecting the reagent into the sample. Generally, the reagent in the tube is not returned to the reagent container in the cool box even at night when the automatic analyzer is not used. Therefore, since the reagent remaining in the tube may be deteriorated, the tube is also cooled.

Conventionally, in order to cool a reagent flow path from a reagent cool box to a reagent dispensing nozzle, cooling water in a cooling water circulation path in the cool box is branched in the cooling water circulation path. A reagent cooling water flow path was provided, passed through the heat insulating tube together with the reagent flow path bundle outside the cool box, and the reagent was cooled by air heat transfer inside the heat insulating tube. However, a resin tube is generally used for both the reagent tube and the cooling water circulation tube, and the heat conductivity is low. In addition, since the air in the heat insulating tube hardly flows, the efficiency of heat transfer is extremely low. For this reason, the reagent stagnating in the reagent flow path outside the cold storage is warmed by the outside air, and it is difficult to store the reagent in the reagent flow path outside the cold storage.

Further, since the amount of reagent dispensed at one time is very small compared to the volume of the reagent channel, the reagent to be dispensed always stays in the reagent channel outside the refrigerator. Therefore, between the reagent dispensed several times after the device was left in the standby state and the reagent dispensed several tens of times continuously, due to the difference in the time stagnant in the reagent flow path outside the reagent cooler, A difference occurs in the dispensing reagent temperature, and in the analysis using the reagent having a strong temperature dependency, the measurement result greatly varies, and the reproducibility of the data decreases. In order to solve the above problem, before starting the operation, all the reagents in the reagent flow path from the reagent cool box to the dispensing nozzle should be discarded once, and the temperature of the dispensed reagent should be stabilized before starting the operation Was operated to ensure data reliability. However, in this case, useless reagents not used for the analysis are generated, and especially when the apparatus is operated intermittently, a large amount of the reagents must be discarded, which is a serious problem in terms of running cost.

[0005] In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a public technical report 99-
In 008025, the reagent flow path from the reagent cold storage to the reagent dispensing nozzle is passed through the cooling flow tube, the cooling water flow path in the cold storage is guided to the reagent cooling flow path, and the heat transfer of the cooling water is performed. A technique for cooling a reagent in a reagent flow path outside a cool box is disclosed.

[0006] Further, in analysis using a reagent which is liable to be recrystallized at a low temperature or a highly viscous reagent at a low temperature, the switching valve, the reagent flow path, the dispensing nozzle or the like may be clogged with the reagent. . For this reason, it was necessary to frequently wash the channel, but every time the channel was washed, the reagent remaining in the reagent channel was discarded, so that a large amount of reagent wasted.

[0007]

A reaction vessel for mixing and reacting a sample and a reagent is maintained at 37 ° C. so that the reproducibility of the test results is maintained. Public Technical Report Tech 99-0080
In the case of using the technology disclosed in No. 25, since the cooled reagent is dropped into the reaction vessel kept at 37 ° C., the temperature of the reaction solution drops rapidly, and it takes time until the temperature of the reaction solution becomes 37 ° C. again. As a result, the reaction time is prolonged, and the analytical processing capacity is reduced.

Further, when the reagent is cooled to the vicinity of the reagent dispensing nozzle, dew condensation occurs near the nozzle, and condensed water may enter the reaction vessel, which has a problem that the analysis result is greatly affected. .

An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic analyzer for performing analysis with high reproducibility while reducing waste of reagents, reducing reaction time.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An automatic analyzer according to the present invention comprises a reagent container for storing a reagent, a reagent cooler and a room temperature reagent storage for storing the reagent container, a reagent sucked from the reagent container and separated from a nozzle. A syringe and a flow path switching valve for injecting, a reagent flow path from the reagent cold storage or room temperature reagent storage to the reagent dispensing nozzle, and a reagent flow path from the reagent cold storage to the reagent dispensing nozzle Using a reagent cooling channel having a function of immersing the sample in a cooling fluid to cool the sample, a plurality of reaction vessels for reacting the sample with the reagent, a reagent dispensing nozzle for dispensing the reagent into the reaction vessel, and a heating element By having a reagent dispensing nozzle fixed base with reagent preheating and dew condensation prevention functions, and a dispensing mechanism for dispensing the sample to the reaction vessel, the sample and the reagent are sequentially dispensed and reacted, and the Measure each liquid.

Further, a function of storing the reagent while avoiding preheating is provided by pulling back the reagent in the reagent dispensing nozzle to the reagent container side.

[0012]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a reagent channel and a cooling water channel of the automatic analyzer of the present invention. Reagents are placed in reagent containers 4 and reagents that need to be stored at room temperature or lower are stored in reagent cooler 1
The reagent that can be stored at room temperature or stored at room temperature or desirably stored at room temperature is stored in the room temperature reagent storage 2.
Cooling water is circulated in the reagent cool box 1 by a cooling water circulating unit 9 including a heat exchanger and a pump. The outer wall of the reagent cool box 1 is made of a heat insulating material. It is kept cool. A reagent suction tube 14 is inserted into the reagent container 4, and the reagent suction port is immersed in the reagent so that the reagent can be sucked. Reagent dispensing channel 6, syringe 5, and reagent suction tube 14
Are connected to each other by a flow path switching valve 3. At the time of dispensing the reagent, first, the reagent suction tube 14 and the syringe 5 are connected by the flow path switching valve 3, and the plunger of the syringe 5 operates in the reagent suction direction to suck the reagent. Connects the syringe 5 and the reagent dispensing flow path 6, and the plunger of the syringe 5 operates in the reagent discharging direction, whereby the reagent is guided to the reagent dispensing flow path 6, and is dispensed from the reagent dispensing nozzle 10 to the reaction vessel 11. Noted. Further, the cooling water circulation flow path branches on the way, and the cooling water passes through the cooling water branch flow path 7 and returns to the cooling water circulation flow path while cooling the reagent in the reagent dispensing flow path 6 in the reagent cooling flow path 8. It is. Cooling water branch channel 7,
The reagent cooling channel 8 is covered with a heat insulating tube and kept cool.

In the standby state, the automatic analyzer is in a state where the reagent suction tube 14 and the reagent dispensing channel 6 are filled with the reagent. At this time, the reagents in the reagent suction tube 14 and the reagent dispensing channel 6 in the reagent cool box 1 are cooled in the reagent cold box 1 and the reagent dispensing channel 6 outside the reagent cool box 1.
Is cooled by the reagent cooling channel 8. Since the cooling water circulating in the reagent cool box 1 is branched in the reagent cooling channel 8, regardless of the inside and outside of the reagent cool box 1,
The temperature of the reagent is kept in a certain range suitable for storage. By cooling the reagent that needs to be stored at room temperature or lower from the reagent container 4 to just before the reagent dispensing nozzle 10, the reagent can be stored even in the standby state, and the disposal due to the deterioration of the reagent can be greatly reduced. In the present embodiment, the cooling water from the cooling water circulating unit 9 once passes through the cooling water circulating flow path in the reagent cool box 1 and then sends the cooling water to the flow path joint case 13 in the cooling water branch flow path 7. However, since the heat insulating tube covering the cooling water branch flow path 7 and the reagent cooling flow path 8 has a lower heat insulating effect than the heat insulating material of the reagent cool storage 1, the cooling water is easily heated. Therefore, the cooling water from the cooling water circulation unit 9 is first sent to the channel joint case 13, the reagent in the reagent dispensing channel 6 is cooled in the reagent cooling channel 8, and then the cooling in the reagent cool box 1 is performed. An embodiment is also conceivable in which the temperature of the reagent in the reagent dispensing channel 6 and the temperature of the reagent in the reagent cool box 1 are made close to each other by flowing the cooling water through the water circulation channel. By doing so, the reagent can be stored at a more uniform temperature, and the reagent can be stored with the reagent characteristics stabilized.

In the reagent stored in the reagent storage 2 at room temperature, all reagents in the reagent container 4, the reagent suction tube 14, and the reagent dispensing channel 6 are stored at room temperature.
The temperature of the reagent is kept in a certain range suitable for storage.
By storing the reagent desired to be stored at room temperature from the reagent container 4 to immediately before the reagent dispensing nozzle at room temperature, the flow path switching valve 3 due to the recrystallization and high viscosity of the reagent 3, the reagent dispensing flow path 6,
It is possible to prevent the reagent dispensing nozzle 10 from being clogged, and to prevent waste of the reagent due to frequent channel cleaning for preventing channel clogging.

As described above, since the storage method and the reagent flow path can be selected according to the characteristics of the reagent, the waste of the reagent can be greatly reduced, and the characteristics of the reagent can be stabilized by storage at an appropriate temperature. Analysis with high reproducibility can be performed.

Further, the reagent immediately before dispensing is preheated to 37 ° C. by the reagent nozzle fixing base 12 and the reagent dispensing nozzle 10 heated by the heating element, and is dispensed from the reagent dispensing nozzle 10 to the reaction vessel 11. You. For the reagent dispensing nozzle 10, a nozzle made of a metal having high thermal conductivity such as copper coated with a fluororesin or the like or a thin resin nozzle is used to prevent corrosion of the nozzle by the reagent, thereby increasing the efficiency. The heat from the heating element can be well transmitted to the reagent, and the time required for preheating can be reduced. Stainless steel nozzles are conceivable, but some reagents erode stainless steel and are not suitable. As described above, by performing preheating and keeping the temperature of the dispensing reagent constant, the reproducibility of the analysis is greatly improved. The reaction vessel is immersed in warm water kept at 37 ° C., and the reaction between the reagent and the sample is performed at 37 ° C. By dispensing the reagent preheated to 37 ° C. into the reaction vessel 11, the time for raising the temperature of the reaction solution can be shortened, and the analytical processing ability can be improved.

FIG. 2 shows a reagent preheating mechanism around the dispensing nozzle in the cold storage reagent channel and a dew condensation preventing mechanism.
The cooling water from the cooling water branch channel 7 is supplied to the channel joint case 1
3 and is guided to a reagent cooling channel 8 through which a reagent dispensing channel 6 is passed. The channel joint case 13 is made of a material having a high heat insulating effect for keeping heat. Alternatively, an embodiment in which a heat insulating material is attached to the outer surface of the channel joint case 13 to obtain a heat insulating effect is also conceivable. The flow path joint case 13 is connected to the reagent nozzle fixing base 12 via the heat insulating plate 17 and the dew condensation tray 16. The heat insulating plate 17 is a base heater 1 incorporated in the reagent nozzle fixing base 12.
It insulates so that the heat from 5 is not transmitted to the cooling water. In this embodiment, the reagent kept cold and the reagent preheated are located very close to each other across the heat insulating plate 17, and the stored reagent is preheated for a short distance, so that there is almost no wasteful reagent. .

The heat generated by the base heater 15 is transmitted to the reagent immediately before dispensing via the reagent nozzle fixing base 12 and the reagent dispensing nozzle 10, and is raised to 37 ° C., which is the temperature in the reaction vessel 11. . The management of the reagent temperature is performed based on the temperature measurement by the reagent temperature sensor 19. The preheating mechanism for the room temperature storage reagent also has the same configuration as the preheating mechanism for the cold storage reagent.

The condensation tray 16 receives the condensation formed on the surface of the cooling water branch channel 7, the surface of the reagent cooling channel 8, and the surface of the channel joint case 13, and evaporates the condensation by the heat from the base heater 15. Condensation that could not be evaporated can be guided to the drain and discharged. When the apparatus is stopped at night or the like and the base heater 15 is stopped, the surface of the cooling water branch channel 7, the surface of the reagent cooling channel 8,
The dew condensation generated on the surface of the flow path joint case 13 is also guided from the dew condensation tray 16 to the drain.

Further, the heat generated by the base heater 15 heats the reagent nozzle fixing base 12 and the reagent dispensing nozzle 10, so that the surface of the reagent nozzle fixing base 12 and the surface of the reagent dispensing nozzle 10 are heated. Occurrence of dew condensation is suppressed, and dripping of dew condensation into the reaction vessel 11 can be prevented.

In this embodiment, the base heater 15
Is sandwiched between the condensation tray 16 and the reagent nozzle fixing base 12, but if the purpose of heating the condensation tray 16 and the reagent nozzle fixing base 12 can be achieved,
The base heater 15, the condensation tray 16, and the reagent nozzle fixing base 12 may be connected in this order, or the dew condensation tray 16, the reagent nozzle fixing base 12, and the base heater 15 may be connected in that order. Further, a Peltier-type electronic cooling / heating element is used for the base heater 15, and the dew-condensing tray 16 and the reagent nozzle fixing base 12 are heated on the heating surface of the electronic cooling / heating element to perform preliminary heating of the reagent and suppression of dew condensation. An embodiment in which the cooling water is supplementarily cooled by contacting the heat absorbing surface of the cooling water with the cooling water is also conceivable. Further, the dew condensation tray 16 is discarded, and the outer surface of the flow path joint case 13 which is exposed to the outside air is covered with a material having high thermal conductivity such as metal, and heat is transmitted to the heat conductive material, so that the surface of the flow path joint case 13 Embodiments are also conceivable in which dew condensation is also suppressed.

FIG. 3 shows that in the present embodiment, when the automatic analyzer stands by for a long time, the reagent in the reagent dispensing nozzle 10 for the cold storage reagent is pulled back to the syringe 5 to avoid preheating and to avoid the reagent. This explains the function of saving. In the normal analysis state, the reagent suction tube 1
4, flow path switching valve 3, reagent dispensing flow path 6, reagent dispensing nozzle 1
The reagent channel consisting of zero is filled with the reagent. But,
When the standby time is long, the syringe 5 and the reagent dispensing flow path 6 are connected by the flow path switching valve 3, and the plunger of the syringe 5 is operated in the reagent suction direction to transfer the reagent to the position shown in FIG. Pull back and save reagents. With this function, it is possible to prevent deterioration of the reagent due to waiting for a long time while being preheated, and to reduce waste of the reagent. Further, in the case of a reagent stored at room temperature, if preheating is stopped when waiting for a long time, the reagent does not have to be withdrawn. As for the cold storage reagent, the preheating function of the reagent also has a dew condensation preventing function, so that the preheating function cannot be stopped even in the standby state for a long time. When the reagent cooling section extends very close to the reagent nozzle as in the present embodiment, a small amount of pull-back is sufficient, and the reagent can be withdrawn.

[0023]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
Regardless of the length of the standby time and the ambient temperature, the cold storage reagent in the cold storage and the reagent flow path can be stored without deterioration of the characteristics, and the temperature of the reagent discharged from the dispensing nozzle is stabilized. Thus, highly reproducible analysis can be performed.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to store a reagent suitable for storage at room temperature in the storage and in the reagent flow path without deterioration of characteristics, and to stabilize the temperature of the reagent discharged from the dispensing nozzle. Thus, highly reproducible analysis can be performed.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, reagents having different storage temperatures, that is, a cold storage reagent and a room temperature storage reagent, can be used in one apparatus, and the analysis of the reagent with less waste and high reproducibility becomes possible. Become.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the dew condensation water from being mixed into the reaction solution, and it is possible to perform analysis with high reproducibility.

According to the fifth aspect of the invention, the dispensing nozzle is prevented from corroding by the reagent, and the reagent immediately before dispensing can be efficiently heated.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the deterioration of the reagent due to the preheating for a long time, and to reduce the waste of the reagent.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a flow channel of the automatic analyzer of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing a part of the automatic analyzer of the present invention in cross section.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing a part of functions of the automatic analyzer of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Refrigerant cooler, 2 ... Room temperature reagent storage, 3 ... Flow path switching valve, 4 ... Reagent container, 5 ... Syringe, 6 ... Reagent dispensing flow path,
7: cooling water branch channel, 8: reagent cooling channel, 9: cooling water circulation unit, 10: reagent dispensing nozzle, 11: reaction vessel,
12: reagent nozzle fixing base, 13: flow channel joint case, 14: reagent suction tube, 15: base heater, 1
6: condensation tray, 17: heat insulating plate, 18: heat insulating tube,
19 ... Reagent temperature sensor.

Claims (6)

[Claims] A reagent container for storing a reagent, a cool box for storing the reagent container, a dispensing nozzle for dispensing the reagent to the reaction container, and a reagent flow path for transferring the reagent from the reagent container to the dispensing nozzle. In the automatic analyzer provided, a cooling means for cooling the reagent flow path to room temperature or lower, and a temperature of the reagent dispensed from the dispensing nozzle to the reaction vessel are heated so as to be close to a temperature for keeping the reaction vessel warm. An automatic analyzer comprising a mechanism. 2. A reagent container for storing a reagent, a room temperature reagent storage for storing the reagent container, a dispensing nozzle for dispensing the reagent into the reaction container, and a reagent flow for transferring the reagent from the reagent container to the dispensing nozzle. An automatic analyzer provided with a mechanism for heating a temperature of a reagent dispensed from a dispensing nozzle to a reaction container so as to be close to a heat retaining temperature of the reaction container. . 3. A reagent container for storing a reagent, a cold storage for storing the reagent container, a room temperature reagent storage for storing a room temperature reagent, a dispensing nozzle for dispensing the reagent to the reaction container, and a reagent container for storing the reagent in the reaction container. In the automatic analyzer equipped with a reagent flow path for transferring from the dispensing nozzle to the dispensing nozzle and a cooling means for cooling the reagent flow path to room temperature or lower, the temperature of the reagent dispensed from the dispensing nozzle to the reaction vessel, the reaction vessel It is equipped with a mechanism for warming to a temperature close to the warming temperature, and it is necessary to separately use a reagent flow path provided with a cooling means for cooling to a room temperature or lower according to a reagent and a reagent flow path without a cooling means. A featured automatic analyzer. 4. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the heating means is a heater provided in contact with a base for fixing the dispensing nozzle, and the base is provided with a dew-condensing tray. An automatic analyzer, comprising: 5. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the dispensing nozzle is a metal nozzle having a surface coated with a corrosion-resistant coating. 6. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the reagent in the dispensing nozzle provided with the reagent heating mechanism is pulled back to the reagent flow path provided with the cooling means. An automatic analyzer, comprising: