JP2677552B2 - Automatic chemical analyzer - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an automatic chemical apparatus for chemically analyzing a test sample (liquid) such as serum or urine using a spectrometer or the like. The present invention relates to an automatic chemical analyzer equipped with means effective for changing the specifications of trays such as samples and reagents. (Prior Art) Generally, an automatic chemical analyzer of this type has a structure as shown in FIG. That is, in FIG. 3, a plurality of reaction tubes (cells) 1a are annularly arranged in a turntable type reaction line 1 which intermittently moves by a predetermined angle. A plurality of reagent containers 2a are provided on one side of the reaction line 1.
Are arranged side by side, a test sample tray 3 in which a plurality of test sample containers 3a are arranged, and a probe cleaning unit 4 are arranged in parallel. These reaction line 1, reagent tray 2 and test sample tray
3. An arm 5 is bridged above the probe cleaning unit 4, and a moving block 6 that is moved in its longitudinal direction by a drive mechanism (not shown) is provided on the arm 5. Further, the moving block 6 is provided with a sample probe (nozzle) 7a of the dispensing device 7. Further, on the other side of the reaction line 1, there is provided a spectrometer 8 including a light source 8a, a spectroscopic unit 8b equipped with a detector, etc., and optically analyzes the progress of the reaction of the reaction solution in the reaction tube 1a. Then
It is designed to output as an analog signal. The output of the spectrometer 8 is converted into a digital signal by the A / D converter 9, taken into the CPU (computer) 10, and the analysis data is calculated by a predetermined calculation method. CPU 11, display 11, printer 12 and operation panel
13 is connected. In addition, this automatic chemical analyzer
A constant temperature bath 14 of hot water for keeping the reaction tube 1a at a predetermined temperature,
A washing / drying unit 15 for washing / drying the reaction tube 1a, a reagent pump 16 and the like are provided. The spectrometer 8 is constructed in detail as shown in FIG. That is, the light source 8a includes a lamp 8a1 and a lens 8a2 that collects the light, and transmits the reaction liquid in the reaction tube 1a through the window 1b of the reaction line 1 to reach the spectroscopic unit 8b. The spectroscopic section 8b is composed of a lens 8b1 for condensing the light transmitted through the reaction solution, a mirror 8b2 for reflection, a grating 8b3 for spectroscopic analysis, a fodode array 8b4 etc. as a detector of the light dispersed by the grating 8b3, The light transmitted through the reaction solution is dispersed, each spectrum is detected by the photo diode array 8b4, and is guided to the A / D converter 9. Further, the CPU 10 is configured to rotate the reaction line 1 and the arm 5
The movement operation of the moving block 6, the movement operation of the trays 2 and 3, the operation of the dispensing device 7, etc. are controlled by executing a control program stored in the storage unit. This control program includes various programs such as a program for moving the moving block 6, a program for pumping the dispensing device 7, a program for operating the spectroscopic system 8 and a program for operating the signal processor. It consists of a program. The operation of the device shown in FIG. 3 is as follows. That is, by executing the control program of the CPU 10, the arm 5,
When the moving block 6 and the dispensing device 7 operate, the test sample in one test sample container 3a in the test sample tray 3 is dispensed into the reaction tube 1a, and then the reagent in the reagent container 2a is transferred. The reaction liquid is obtained by being discharged into the reaction tube 1a. The reaction tube 1a containing this reaction liquid moves to the spectrometer 8 where spectroscopic analysis is performed, and the CPU 10 obtains the analysis result. In the apparatus as described above, the specifications may be changed due to addition of options, changes in the number of samples, changes in inspection items, etc. In this case, it is functionally divided into a fixed portion and a non-fixed portion. That is, as the fixed portion, a frame (not shown), arm 5, moving block 6, spectrometer 8
Etc., and the non-immobilized portion is the sample tray 1, the reagent tray 2, and the like. Here, considering that the specification of the non-fixed portion is changed, the operation mode (stop position) of the nozzle 7a is naturally changed, and at that time, the control program needs to be changed. Further, the movement of the moving block 6 and the nozzle 7a is performed by transmitting the rotation of a pulse motor (not shown) to a belt, and the belt is moved so that the original operation mode may not be obtained due to aging or the like. is there. If this original operation form is not obtained, there is a problem that the liquid suction and discharge such as dilution and dispensing cannot be properly performed in the reaction tube 1a and the like, and the analysis operation itself cannot be performed. (Problems to be Solved by the Invention) As described above, in the conventional technology, although the specification change of the element accompanied by the change of the nozzle stop position is expected, this measure is not taken, and No effective measures were taken against changes in the nozzle stop position due to changes. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to make it possible to easily deal with a change in the nozzle stop position due to a change in the specification of an element accompanied by a change in the nozzle stop position or a change over time. To provide an automated chemical analyzer. [Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving Problems) The present invention is characterized by taking the following means in order to solve the above problems and achieve the object. That is, the automatic chemical analysis device of the present invention is an automatic chemical analyzer that moves and stops the nozzle at least at predetermined positions of the reaction line, the reagent tray, and the sample tray to be tested according to the execution of the program that controls the movement operation of the nozzle. In the analyzer, the moving amount and the stop position of the nozzle defined by the program, at least during the execution of the program, at least the reaction line, the reagent tray and the test sample tray, and changing means corresponding to each, The movement of the nozzle so that the movement amount and the stop position of the nozzle corresponding to at least the reagent tray and the sample tray to be detected with the execution of the program become the movement amount and the stop position changed by the changing unit. And a control means for controlling the operation. (Operation) According to the present invention having such a configuration, even if the nozzle is not stopped at the original stop position (the position corresponding to each of the reaction line, the reagent tray, and the sample tray to be inspected) due to the execution of the program, the execution of the program The nozzle can be stopped at the original stop position by operating the changing means. In this case, the stop position can be changed for each of the stop positions of the reaction line, the reagent tray, and the test sample tray during the measurement operation or the cleaning operation without changing the program itself in advance. (Example) An example of an automatic chemical analyzer according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. 1 in which the same parts as those in FIG. In FIG. 1, a moving block 6 holding a nozzle 7a
Can be moved in the left-right direction in the drawing by a belt 5b hung on sprockets 5a1 and 5a2, and a pulse motor 5c is used as a drive source thereof. The pulse motor 5c is designed so that drive control, that is, drive pulses are given by a controller 19 which receives signals from a sensor 17 for detecting a home position and a sensor 18 for detecting a movement limit. Also, the controller 19
It is coupled to the CPU 10 via the interface 20. Here, the CPU 10 includes at least the arithmetic unit 10a and the memory unit 10b.
It is assumed that the memory unit 10b stores a program P for performing only the moving operation of the moving block among the control programs for controlling the series of moving, dispensing, and spectroscopic operations. Further, the arithmetic unit 10a has a configuration in which a digital switch 21 is coupled to change the contents of the program P at any time when the program P is executed. Next, the operation of this embodiment configured as described above will be described. That is, it is assumed that the program P contains the stop position of the nozzle 7a as shown in FIG. 2 so that the nozzle is stopped at a distance h1, h2, ... Here, the moving block 6 and the nozzle are activated by activating the apparatus and executing the program P during the measurement operation or the cleaning operation.
7a moves a distance h1 from the starting point and stops. If there is no sample container at this stop position (broken line in the drawing) and the difference is Δh up to the correct stop position, the operator sets the movement change amount corresponding to this Δh by setting the digital switch 21.
It is given to the arithmetic unit 10a of the CPU 10 to change the contents of the program P. Here, it is assumed that the relationship between one pulse of the digital switch 21 and the distance is known. As described above, in the present embodiment, since the contents can be changed during the execution of the program P, the original operation form cannot be obtained even if the specification of the non-fixed part is changed or it changes with time. Even in such a case, it is possible to easily deal with it so that the original analysis operation can be performed. In the above description, the digital switch 21 is used to change the content setting of the program P. However, the keyboard device of the operation panel (13) is also used, or another external input device is used. May be. [Effects of the Invention] As described above, in the present invention, the nozzle is moved to a predetermined position of at least the reaction line, the reagent tray, and the sample tray to be tested, and stopped in accordance with the execution of the program for controlling the movement operation of the nozzle. In the automatic chemical analyzer, the changing amount and the stop position of the nozzle defined by the program are changed corresponding to at least the reaction line, the reagent tray, and the sample tray to be tested, and the changing means of the program. The movement operation of the nozzle is controlled so that the movement amount and the stop position of the nozzle corresponding to at least the reagent tray and the sample tray to be detected accompanying the execution become the movement amount and the stop position changed by the changing unit. By the control means for controlling the nozzle, the nozzle is stopped at the original stop position ( Response line,
Even when the nozzles are not stopped at the positions corresponding to the reagent tray and the sample tray to be inspected, the nozzle can be stopped at the original stop position by operating the changing unit. in this case,
The stop position can be changed at each stop position of the reaction line, the reagent tray, and the test sample tray during the measurement operation or the cleaning operation without changing the program itself in advance. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily deal with the change of the nozzle stop position when the specification of the element is changed accompanying the change of the stop position of the nozzle or the change of the nozzle stop position due to aging. It is possible to provide the automated chemical analysis device described above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a detailed view of an arm, a moving block and a nozzle showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a view for explaining the contents of a program in the embodiment, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a detailed diagram of the spectrometer, which is a general configuration diagram of the chemical analyzer. 1 ... reaction line, 1a ... reaction tube, 2 ... reagent tray,
2a ... reagent container, 3 ... test sample tray, 3a ... test sample container, 4 ... probe washing section, 5 ... arm, 6 ...
Moving block, 7 ... Dispensing device, 7a ... Sample probe, 8 ... Spectrometer, 8a ... Light source, 8a1 ... Lamp, 8b ...
… Spectroscope, 8b4 …… Photodiode array, 9 …… A / D
Converter, 10 ... CPU, 10a ... Calculator, 10b ... Memory, 11 ... Display, 12 ... Printer, 13 ... Operation panel, 14 ... Constant temperature bath, 15 ... Washing / drying unit, 16
…… Reagent pump, 17,18 …… Sensor, 19 …… Controller, 21 …… Digital switch.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] In an automatic chemical analyzer for moving and stopping the nozzle to a predetermined position of at least a reaction line, a reagent tray and a sample tray to be tested in accordance with execution of a program for controlling a movement operation of the nozzle, the nozzle defined in the program Change means for changing the movement amount and the stop position of the reaction line, the reagent tray, and the sample tray to be tested at least during the execution of the program, and at least the reagent tray associated with the execution of the program, And a control unit for controlling the movement operation of the nozzle so that the movement amount and the stop position of the nozzle corresponding to each of the test sample trays become the movement amount and the stop position changed by the changing unit. An automatic chemical analyzer characterized by.