JP2876424B2 - Residual liquid check device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a residual liquid check device that can monitor a liquid remaining amount and, in particular, detect a limit of liquid suction and control a probe operation.

(Prior art)

As such a residual liquid checking device, for example,
FIG. 6 and FIG. 6 (see Japanese Patent Publication No. 1-47744).

This shows a device for checking the residual liquid of a reagent in an automatic analyzer that dispenses reagents according to the analysis items into multiple reaction vessels and measures the antigen-antibody reaction process of serum samples. In the description, reference numeral 1 denotes a reaction table that is driven to rotate, 2 denotes a transparent reaction container disposed on the reaction table 1, 3 denotes a light emitting device, 4 denotes a light emitting device, and 5 denotes a reaction table that rotates in synchronization with the reaction table 1. A sample table 6 for storing samples and other samples to be dispensed into each reaction container 2; a plurality of reagent liquid layers containing various reagents to be dispensed to each reactor 2; An opening 9 of the reagent liquid layer 7, a pipette device 9 for inhaling a predetermined amount of sample from the sample container 6 and dispensing it into the reaction container 2, and a pipetting device 10 dispensing a reagent into each reaction container 2, Movable parts 11 and 12 that move to
And reagent suction and discharge pipes 13 and 14 that can move up and down. Reference numeral 15 denotes a microprocessor device, which has a function of measuring a change in absorbance in each reaction vessel 2 based on an output signal of the light receiving device 4, a function of driving and controlling the reaction table 1, the pipette devices 9, 10, and the like.

Here, the pipetting device 10 moves in the left-right direction along a rail (not shown), descends at the position of the corresponding opening 8, sucks the reagent solution, rises, and moves again in the direction of the reaction table 1. The reagent is discharged to the reaction container 2 stopped at a predetermined position. In order for the reagent suction / discharge pipes 13 and 14 to enter the respective reagent liquid tanks 7 through the openings 8 and to suck the reagents, the respective reagent liquid tanks are required. It is necessary that 7 has a predetermined amount or more of the reagent, and when the amount becomes less than the limit amount, it is necessary to move and enter another reagent solution tank 7 containing the same reagent. In order to check the amount of liquid remaining in each reagent solution tank 7,
As shown in FIG. 6, the tips of 3, 14 are composed of a probe 15 for sucking and discharging the reagent, an electrode 16 for detecting the liquid level of the reagent, and a shell 17 surrounding the electrode 16, and the electrode 16 detects the liquid level. Then, the height position is detected using the number of remaining pulses of the down counter of the pulse motor control circuit, and it is determined whether or not the height position has reached a preset lower limit position. When the number of remaining pulses becomes zero, it is determined that the probe 15 has reached the lower limit position, the suction of the reagent from the reagent solution tank 7 is stopped, and control such as moving the probe 15 to another reagent solution tank 7 is performed. Do.
In that case, it is also possible to display the lack of reagent on the CRT or to prompt the addition of the reagent by an alarm sound.

In the case of this residual liquid checking device, the CRT residual liquid amount is displayed based on the height position of the probe 15.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

By the way, in the conventional residual liquid check device, since the residual liquid amount and the suction limit are determined based on the height position where the tip of the probe 15 and the electrode 16 are electrically connected, the reagent liquid surface may be foamed. When swinging, conduction occurs at a position higher than the actual liquid level, and there is a problem that an accurate remaining liquid amount cannot be detected.

In addition, the shape of the reagent solution tank 7 formed of a soft material such as vinyl chloride changes due to unevenness in the manufacture of the solution tank in the initial stage of use and long-term use, and the remaining amount is measured by the simple height position of the probe 15. In some cases it was not possible.

The present invention has been made in view of the above situation, and an object of the present invention is to provide a remaining liquid checking device capable of always detecting a remaining liquid amount and a suction limit stably and accurately. Things.

[Means for solving the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, a residual liquid checking device according to the present invention includes a movable probe that suctions a predetermined amount of a specified liquid and dispenses the liquid into another container, and detects a lower limit of the movable probe to suction the liquid. Based on the technical premise of a residual liquid checking device having a suction limit indicating means for prohibiting the operation, a number registering means for presetting the number of possible suctions for each liquid container, and reducing the number of suctions based on the suction operation of the probe. It is characterized by comprising a reduction processing means and a suction limit selection means for selecting an output of any one of the reduction processing means and the suction limit indicating means to determine a suction limit.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on an embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a residual liquid checking apparatus according to this embodiment. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 19 denotes a keyboard device for performing data input and the like, 20 denotes a microprocessor device, and 31, 32, and 33 denote, for example, an antigen-antibody reaction measurement. 1st reagent, 2nd reagent, 3rd used
A pipette device has a function of inhaling a reagent and dispensing it into each reaction container, 35 is a CRT, and 36 is a warning device.
The microprocessor device 20 includes a remaining amount table 21 for registering the number of times F ₁ (hereinafter simply referred to as the number of times of inhalation) of the probe which is input from the keyboard device 19 according to the actual volume of each liquid container, A subtraction calculating unit 22 for calculating the number of times of one inhalation when an inhalation operation is performed;
Provided with a reduction processing unit 23 subtracts from the registration number F ₁ updates the registration number F ₁ of each liquid container (F ₁ → F ₁ -1) and the lowering limit position of each Pipeddo devices 31, 32, 33 A suction limit indicating device 24 for detecting or detecting and prohibiting liquid suction from the container, a reduction processing device 23 and a suction limit indicating device 24
And a suction limit selection device 26 which selects one of the output signals as an input and outputs a control signal to the drive control device 25 of each of the pipette devices 31, 32, 33.

The detection of the lower limit position of each of the pipette devices 31, 32, 33 may be performed by ordinary technical means such as detecting the number of pulses of the drive pulse motor or detecting the position by a limit switch. Also,
The liquid level can be detected based on a change in capacitance at the tip of the probe without providing an electrode at the tip of the suction and discharge pipe.

Next, the operation of the present device configured as described above will be described.

Similar to the conventional apparatus, for example, a case where the present apparatus is applied to an automatic analyzer that performs a plurality of sample analyzes will be described as an example. Further, for the sake of simplicity, it is assumed that one inhalation amount of each pipette device 31, 32, 33 corresponds to one registration number.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, there are a plurality of reagent containers 41, 42, 43 containing the same reagent, and the amount of reagent actually remaining in each container is R ₁ = 100, R ₂ , respectively. = 80 and R ₃ = 100. Note that R ₁ , R ₂ , and R ₃ are point numbers that match the number of times inhalation can be actually performed (for example, when R ₁ = 10, it means that 10 inhalations are possible).

Before starting the automatic analyzer, the operator inhalable number F _1-1 of each reagent container 41, 42, 43, F _1-2, but not the F _1-3 keying, respectively In this case, F _1-1 = 80, F
Assuming that the settings have been registered as _1-2 = 100 and F _1-3 = 0, and if the entire apparatus is started under such conditions, each pipette apparatus 31, 32, 33 transfers the specified reagent to the reaction vessel. Start dispensing operation. For example, when the pipette device 31 dispenses and dispenses the first reagent, and repeatedly inhales the reagent from the reagent container 41, the decrement calculation unit 22 determines that the inhalation operation is performed once in the remaining amount table 21 once. an output signal indicating the corresponding sent to reduction processing unit 23, reducer number processor 23 counts down one by one point for inhalation operation from the registration number F _1-1 of the remaining amount table 21, the registration number F _{1 -1} successively update the _{(F 1-1 → F 1-1 -1)} . However, registration number F _1-1 of the reagent container 41 is 80, since the actual remaining R ₁ initial time point was 100, actually be a F _1-1 = 0 remains reagents 20 points by being an instruction signal S _T from the suction limit instruction device 24 to prohibit the detection to the reagent suction lowering limit position of the pipetting device 31 is in a state of not being output. In this case, the suction limit selecting device 26 outputs the signal of F _1-1 = 0 and the instruction signal _ST.
Priority is selected for either one. In the case of an automatic analyzer for measuring an antigen-antibody reaction, the first reagent and the second reagent generally do not perform the reagent blank measurement (deterioration measurement) every time the bolt is replaced, so it is not necessary to leave the first reagent in the reagent container 41. Absent. Therefore, the income limit selecting device 26 is an inhalation limit indicating device.
Priority signal S _T of 24, even when the F _1-1 = 0 to continue the suction operation. Then, when the signal _ST is input, the pipette device 31 outputs a control signal to the drive control device 25 so as to shift the suction operation to the next reagent container 42.

On the other hand, the reagent container 42 has the registration number F _1-2 = 100 and the actual remaining amount R ₂
Since R = 80, R ₂ = 0 before F _1-2 = 0, and the signal _ST is input. When the pipetting device 31 reaches the lower limit, it means that there is no reagent to be inhaled, so that R ₂ =
When it becomes 0 and the signal _ST is input, the suction limit selecting device 26 moves the pipette device 31 to the next suction operation into the reagent container 43 irrespective of F _1-2 = 20.

In the reagent container 43, the number of registrations F _1-3 = 0 and the actual remaining amount R ₃ = 100. This is the case of F ₁ <R as in the case of the reagent container 41, and the suction is continued until R ₃ = 0.

Next, a description will be given of a case of a third reagent which requires a blank measurement every time the reagent bolt is changed.

The reagent blank measurement means a blank measurement of the third reagent. When a plurality of bolts are set in the third reagent when the third reagent bolt becomes empty, the next reagent bolt is automatically set. Used for At this time, the reagent blank is replaced.

When performing the re-replacement of the reagent blank, it is necessary that the reaction container not containing the sample is set at the position where the third reagent is added. Since the required amount of the third reagent must be present in the third reagent volt, the remaining reagent remaining in the third reagent volt is always counted. The sampling is stopped as many times as the number of times of the blank measurement. When a plurality of the third reagent bolts are set, sampling is started again.

Note that by displaying the numerical value of the registration number F ₁ and Jitsuzanryou R to CRT 35, it is possible to monitor the remaining amount, also, F ₁ =
In the case where 0 and R = 0, if the operator is alerted by the warning device 36, appropriate processing such as addition of a reagent can be performed. Needless to say, the residual liquid checking device according to the present invention is applicable to devices other than the automatic analyzer.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the residual liquid checking device according to the present invention, it is possible to accurately detect the suction limit even when bubbling of the liquid surface or fluctuation of the liquid surface occurs. Even if it is deformed, a number of excellent effects are exhibited, such as that a correct remaining liquid check can always be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a residual liquid checking apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 2 to 4 are explanatory diagrams showing the relationship between the actual remaining amount of a reagent container and the number of registrations, respectively, and FIG. Is a structural explanatory view showing an automatic analyzer, and FIG. 6 is a structural view showing a conventional probe. [Explanation of Signs] 19 Keyboard device (count registering means) 21 Remaining amount table (count registering means) 22 Reduce count calculating section (decrease processing means) 23 Reduce count processing apparatus (decrease processing means) 24 … Inhalation limit indicating device 26 …… inhalation limit selection device

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-64-46653 (JP, A) JP-A-60-168052 (JP, A) JP-A-59-35147 (JP, A) JP-A-58-99759 (JP) , A) Fully open 1986-154566 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G01N 35/00-35/10

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A movable probe for absorbing a specified amount of liquid and dispensing the liquid into another container; and a suction limit indicating means for detecting a lower limit of the movable probe and inhibiting a suction operation of the liquid. In the liquid check device, the number of times of inhalation can be set in advance for each liquid container, a number of times registration means, a number reduction processing means for reducing the number of times of suction based on the suction operation of the probe, a number reduction processing means, and a number of suction limit instructing means. A residual liquid checking device comprising a suction limit selecting means for selecting one of the outputs to determine a suction limit.