JP2010071648A - Auto analyzer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve a problem with an auto analyzer using a specimen vessel with a lid, wherein the analyzer is enlarged and made expensive by mounting a dedicated mechanism for opening and closing the lid, and an operator sets the specimen vessel after removing the lid when a dedicated unit is not mounted. <P>SOLUTION: This auto analyzer has a double structure, a nozzle outside a member for preparing a lid opening, and a nozzle for dispensing a specimen inside the member for preparing the lid opening. The auto analyzer has a sequence of detecting operation with a sensor installed at the tip of the member for preparing the opening in the lid, and starting to fall in order to make the nozzle for dispensation suck the specimen by being triggered by operation completion. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an automatic analyzer for clinical testing that performs qualitative and quantitative analysis of components in a biological sample such as blood and urine, and more particularly to an automatic analyzer that includes a nozzle for dispensing specimens and reagents.

  An automatic analyzer that analyzes a specific component in a biological sample such as blood or urine uses a reagent that reacts with the specific component to change its optical characteristics, or a reagent with a label that specifically reacts with the specific component, and a sample. Quantitative / quantitative analysis is automated by measuring changes in the optical properties of the reaction solution of the reagent and reagent, or by counting the number of labels. In current automatic analyzers, it is common to use a sample suction / discharge nozzle that sucks a predetermined amount of a sample contained in a sample (sample) container and transfers it to a reaction container for performing analysis. .

  On the other hand, the specimen container has been covered since the specimen was collected, and the measurement specimen is extracted by centrifugation. After that, the sample container with the lid removed was mounted on the automatic analyzer. If it is left as it is, the sample will evaporate, and there is a concern that a difference from the previous value will be produced during reanalysis. In addition, if the lid is removed, dust or the like will enter the sample, which may cause clogging of the dust in the nozzle during dispensing, or the phenomenon of sample aspiration failure, affecting the analysis results. There is a concern about what to do. For this reason, in recent years, the form of covering the opening of the sample container with a rubber material or a paper material is increasing. However, if a sample container with a lid is used, the sample used for analysis cannot be dispensed. For this reason, it is necessary for the operator to remove the lid of the sample container and mount it on the apparatus before analysis, or to provide a dedicated unit for opening and closing the lid inside the apparatus. However, if a dedicated unit is provided, the apparatus becomes large, and the unit configuration increases, resulting in an expensive apparatus. There was also a risk of spilling the specimen due to the operation of opening and closing the lid.

  For this reason, Patent Document 1 describes that a mechanism for opening a hole for passing the nozzle through the lid is provided in the vicinity of the nozzle.

JP-A-9-304400

  The technique described in Patent Document 1 is characterized in that rubber jig clogging when a hole is made is prevented by making an L-shaped jig for making the hole. However, if the positional relationship between the hole position and the suction nozzle deviates, there is a concern that the nozzle may not enter the hole.

  The object of the present invention is to pierce a member for manufacturing a lid opening portion having a double structure on the lid, to manufacture the opening portion, and to lower the nozzle through the opening portion and perform dispensing of the specimen. By reducing the work required and incorporating a dedicated unit into the conventional unit, it can contribute to downsizing and cost reduction.

  Therefore, since the present invention uses a sample container with a lid, it has a double structure, and a nozzle is provided outside the member for manufacturing the lid opening, and the sample dispensing nozzle is provided inside the member for manufacturing the lid opening. The automatic analyzer is equipped with an automatic analyzer that detects movement by a sensor installed at the tip of a member that creates an opening in the lid, and when the operation is completed, the dispensing nozzle descends to aspirate the sample. A starting sequence is provided, and a tip of a member for manufacturing the opening is provided with a member having a structure in which only a part is cut out so that the lid does not fall into the specimen.

  According to the present invention, since the sample container can be mounted on the apparatus while the sample container is covered, an artificial lid opening / closing operation can be eliminated. Further, by consolidating the nozzle and the member for manufacturing the opening into the same mechanism, it is possible to contribute to the downsizing of the apparatus without arranging a dedicated unit for opening and closing the lid. By providing a double structure for the nozzle and the member for producing the opening in the lid, it becomes a protective member for the nozzle, and the effect of avoiding the risk of contact between the specimen and the human body is also obtained.

  It has a double structure, and the opening is made by piercing the lid of the specimen container with the member that makes the opening in the lid. After that, the nozzle arranged on the inside descends to make the opening. Follow the procedure to land on the specimen. Since the member for manufacturing the opening and the nozzle are configured in a double structure in the same unit, it is possible to contribute to downsizing of the apparatus.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a specimen dispensing mechanism according to the present invention. The sample dispensing mechanism operates in the horizontal direction between the reaction container 1, the nozzle cleaning mechanism 2, and the sample rack 4 in which the sample container 3 is set by a horizontal drive motor 6 disposed on the dispensing base 5, and a vertical drive motor 7 By moving up and down. The sample container 3 is set on a sample transport tray called a sample rack 4, moves to a dispensing position, and dispenses the sample into the reaction container 1. At this time, if the dispensing mechanism is configured only by the nozzle 8, the specimen cannot be dispensed by the lid of the specimen container 3, so the operator removes the lid and sets the specimen container 3 in the sample rack 4. It was. However, analysis can be started without removing the lid by the mechanism of the present invention. The guide pipe 9 has a structure shown in FIG. 2, and includes a guide pipe A10 for producing an opening in the lid, and the guide pipe A10 is incorporated in a guide pipe B11 serving as a base mechanism. The guide pipe A10 has a detector 12, and the guide pipe B11 is provided with a sensor 13. First, the guide pipe B11 mounted on the specimen dispensing mechanism descends from the upper part of the specimen container, and the lid and the guide pipe A10 come into contact with each other. The guide pipe A10 is connected to the guide pipe B11 by a spring 14, and the spring 14 contracts and applies pressure to the lid. During this time, the guide pipe B11 continues to descend. When the opening is made in the lid, the spring 14 tries to return to the normal state and pushes the guide pipe A10. The sensor 13 detects the spring 14, and the signal serves as a signal to stop the guide pipe descending. Thereby, the difference in the length of the sample container can be compensated. A program is created in which the lowering of the nozzle starts after the end of the lowering operation of the guide pipe.

  The distal end of the guide pipe 9 is cut obliquely so that an opening can be produced in the specimen container lid, which is like a blade. However, if the entire circumference is of a blade, the lid is cut off during the opening operation, and water falls into the specimen. Therefore, only a part of the notch 15 as shown in FIG. 3 is provided and the corners are rounded so that the lid is not cut off and is connected to the lid itself, so that fragments of the opening do not fall into the specimen. . Further, when the guide pipe rises and moves away from the lid, the cut portion tries to return to the original position, thereby improving the sealing performance and preventing evaporation.

  The shape of the lid 16 of the sample container is shown in FIG. The sealing part of the lid is stepped so that it can be used for two commonly used φ13 sample containers 18 and φ16 sample containers 19.

It is the schematic of the sample dispensing mechanism in connection with this invention. It is the schematic of the guide pipe structure which implemented this invention. It is the schematic of the guide pipe front-end | tip part which implemented this invention. It is the schematic of the sample container lid which implemented this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Reaction container 2 Nozzle washing mechanism 3 Sample container 4 Sample rack 5 Dispensing base 6 Horizontal drive motor 7 Vertical drive motor 8 Nozzle 9 Guide pipe 10 Guide pipe A
11 Guide pipe B
12 Detector 13 Sensor 14 Spring 15 Guide pipe notch 16 Lid 17 φ13 specimen container 18 φ16 specimen container

Claims (6)

In an automatic analyzer equipped with a container for storing a sample and a nozzle for dispensing the sample from the sample container to the outside,
An automatic analyzer characterized in that a tubular member for opening an opening in a lid for a sample container and a nozzle for dispensing a sample have a double tube structure. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein
An automatic analyzer characterized in that a tip of the tubular member has a blade shape. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein
An automatic analyzer comprising a vertical movement mechanism for moving the tubular member and the nozzle up and down independently. The automatic analyzer according to claim 3,
A sensor for detecting that the tubular member is opened in the lid; and a control mechanism for controlling the vertical movement mechanism so that the dispensing nozzle is lowered when the sensor detects the opening. An automatic analyzer characterized by that. The automatic analyzer according to claim 2,
An automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein a tip of the tubular member is a blade. In the automatic analyzer according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
An automatic analyzer comprising: a structure in which the tip of the tubular member rises to the upper limit of the nozzle use range at the time of washing the nozzle, and the nozzle and the tubular member are washed together.

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