JP2815433B2 - Automatic analyzer - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an automatic analyzer used for analysis of blood and the like, particularly when a failure state level is set in advance and a dispensing unit or a stirring unit fails. The present invention relates to an automatic analyzer in which the operation of a reaction table and a measuring section is continued, and a large number of prepared samples are measured.

[Conventional technology]

In recent years, clinical biochemical tests have been automated, and biochemical automatic analyzers have made great progress. At present, this automatic analyzer tends to be divided into a small automatic analyzer for small hospitals and a large automatic analyzer for large hospitals. Such an automatic analyzer, both small and large, requires high-speed processing as well as functionality and flexibility. Nevertheless, in the conventional apparatus, when each mechanism of the dispensing section or the stirring section breaks down, other components such as the reaction table are also immediately stopped, and the normal portion is also stopped. Had low flexibility.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

As described above, in the conventional apparatus, while analyzing a large number of samples in a state where the sample and the reagent are mixed, the dispensing section for the sample or the dispensing section for the reagent, or the sample and the reagent, When a failure occurs in the stirring unit that stirs a sample, the reaction table is stopped even if the failure does not affect the operation of the reaction table. This does not give sufficient consideration to wasting a large number of samples in which only the measurement has been left after the injection of the sample and the reagent and the stirring thereof have been completed. In addition, a large-sized automatic analyzer configured to measure a large number of samples poses a problem that a large amount of sample and reagent is wasted due to the stoppage of the reaction table.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic analyzer that reduces the waste of a sample and a reagent that has occurred in a conventional apparatus when a failure occurs in a mechanism of a dispensing unit or a stirring unit.

[Means for solving the problem]

The automatic analyzer according to the present invention includes a number of reaction containers for accommodating a sample and a reagent, a reaction table rotated by a rotation drive unit with predetermined rotational characteristics, a sample supply unit for transporting the sample, and the sample supply unit. A sample dispensing unit for dispensing a sample supplied to the reaction container into a reaction container, a reagent dispensing unit for dispensing a reagent to the reaction container into which the sample is dispensed, and a stirring unit for stirring the sample and the reagent in the reaction container And an operation unit display for measuring and displaying the concentration of the sample in the reaction vessel, and displaying and storing measurement results and inputting and displaying analysis conditions. In the analyzer, the control unit detects an abnormality that has occurred in each unit, an identification unit that identifies the content of the abnormality, and the abnormality content identified by the identification unit includes a sample dispensing unit and a reagent dispensing unit. Related to one of the mixing unit and the stirring unit A determination means for determining whether or not there is, when the determination means determines that the abnormality is related to any of the reagent dispensing section, the reagent dispensing section and the stirring section, at least the reaction table It is configured to control to continue the operation of the photometry unit.

[Action]

According to the configuration of the present invention, when an abnormality occurs in any of the dispensing unit and the stirring unit of the sample and the reagent, the content of the abnormality is determined by the determining unit, and the operations of the reaction table and the photometric unit are secured. The operation is controlled so that photometry is performed on a sample that has already been stirred up to obtain data.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 schematically shows the entire configuration of the automatic analyzer, and the basic configuration and operation of the automatic analyzer will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a sample cup containing a sample, and a plurality (for example, five) of the sample cups 1 are set on a sample rack 2. The sample rack 2 is placed on the rack transport device 3 and transported to the sample dispensing unit by the rack transport device 3. When the sample rack 2 is transported to the sample dispensing section and the first sample cup 1 reaches a predetermined position below the sample dispensing probe 4, the sample of the first sample cup 1 is moved to the sample dispensing probe 4. And a predetermined amount is dispensed into a predetermined reaction vessel 5 by the action of the sample pump 5 connected thereto. Thereafter, the sample rack 2 is moved by the rack transport device 3 at a predetermined time timing, and when the second sample cup 1 reaches a predetermined position below the sample dispensing probe 4, the same dispensing operation as described above. Is performed on the next reaction vessel 6. The abnormal dispensing operation is repeated for the third and subsequent sample cups 6.

A large number of reaction vessels 6 are provided at predetermined intervals (pitch) on a reaction table 7 having an annular shape. The reaction table 7 is rotated by a predetermined angle by a table rotation driving device (not shown). The reaction vessel 6 of the reaction table 7
The reaction vessel 6 in which the sample is dispensed moves to the position of the reagent dispensing section for adding the reagent of the next stage, which is configured to move in the reaction tank 9 communicating with the thermostat 8. The reaction vessel 6 having moved to the reagent dispensing section is moved by a reagent switching valve 12 by a reagent dispensing nozzle 10 and a reagent pump 11 connected thereto.
The predetermined reagent sucked from the reagent bottle 13 through the reagent bottle 13 is added. The reaction vessel 6 to which the reagent has been added in the reagent dispensing section is moved to the position of the stirring device 14, where the stirring is performed. As described above, the sample and the reagent are dispensed and the mixture is stirred, whereby a sample to be analyzed is prepared in the reaction container 6.

The reaction vessel 6 in which the contents have been stirred passes through the light beam emitted from the light source 15 in the next-stage photometric unit. Then, the absorbance at the time of passage is detected by the multi-wavelength photometer 16. The detected absorbance signal is sent to the A / D converter 17 and the input / output interface 1
Input to computer 19 via 8 and computer 1
The luminous flux is converted into the concentration of the measurement target in the irradiated sample by the arithmetic processing of step 9. The density data obtained by the conversion is transferred via the input / output interface 18, displayed on the CRT 20 or printed by the printer 21 as necessary, and further stored and stored in the hard disk 22.

After the photometry in the photometric path is completed, the reaction vessel 6 is then cleaned.
23 is moved to the position where
After the sample remaining inside is discharged, the sample is washed with water and used for the next analysis operation.

In the above description, the reaction container 6 into which the sample has been dispensed has been described so that all the steps are executed by one rotation of the reaction table 7 and one analysis operation is completed. It is configured to move one rotation and one pitch in one movement, and each operation is executed by repeating such movement. Therefore, when a plurality of reagents are used depending on the type of analysis work, the first reagent, the second reagent, and the like are added in a predetermined dispensing order, and the stirring operation in the stirring unit is also performed a plurality of times. Will be.

Reference numeral 25 denotes a keyboard which allows the operator to input necessary commands or data to the automatic analyzer. Reference numeral 26 denotes a rack number reading device for reading the rack number assigned to the sample rack 2. The read data is supplied to the computer 19 via the input / output interface 18 and used for work management and the like. Further, the computer 19 is connected to various devices constituting the above-described automatic analyzer via an input / output interface 18,
It has a function of exchanging data with these constituent devices and controlling their operations.

Next, an analysis sequence of the automatic analyzer having the above configuration will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 2, the vertical axis indicates the absorbance, the horizontal axis indicates the photometry point, and FIG. 2 shows the time course of the measurement result. As photometry points,
According to the analysis sequence, 50 points are measured, and the measurement result is obtained. The first four photometric points A are water blank measurements, in which the absorbance is measured with deionized water injected into the reaction vessel 6. Next, after deionized water is removed by suction, sample dispensing (corresponding to photometric point B), first reagent dispensing (corresponding to photometric point C), and first reagent stirring (corresponding to photometric point D) are sequentially performed. Then, corresponding photometry is performed in each step. Then, after about 5 minutes, the dispensing of the second reagent (corresponding to the photometric point E) and the stirring of the second reagent (corresponding to the photometric point F) are performed, and the processing on the sample in the reaction vessel 6 is completed. The operation performed thereafter is only the photometric operation at all the remaining photometric points. In such an automatic analyzer in which only the photometric work is left,
For example, when a failure occurs in the sample dispensing unit, all the mechanisms of the automatic analyzer are stopped in the conventional operation control method. Was. On the other hand, in the operation control method according to the present invention implemented by the computer 19, at least the rotation of the reaction table 7 is limited so that the rotation of the reaction table 7 can be performed when a failure occurs in the dispensing unit or the stirring unit. Control is performed so as to continue the operation of the device portion related to the photometric operation and the processing of the photometric data, whereby the photometer is performed without discarding the sample that has progressed to the measurement point F, and the sample is used effectively. Things.

An operation control device realized by the computer 19 and an operation control method based on the operation control device will be described with reference to FIGS. The operation control device includes abnormality detection means 31 for capturing an abnormality signal generated in each part of the automatic analyzer, and abnormality detection means.
Error content identification means 32 for identifying the abnormal state detected by 31
And determination means 22 for determining what to do with the identified abnormal state and outputting a stop command. With this configuration, a control operation as shown in FIG. 4 is executed. First, in step 34, when an abnormality occurs, an abnormality occurrence content identification code (hereinafter referred to as an alarm code) is registered. The execution of this step corresponds to the function of the abnormality detecting means 31. The alarm codes correspond to all failures of the automatic analyzer, and all the alarm codes are provided with information on a level that determines the operation state of the automatic analyzer. In the next step 35, the degree of abnormality occurrence content is determined based on the registered alarm code. That is, it identifies abnormal contents, and corresponds to the function of the abnormal contents identifying means 32. In the next determination step 36, it is determined whether or not to stop the entire apparatus in consideration of the content of the abnormality. Specifically, when it is determined that the content of the abnormality is related to any one of the sample dispensing unit, the reagent dispensing unit, and the stirring unit, the process proceeds to step 37, and the part other than the part related to the reaction table and the photometry is performed. The other mechanical parts are stopped to be in a partially stopped state. On the other hand, when the content of the abnormality is not related to a portion other than the sample dispensing unit, the reagent dispensing unit, and the stirring unit, the automatic analysis is performed by stopping the reaction table and related parts and other mechanical parts in steps 38 and 37. Control is performed to stop the entire device. This operation part corresponds to the function of the determination means 33.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a display displayed on the device monitor. 40
Is a display surface of the device monitor, and the display surface is the CRT20.
1 is one screen of the display surface. When a table is formed at a predetermined position on the display surface 40 and an abnormality occurs in the automatic analyzer, the alarm code is displayed on the table. The alarm code is alarm name 41, alarm level 42, device name
43, code number 44, and occurrence time 45. The alarm name 41 indicates the location or cause of the alarm, and in this example, indicates the reagent nozzle. The alarm level 42 designates a stop level of the automatic analyzer. In the present invention, an analysis stop level is particularly added. According to the alarm level of "analysis stop", a mode is set in which all the mechanical parts other than the part related to the reaction table and the photometry are stopped and the measurement result is output. With such an alarm code of analysis stop, the stop operation control when an abnormality occurs according to the present invention can be realized.

It should be noted that when the photometric work on all the samples is completed for a plurality of samples in which only the photometric work is left, the automatic analyzer is controlled so that all the parts are stopped.

[Effects of the Invention] As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, in an automatic analyzer, a reagent and a sample are dispensed into a reaction vessel of a reaction table, and a sample for which stirring has been completed includes a dispensing unit and Even if an abnormality occurs in the stirrer, the measurement operation can be continued and measurement data can be obtained.
% Can be used effectively.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an automatic analyzer according to the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 3 shows an analysis sequence, FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of control means for executing operation control according to the present invention, FIG. 4 is a flowchart for controlling a stop operation when an abnormality occurs, and FIG. It is a figure showing a screen. [Explanation of Symbols] 1 ... Sample cup 2 ... Sample rack 3 ... Rack transport device 4 ... Sample dispensing probe 6 ... Reaction container 7 ... Reaction table 10 ... Reagent dispensing nozzle 13 ... Reagent bottle 14… Agitator 15… Light source 16… Multi-wavelength photometer

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A reaction table having a large number of reaction containers accommodating samples and reagents, the reaction table being rotated by a rotary drive unit with predetermined rotation characteristics, a sample supply unit for transporting a sample, and a sample supply unit. A sample dispensing unit that dispenses a sample into the reaction container, a sample dispensing unit that dispenses a reagent into the reaction container where the sample is dispensed, and a stirring unit that stirs the sample and the reagent in the reaction container. A photometric unit for measuring the concentration of the sample in the reaction vessel, an operation display unit for displaying and saving measurement results and inputting and displaying analysis conditions, and a control unit for controlling the operation of each unit. In the automatic analyzer, the control unit is an abnormality detection unit that detects an abnormality that has occurred in each unit, an identification unit that identifies the content of the abnormality,
Determining means for determining whether the content of the abnormality identified by the identifying means is related to any of the sample dispensing section, the reagent dispensing section, and the stirring section; When it is determined that the content of the abnormality is related to any of the sample dispensing unit, the reagent dispensing unit, and the stirring unit, at least the operation of the reaction table and the photometric unit is continued. An automatic analyzer characterized by being controlled.