JP6047385B2 - Automatic analyzer - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an automatic analyzer that performs quantitative or qualitative analysis of components such as blood and urine, and more particularly to an automatic analyzer that handles whole blood and blood cells as samples.

  Automatic analyzers that perform quantitative or qualitative analysis of specific components contained in biological samples such as blood and urine are indispensable for current diagnosis due to the reproducibility of analysis results and high processing speed. Yes. The number of analysis items of such an automatic analyzer is steadily increasing with the advance of medical treatment, but in recent years, the demand for an analyzer corresponding to hemoglobin A1c analysis is increasing in response to the metabolic screening.

  Unlike general biochemical analysis items, hemoglobin A1c analysis analyzes whole blood or blood cell samples. Since whole blood or a blood cell sample is difficult to analyze as it is, it is common to perform a pretreatment such as a hemolysis treatment (a treatment for destroying red blood cells and eluting the internal components of the blood cells). The sample subjected to the hemolysis treatment is then analyzed by adding a reagent in the same manner as a normal serum sample.

  As a method of carrying out such hemolysis treatment with an automatic analyzer, roughly, as described in Patent Document 1, a method of changing dispensing control so that pretreatment can be carried out on a reaction disk, A method of providing a pretreatment disk (dilution disk) for performing pretreatment exclusively as described in Patent Document 2 is known.

JP-A-6-82460 JP-A-8-194004

  In the method described in Patent Document 1, in addition to a dispensing operation for a single sample dispensing mechanism to add a reagent to a sample and perform an analysis, the sample is diluted or pretreated before the analysis. A dispensing operation in which a liquid is added and pretreatment is performed, and a diluted / pretreated sample is collected from a reaction vessel and redispensed in another reaction vessel. Therefore, it is possible to provide an automatic analyzer having an automatic pretreatment function on the apparatus without increasing an extra mechanism, while the sample dispensing mechanism is performing sample dispensing for pretreatment. Since sample dispensing for analysis cannot be performed, the processing capability of the apparatus is greatly reduced particularly when the ratio of analysis items to be pretreated is high.

  In addition, a single sample dispensing mechanism is used to dispense multiple types of samples such as serum, plasma, whole blood, blood cells, etc. Each of these samples has a different liquidity, for example, viscosity (specific viscosity) As for sera, there are large differences depending on the type of sample: 1.70 to 2.00 for serum, 1.72 to 2.03 for plasma, 4.40 to 4.74 for whole blood, and 60 to 60 for blood cells. Therefore, in order to dispense a minute amount of serum of about 1 μL with good reproducibility, reducing the inner diameter of the nozzle increases the suction resistance of a sample with a large viscosity such as whole blood or blood cells, and the static pressure in the suction pump is reduced. Since the fixed time is long, accurate and quick sample dispensing is hindered.

  Conversely, if the nozzle inner diameter is increased in accordance with suction of a sample having a high viscosity, there is a drawback that the reproducibility of dispensing is reduced in a minute dispensing region of about 1 μL.

  In the analysis of whole blood samples, the whole blood is centrifuged and the blood cells at the bottom of the sample container are aspirated. Unlike the collection of serum and plasma, the nozzle is immersed in the sample for a long distance, and the nozzle washing tank In addition, it is necessary to consider the nozzle shape and the like, and the dispensing operation needs to be changed from the collection of serum or plasma, so that the control becomes complicated. In addition, the method described in Patent Document 2 has a configuration in which a sample is transferred to a dilution table in advance, the sample is diluted / pretreated, and the sample diluted / pretreated in the reaction vessel is analyzed.

  In the above method, sample pretreatment on the dilution table is performed in advance, so that sample dispensing from the dilution table to the reaction vessel can be concentrated only on sample analysis, whole blood and blood cells are also pretreated, Viscosity is reduced to serum level, and viscosity does not interfere with sample dispensing.

  However, with the addition of a dilution table, a dilution container cleaning mechanism, a stirring mechanism, a dilution pipette that transfers the sample from the sample container to the dilution table, a sample suction pump that sucks the sample with the dilution pipette, a cleaning tank for the nozzle of the dilution pipette, etc. As the number of mechanism points increases, there is a concern that the mechanism will become more complicated and the area of the apparatus will increase.

  The configuration of the present invention for achieving the above object is as follows.

A reaction disk having a plurality of reaction containers on the circumference for containing liquid; and a disk rotating mechanism for driving the reaction disk to rotate a distance corresponding to a predetermined number of reaction containers in one cycle. In the automatic analyzer, pretreatment was performed with a first sample dispensing mechanism in which the number of operation cycles for collecting and discharging a pretreatment sample for performing pretreatment before measurement is n cycles (an integer of n ≧ 2) . A second sample dispensing mechanism in which an operation cycle for collecting and discharging a pretreated sample is one cycle, and a pretreatment liquid is added to the reaction container containing the pretreatment sample before the pretreatment sample. A pretreatment liquid dispensing mechanism for performing processing, a sample transport mechanism for positioning a sample container for housing the pretreatment sample at a position where the first sample dispensing mechanism collects the pretreatment sample, and the disk rotation Mechanism, said First and the second sample dispensing mechanism, the pretreatment liquid dispensing mechanism, and, a control unit for controlling the sample transfer mechanism, said first and said second sample dispensing mechanism are each independently work, performed each dispensing of the pretreatment prior sample and the pre-processed samples for each reaction vessel on the reaction disk, before Symbol first sample dispensing mechanism of the pretreatment before the sample the reaction vessel was stopped in a first position to be discharged, after a predetermined cycle, the second sample dispensing mechanism is controlled to stop in the second position for ejecting the sample, and, said second The sample dispensing mechanism is configured to collect the pretreated sample from the reaction container containing the pretreated sample, and to a reaction container that stops at the second position and does not contain the pretreated sample. Dispensing operation including discharging operation of the pre-processed sample in one cycle It is controlled to Migihitsuji, the pretreatment before and the sample reaction vessel is housed a starting point cycle was stopped at the second position, the relative reaction vessel in which the pre-processing before the sample is received pretreatment liquid dispensing mechanism performs preprocessing, and discharges into the reaction vessel the second sample dispensing mechanism is not the pretreated sample accommodated in the pretreated sample was taken the second position, the carried out in 1 cycle When the number of redispensing cycles until the dispensing operation is performed is Z , the control unit is configured so that Z is not divisible by n, and the disk rotating mechanism, the first and second sample dispensing mechanisms It is an automatic analyzer that controls. In particular, unless otherwise specified in the claims, the pretreatment described in the claims includes dilution.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent a reduction in processing capacity due to a useless empty cycle in a sample pretreatment (including dilution) step.

The perspective view of the Example of the automatic analyzer to which this invention is applied. The top view of the Example of the automatic analyzer to which this invention is applied. The stop position of the reaction container 2 of this application and the Example of the point which performs the measurement of the spectrophotometer 4. FIG. An example of the cycle chart of this application (analysis of only the colorimetric analysis item which does not require pre-processing). An example of a cycle chart using conventional technology (analysis of only colorimetric analysis items that do not require preprocessing). Examples of different use of the sample dispensing mechanism depending on the difference in sample collection. The example of the sample dispensing mechanism operation | movement sequence by the difference in sample collection. An example of a cycle chart in which a pretreatment reaction vessel and a measurement reaction vessel do not compete (analysis of only HbA1c that requires pretreatment). An example of a cycle chart in which a pretreatment reaction vessel and a measurement reaction vessel compete (analysis of only HbA1c that requires pretreatment). The use situation of the reaction container according to the number of pretreated sample dispensing cycles (when the number of dispensing cycles of the sample dispensing mechanism 12 is 2).

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

  1 and 2 are schematic views showing an embodiment of an automatic analyzer to which the present invention is applied.

  On the reaction disk 1, reaction vessels 2 are arranged on the circumference. The reaction disk is controlled by a drive mechanism such as a motor so that the reaction disk is rotationally driven by a distance corresponding to a predetermined number of reaction vessels in one cycle. A plurality of reagent bottles 10 can be placed on the circumference of the reagent disk 9. A sample transport mechanism 17 for moving a rack 16 on which a sample container 15 is placed is installed near the reaction disk 1. This transport mechanism has a role of transporting a container containing a sample put in from the outside of the apparatus. Reagent dispensing mechanisms 7 and 8 are installed between the reaction disk 1 and the reagent disk 9, and are provided with reagent nozzles 7a and 8a, respectively. Reagent pumps 18 are connected to the nozzles 7a and 8a, respectively. Between the reaction disk 1 and the sample transport mechanism 17, there are installed sample dispensing mechanisms 11, 12 that can rotate and move up and down, and are provided with sample nozzles 11a, 12a, respectively. A sample pump 19 is connected to each of the sample nozzles 11a and 12a.

  The sample nozzles 11a and 12a move while drawing an arc around the rotation axis to dispense the sample from the sample container to the reaction cell, and on the orbit of the sample nozzle 11a, the sample suction position 23a on the sample transport mechanism and The sample discharge position 22a on the reaction disk, the sample collection position 23c of the diluted / pretreated sample, and the cleaning tank 13 for cleaning the sample nozzle are present. The sample suction position 23b, the sample discharge position 22b on the reaction disk, and the cleaning tank 14 for cleaning the sample nozzle exist, and are arranged so that the trajectories of the sample nozzles 11a and 12a do not interfere with each other. The transport mechanism is controlled by the transport controller so that the sample container at the sample suction position 23a and the sample container at the sample suction position 23b can be transported independently. Further, the sample transport mechanism 17 transports the rack 16 from left to right in FIG. 1, and the sample suction position 23a is located upstream of the transport mechanism 17 with respect to the sample suction position 23b (see FIG. 2).

  Around the reaction disk 1, a cleaning mechanism 3, a spectrophotometer 4, stirring mechanisms 5 and 6, a reagent disk 9, and a sample transport mechanism 17 are disposed, and a cleaning pump 20 is connected to the cleaning mechanism 3. Washing tanks 13, 14, 30, 31, 32, and 33 are installed on the operation ranges of the reagent dispensing mechanisms 7 and 8, the sample dispensing mechanisms 11 and 12, and the stirring mechanisms 5 and 6, respectively. Each mechanism is connected to a controller 21 (control unit). The controller 21 (control unit) controls various mechanisms such as the rotational drive of the reaction disk, the drive of the sample nozzle, the sample suction and the sample discharge, and the transport mechanism of the sample container.

  Next, the basic operation of the automatic analyzer to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to FIGS.

  The automatic analyzer of the present embodiment has 29 reaction vessels 2-1 to 2-29 on the reaction disk 1. The reaction disk repeats rotation and stop for 6 reaction vessels counterclockwise in 1 cycle, and rotates 1 rotation plus 1 reaction vessel in 5 cycles. By repeating the above operation, the reaction vessel returns to the same position in 29 cycles. In this embodiment, the sample dispensing mechanism 11 collects samples of analysis items that do not require dilution / pretreatment, and the sample dispensing mechanism 12 collects samples to be diluted / pretreated before analysis. The sample dispensing mechanism 11 and the sample dispensing mechanism 12 have dedicated sample discharge positions 22a and 22b, respectively, and the above-described sample discharge positions are opened by dividing six reaction containers corresponding to one cycle of rotation of the reaction disk. The sample dispensing mechanism 12 can discharge the sample to the same reaction container one cycle before the sample dispensing mechanism 11.

  FIG. 3 shows the stop position of the reaction vessel 2 in 29 cycles and the points at which measurement is performed by the spectrophotometer 4 when the reaction vessel 2-1 stops at the sample discharge position 22b. The movement of the reaction vessel 2 will be described by taking the reaction vessel 2-1 as an example.

  The reaction container 2-1 that has been at the sample discharge position 22 b at cycle 0 stops at the sample discharge position 22 a at cycle 1. When the sample dispensing mechanism 12 is discharging the sample to the reaction container 2-1 at cycle 0, the sample dispensing mechanism 11 does not discharge the sample to the reaction container 2-1 at cycle 1. In cycle 2, the reaction vessel 2-1 stops at the first reagent discharge position 76, the reagent R1 is used for a measurement sample that does not require dilution / pretreatment, and the diluent / pretreatment is used for a sample that performs dilution / pretreatment. The liquid is added by the reagent dispensing mechanism 7. In cycle 3, the reaction vessel 2-1 stops at the first stirring position 73, and the sample of the reaction vessel 2-1 that has become the reaction solution is stirred by the stirring mechanism 6. When the sample in the container 2-1 is a measurement sample that does not require dilution / pretreatment, the absorbance of the reaction solution is measured when passing through the spectrophotometer 4 in cycles 3 to 4 and cycles 8 to 9. taking measurement.

  When the sample in the reaction vessel 2-1 is a sample to be diluted / pretreated, the sample dispensing mechanism 11 collects the diluted / pretreated sample when the sample is stopped at the sample suction position 23c in cycle 6. Then, the sample is re-dispensed into the reaction vessel 2-2 stopped at the sample discharge position 22a. That is, the reaction disk 1 and the reagent dispensing mechanism 8 function as a pretreatment unit that performs pretreatment on the whole blood sample or blood cell sample, and the sample dispensing mechanism 11 discharges the sample after the pretreatment is completed. It is discharged into the reaction vessel at position 22a.

The diluted / pretreated sample that has been re-dispensed into the reaction vessel 2-2 stops at the first reagent discharge position 76 in cycle 7, and is the reagent for analysis measurement as in the measurement sample that does not require dilution / pretreatment. The reagent dispensing mechanism 7 adds R1. (The description of the diluted / pretreated sample at the subsequent stop position is omitted because it is the same as the measurement sample that does not require dilution / pretreatment.)
The reaction container 2-1 containing the measurement sample that does not require dilution / pretreatment stops at the second reagent discharge position 75 in cycle 11, and the reagent dispensing mechanism 8 adds the reagent R2 to the reaction solution. In cycle 12, the reaction vessel 2-1 stops at the second stirring position 74, and the stirring mechanism 5 stirs the reaction solution. From cycle 13 to 14 and cycle 17 to 18, the reaction vessel 2-1 passes in front of the spectrophotometer 4 and measures the absorbance of the reaction solution.

  In cycle 18, the reaction vessel 2-1 stops at the waste liquid suction position 70, and the cleaning mechanism 3 sucks the measured reaction liquid and simultaneously adds the cleaning liquid. In the next cycle 19, the reaction container 2-1 stops at the blank water discharge position 71, the cleaning mechanism 3 sucks the cleaning liquid, and simultaneously discharges blank water for performing the blank measurement of the reaction container. From cycle 22 to 23, the reaction vessel 2-1 passes in front of the spectrophotometer 4 and measures the absorbance of the reaction solution. In cycle 24, the reaction vessel 2-1 stops at the blank water suction position 72, the cleaning mechanism 3 sucks the blank water, becomes a clean state, and is reused in step 29 (not shown) for analysis of a new specimen. .

  The above is the basic operation of the automatic analyzer in this embodiment. Next, details of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 4 is an example of a cycle chart when analyzing only the colorimetric analysis items that do not require preprocessing in the automatic analyzer to which the present invention is applied. In the figure, the horizontal axis represents the analysis cycle, and the cycle 0 is defined when the reaction vessel 2-1 stops at the sample discharge position 22b. The vertical axis of the figure shows the operation order, the sample collected by each sample dispensing mechanism, the analysis item requested for the sample, and the number of the reaction container used in the analysis.

  Explain the analysis cycle. Since the sample dispensing mechanism 12 collects a sample for pretreatment exclusively, it does not operate in the cycle chart of this analysis. Therefore, nothing is dispensed into the reaction vessel 2-1 in cycle 0. In cycle 1, the sample dispensing mechanism 11 discharges the sample S for AST analysis of the specimen A into the reaction container 2-1. In cycle 2, the reagent dispensing mechanism 7 adds the reagent R1 into the sample S in the reaction container 2-1, and simultaneously, the sample S for ALT analysis of the specimen A is discharged into the reaction container 2-7. In cycle 3, the sample S in the reaction vessel 2-1 that became the reaction solution is stirred by the stirring mechanism 6, and at the same time, the reagent R1 is added to the sample S in the reaction vessel 2-7, and the sample A is put in the reaction vessel 2-13. The sample S for γGTP analysis is discharged. Next, the absorbance of the reaction solution in the reaction vessel 2-1 is measured with the spectrophotometer 4 between cycles 3 to 4 and 8 to 9. In cycles 11 to 12, the reagent R2 is added to the reaction solution in the reaction vessel 2-1 by the reagent dispensing mechanism 8, the reaction solution is stirred by the stirring mechanism 5, and the reaction solution between cycles 13 to 14 and 17 to 18 is obtained. Is measured with a spectrophotometer 4. After the analysis items are measured in the above cycle, the reaction solution in the reaction vessel 2-1 is sucked up by the cleaning mechanism 3 in cycle 18 and the cleaning water is injected. Then, in the cycle 19, washing water is sucked up by the washing mechanism 3, and blank water is added to the cleaned reaction vessel 2-1. The reaction vessel blank measurement of the reaction vessel 2-1 is performed with the spectrophotometer 4 between cycles 23 to 24. In the next cycle 24, the blank water in the reaction vessel 2-1 is sucked up by the washing mechanism 3 to become a clean reaction vessel 2-1, and is reused in cycle 30 for analysis of a new sample.

  On the other hand, FIG. 5 is an example of a cycle chart when analyzing the same analysis items as those in FIG. 4 by a conventional automatic analyzer as described in Patent Document 1. As a form of the conventional automatic analyzer, it is considered that the sample dispensing mechanism 12 in the present embodiment is not present, and when the reaction vessel 2-1 stops at the sample discharge position 22b as in FIG. Then, nothing is dispensed into the reaction vessel 2-1 in cycle 0. As shown in the drawing, it is obvious that the analysis cycle chart is the same as that in FIG. 4 from the cycle 1, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  Therefore, there is no difference in processing capability between the present application and the conventional automatic analyzer in the analysis of only the colorimetric analysis items that do not require preprocessing. However, in recent years, in addition to the usual colorimetric items, there are also items that require sample pretreatment in advance. One example is hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) analysis used in metabolic screening. Unlike a general biochemical analysis item, HbA1c analysis analyzes a whole blood sample. Since a whole blood sample is difficult to analyze as it is, it is common to perform a pretreatment such as a hemolysis treatment (a treatment that destroys red blood cells and elutes internal components of blood cells). The sample subjected to the hemolysis treatment is then analyzed by adding a reagent in the same manner as a normal serum sample. This patent is effective when an analysis item that requires pretreatment of a sample in advance, such as HbA1c, is carried out by an automatic analyzer having a high unit time processing capability.

  Then, in the automatic analyzer of the present application in FIG. 6, whole blood performed by the sample dispensing mechanism 12 for performing serum aspiration performed by the sample dispensing mechanism 11 to analyze general biochemical analysis items and HbA1c analysis. An example of performing suction is shown.

  The sample dispensing mechanism 11 shown in FIG. 1 collects samples for analysis of general biochemical items from the vicinity of the serum level, whereas the sample dispensing mechanism 12 is centrifuged for HbA1c analysis. It is necessary to collect red blood cells from the blood cell portion of the whole blood sample (sample container 15 bottom).

  FIG. 7 is an example of an operation sequence of an automatic analyzer equipped with the present invention for dispensing the sample sucked in FIG. 6 into the reaction vessel 2 of the reaction disk 1. One cycle is between T0 and T1, and between T1 and T2.

  From time T0 to T1, the sample dispensing mechanism 11 moves to the sample suction position 23a, moves to the sample discharge position 22a after sampling. After the sample dispensing mechanism 11 finishes discharging the sample, it moves to the cleaning tank 13 and cleans the sample nozzle 11a.

  The sample dispensing mechanism 12 moves to the sample suction position 23b and collects the sample. In the case where the sample is the centrifuged blood cell shown in FIG. 7, since the viscosity is large, it takes time for the pressure in the sample nozzle 25 to stabilize after suction.

  Further, after collecting the sample, it is necessary to wash away unnecessary serum attached to the outer periphery of the sample nozzle 25 in the washing tank 14. The sample transport mechanism 17 completes the sampling of the sample by the sample dispensing mechanisms 11 and 12 and moves the rack 16 with the start of the horizontal movement to transport new samples to the sample sampling positions 23a and 23b (a plurality of samples with the same sample). Analysis items have not been requested).

  The reaction disc 1 moves the reaction vessel 2 after the sample dispensing mechanism 11 finishes discharging the sample and starts horizontal movement.

  From the next time T1 to T2, the sample dispensing mechanism 11 performs a similar dispensing operation on a new sample.

  The sample dispensing mechanism 12 moves from the cleaning tank 14 to the sample discharge position 22b, and after discharging the sample, returns to the cleaning tank 14 again to clean the sample nozzle 12a.

  The sample transport mechanism 17 does not move the rack 16 at the sample collection position 23b because the sample dispensing mechanism 12 has not yet sucked the sample at the sample suction position 23b. On the other hand, if no other items are requested for the sample at the sample collection position 23a, the rack 16 is moved to supply a new sample.

  The reaction disc 1 moves the reaction cell after the sample dispensing mechanisms 11 and 12 have finished discharging the sample and started horizontal movement. In this example, the sample dispensing mechanism 12 shows an example that requires twice as many cycles from sample suction to sample discharge. However, the cycle is not limited to two times, and is n times (an integer of n ≧ 2). Good. In this example, it can be seen that the sample nozzle 12a discharges the sample by the sample nozzle 11a with respect to the reaction vessel that is rotated without moving the sample (the reaction vessel moves from T0 to T1) ( Sample ejection from the sample nozzle 11a within T1 to T2). In this example, although not shown, sample dispensing (sample ejection) is performed from T2 to T3 because the sample container containing the sample ejected by the sample nozzle 12a is located at the sample ejection position 22a. Not to be controlled.

  As described above, since the sample collection method for serum and whole blood blood cells is greatly different, the sample dispensing mechanism 11 and the sample dispensing mechanism 12 are different from the sample supply to the sample collection positions 23a and 23b of the sample transport mechanism 17. Control is performed independently until the dispensing operation is performed, and the respective sample dispensing mechanisms operate according to the availability of the reaction vessel 2 in the reaction disk 1, so that there is no empty space in the reaction vessel 2, and the unit time of the apparatus It operates so that the hit processing capacity is maximized.

  Further, as apparent from FIG. 7, the blood cell collection process takes more time than the serum blood collection process. In FIG. 7, the operation time of the sample dispensing mechanism 12 is set to be twice as long as the operation time of the sample dispensing mechanism 11. In a conventional automatic analyzer as described in Patent Document 1, it takes at least twice as much time to collect a sample for pretreatment with HbA1c as to collect a sample from normal serum. Will cause a large drop in processing capacity.

  In addition, in order to improve the throughput per unit time of serum samples that do not require dilution / pretreatment, if the operating time of the sample dispensing mechanism is shortened, in some cases, it will take more than twice the time of serum dispensing. It must be used for sampling for pretreatment of HbA1c, and the number of empty spaces in the reaction vessel 2 increases accordingly, which causes a further decrease in processing capacity.

  FIG. 8 shows an example in which HbA1c is measured on 15 samples A to O by the automatic analyzer according to the present application. As described above, the sample dispensing mechanism 12 is in charge of collecting a sample for pretreatment, and the sample dispensing mechanism 11 is in charge of redispensing the pretreated sample into the reaction container. Setting that takes twice the operating time of the sample dispensing mechanism 12 (sample collection for pretreatment) with respect to the operating time of the sample dispensing mechanism 11 (redispensing the pretreated sample into the reaction container) When the dispensing cycle of the dispensing mechanism 12 is 1, the dispensing cycle of the sample dispensing mechanism 12 is 2).

  In cycle 0, the sample dispensing mechanism 12 collects the sample S ′ for pretreatment from the specimen A in the previous cycle-1 (not shown) and discharges it to the reaction vessel 2-1. In cycle 1, the reaction vessel 2-1 moves to the sample discharge position 22a. Next, in cycle 2, the pretreatment liquid is added to the sample S ′ in the reaction vessel 2-1 by the reagent dispensing mechanism 7, and at the same time, the sample S for pretreatment collected from the sample B by the sample dispensing mechanism 12 in cycle 1. 'Is discharged into the reaction vessel 2-13. In cycle 3, the sample in the reaction vessel 2-1 to which the pretreatment liquid has been added is stirred by the stirring mechanism 6.

  In cycle 6, the reaction container 2-1 stops at the sample collection position 23c, and the sample dispensing mechanism 11 collects the preprocessed sample from the reaction container 2-1, and the reaction container stopped at the sample discharge position 22a. Re-dispense to 2-2. Resampled pre-treated samples of specimen A are added with reagents R1 and R2 and the absorbance is measured with a spectrophotometer 4 in the same manner as the sample analysis of the usual colorimetric items shown in FIG.

  By repeating the above operation, the sample dispensing mechanism 12 continues to dispense the pretreated sample without interruption, and the sample dispensing mechanism 11 re-dispenses the pretreated sample 2 after the sixth cycle from the start of dispensing. It is performed without interruption every cycle, and the re-dispensing of the O sample is completed in 34 cycles from the start of the dispensing of the A sample (the cycle chart after the operation order 31 is omitted).

  In other words, with the exception of the few reaction vessels immediately after starting the sample pretreatment, half of the reaction vessels are used for sample pretreatment, the other half of the reaction vessels are used for pretreated sample analysis, and the reaction vessels are empty. dont make.

  Here, there are two reasons why the reaction container cannot be empty. One is that the sample dispensing cycle of the sample for pretreatment by the sample dispensing mechanism 12 is set to 2. By setting the dispensing cycle to 2, half of the total reaction vessel is used for sample pretreatment. The remaining half of the reaction vessel is used for the measurement of the pretreated sample, so that no empty space is created in the reaction vessel.

  Another reason why there is no vacancy is that when the pretreatment sample dispensing cycle is 2, the timing at which the reaction vessel used for the pretreatment stops at the sample discharge position 22a of the sample dispensing mechanism 11 starts. This is because the number of re-dispensing cycles of the pretreated sample in the sample dispensing mechanism 11 is an odd number. In the embodiment of FIG. 8, the number of re-dispensing cycles is 5 (odd number). However, when this is an even number, the reaction container in which the sample dispensing mechanism 12 dispenses the sample for pretreatment is the sample dispensing volume. Since it is determined to be used for the analysis of the pretreated sample by the injection mechanism 11, the pretreated sample cannot be dispensed once every two cycles, and an empty space is created in the reaction container. The case where HbA1c is performed when the number of redispensing cycles is 6 will be described with reference to FIG.

  In FIG. 9, the number of re-dispensing cycles of the pretreated sample in the sample dispensing mechanism 11 starting from the timing at which the reaction vessel subjected to the pretreatment stops at the sample discharge position 22 a of the sample dispensing mechanism 11 is set to 6. This is an example in which measurement of HbA1c was performed on 13 samples A to M by an automatic analyzer. The number of dispensing cycles of the pretreated sample by the sample dispensing mechanism 11 is 1, and the number of dispensing cycles of the sample for pretreatment by the sample dispensing mechanism 12 is set to 2.

  A basic sequence will be described by taking the sample A as an example. For the sample A, the sample dispensing mechanism 12 collects the sample S ′ for pretreatment from the sample A in the previous cycle-1 (not shown) at cycle 0 and discharges it to the reaction container 2-1. In cycle 1, the reaction vessel 2-1 moves to the sample discharge position 22a. In cycle 2, the pretreatment liquid is added to the sample S ′ in the reaction container 2-1 by the reagent dispensing mechanism 7, and in cycle 3, the sample in the reaction container 2-1 to which the pretreatment liquid has been added is stirred by the stirring mechanism 6. In cycle 7 (6 cycles after the reaction container 2-1 stops at the sample discharge position 22a), the sample dispensing mechanism 11 collects the pretreated sample from the reaction container 2-1, and stops at the sample discharge position 22a. Re-dispense into the existing reaction vessel 2-8. Resampled pre-treated samples of specimen A are added with reagents R1 and R2 and the absorbance is measured with a spectrophotometer 4 in the same manner as the sample analysis of the usual colorimetric items shown in FIG.

  Subsequent to specimen A, specimens B and C are each dispensed with a sample for pretreatment into the reaction container every two cycles by the specimen dispensing mechanism 12. Note that the reaction vessel 2-13 is used for the sample B, and the reaction vessel 2-25 is used as the pretreatment reaction vessel for the sample C.

  Here, when the sample for pretreatment is to be dispensed from the sample D following the sample C, the reaction vessel 2-8 for pretreatment of the sample D is already used as a reaction vessel for measuring the sample A. It has been decided. Therefore, the reaction vessel 2-14 that comes in the next cycle is used for the pretreatment of the specimen D. As a result, the reaction vessel 2-15 becomes an empty reaction vessel that is not used for pretreatment or measurement. A similar phenomenon occurs in the specimen G, specimen J, and specimen M, and the reaction container is vacated once every seven cycles.

  Here, with reference to FIG. 10, in the setting that the number of dispensing cycles of the pretreated sample by the sample dispensing mechanism 11 is 1 and the number of dispensing cycles of the sample for pretreatment by the sample dispensing mechanism 12 is 2, When the number of re-dispensing cycles of the pretreated sample in the sample dispensing mechanism 11 starting from the timing at which the reaction container subjected to the treatment stops at the sample discharge position 22a of the sample dispensing mechanism 11 is set to 5 to 10. The use situation of the reaction vessel will be described.

  FIG. 10 shows the order in which the reaction containers are used from the viewpoint of the order in which the reaction containers stop at the sample discharge position 22 a of the sample dispensing mechanism 11. The reaction vessels are used in the order of broken line arrows shown in FIG. In order to show which reaction container is dispensed from which reaction container in the dispensing of the pretreated sample by the sample dispensing mechanism 11, the order of use is arranged in the vertical axis direction, and the number of re-dispensing cycles is , Moved to the right column and the order of use is arranged. Here, the reaction container used for dispensing the pretreated sample by the sample dispensing mechanism 11 is indicated by a solid arrow. Taking the upper left of FIG. 10A as an example, this means that a pretreated sample is dispensed from the reaction vessel 2-1 to the reaction vessel 2-2. Unused (empty) reaction vessels are shown in white and black. Open areas are empty for the first few cycles when sample pretreatment has begun. The black holes are empty because the reaction vessel for pretreatment and the reaction vessel for measurement compete.

  FIG. 10A shows a case where the number of re-dispensing cycles is five. In this case, it can be seen that the reaction vessel cannot be empty because the pretreatment reaction vessel and the measurement reaction vessel are alternately arranged.

  On the other hand, when the number of re-dispensing cycles is 6 (FIG. 10 (b)), the dispensing of the sample for pretreatment by the sample dispensing mechanism 12 is performed every two cycles, reaction container 2-1, reaction container 2-13 and reaction vessel 2-25, but the reaction vessel 2-8 has already been determined to be used for measurement, so the sample for pretreatment is distributed to the next reaction vessel 2-14. Note. That is, the pretreatment reaction vessel and the measurement reaction vessel compete with each other, so that the dispensing by the sample dispensing mechanism 12 cannot be performed once every two cycles, and the reaction vessel is empty.

  When the number of re-dispensing cycles is further increased and the number of re-dispensing cycles is 7 (FIG. 10 (c)) and 9 (FIG. 10 (e)), the pretreatment reaction vessel and the measurement The reaction vessels are alternately arranged and the reaction vessel is not empty. On the other hand, when the number of re-dispensing cycles is 8 (FIG. 10 (d)) and 10 (FIG. 10 (f)), the dispensing by the sample dispensing mechanism 12 cannot be performed once every two cycles. The reaction container is empty.

  The point here is in (a) to (f) whether or not the reaction vessel when moving from the leftmost column to the next column is used as a reaction vessel for pretreatment. That is, (a) reaction vessel 2-2, (b) reaction vessel 2-8, (c) reaction vessel 2-14, (d) reaction vessel 2-20, (e) reaction vessel 2- 26, (f) corresponds to the reaction vessel 2-3. As a condition for these reaction vessels not to be used as reaction vessels for pretreatment, when Z is the number of re-dispensing cycles, Z is 2 (the number of dispensing cycles by the sample dispensing mechanism 12). It is not divisible. If Z is divisible by 2, the pretreatment reaction container and the measurement reaction container compete with each other, so that the dispensing by the sample dispensing mechanism 12 cannot be performed once every two cycles, and the reaction container becomes empty.

  Although not shown, even if the dispensing cycle of the sample dispensing mechanism 12 is increased to 3, 4,..., If Z is divisible by the number of cycles of the sample dispensing mechanism 12, it is still the same as before. Due to competition between the processing reaction vessel and the measurement reaction vessel, the reaction vessel becomes empty. In other words, in order for the reaction vessel for pretreatment and the reaction vessel for measurement not to compete, when Z is the number of redispensing cycles and n is the number of dispensing cycles by the sample dispensing mechanism 12, “Z is n It must be “not divisible by”.

  Here, it is obvious that an exception occurs when n = 1 (same as the dispensing cycle of the sample dispensing mechanism 11). In FIGS. It is used as a reaction vessel for processing, and an even number of reaction vessels are used as reaction vessels for measurement.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the first sample dispensing mechanism for collecting a sample to be pretreated before measurement, and the second sample dispensing mechanism for collecting a pretreated sample that has been pretreated, , A disk rotation mechanism, and a controller (controller 21) for controlling the first and second sample dispensing mechanisms. The first and second sample dispensing mechanisms operate independently of each other, and the reaction disk The sample is dispensed to the upper reaction vessel, and the reaction vessel of the reaction disk is shared by the pretreatment before the sample measurement and the sample analysis, and the position where the first sample dispensing mechanism discharges the sample. The reaction container stopped at the time is controlled so that the second sample dispensing mechanism stops at the position where the sample is discharged after a predetermined cycle, and the second sample dispensing mechanism starts from the stopped cycle. Re-dispense size until the processed sample is dispensed into another reaction vessel If the number of the samples is Z, and the number of operation cycles of the first sample dispensing mechanism is n (n ≧ 2), the control unit is configured so that Z is not divisible by n. An automatic analyzer for controlling the first and second sample dispensing mechanisms has been described. According to the present invention, in the process of sample pretreatment (including dilution), a wasteful empty cycle due to competition between the pretreatment reaction vessel and the measurement reaction vessel can be prevented, and a reduction in processing capacity can be prevented. .

  In addition, the operating cycle of the first sample dispensing mechanism is conditional on n ≧ 2, but a smaller value is desirable because there are fewer empty cycles. Therefore, this operation cycle is most preferably 2.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Reaction disk 2 Reaction container 3 Washing mechanism 4 Spectrophotometer 5,6 Agitation mechanism 7 Reagent dispensing mechanism 7a, 8a Reagent nozzle 8 Reagent dispensing mechanism 9 Reagent disk 10 Reagent bottle 11 Sample dispensing mechanism 11a, 12a, 24, 25 Sample nozzle 12 Sample dispensing mechanism 13, 14 Wash tank 15 Sample container 16 Rack 17 Sample transport mechanism 18 Reagent pump 19 Sample pump 20 Wash pump 21 Controllers 22a, 22b Sample discharge positions 23a, 23b, 23c, 23d Sample Suction position 26 Serum 27 Blood cell 30, 31, 32, 33 Washing tank

Claims (2)

A reaction disk having a plurality of reaction containers on the circumference for containing liquid; and a disk rotating mechanism for driving the reaction disk to rotate a distance corresponding to a predetermined number of reaction containers in one cycle. In automatic analyzers,
A first sample dispensing mechanism in which the number of operation cycles for collecting and discharging a pre-treatment sample for performing pre-treatment before measurement is n cycles (an integer of n ≧ 2) ;
A second sample dispensing mechanism in which the number of operation cycles for collecting and discharging a pretreated sample that has been pretreated is one cycle ;
A pretreatment liquid dispensing mechanism for adding a pretreatment liquid to the reaction vessel containing the pretreatment sample and pretreating the pretreatment sample;
A sample transport mechanism for positioning a sample container that houses the pre-treatment sample at a position where the first sample dispensing mechanism collects the pre-treatment sample;
The disk rotation mechanism, the first and second sample dispensing mechanism , the pretreatment liquid dispensing mechanism, and a control unit for controlling the sample transport mechanism ,
The first and second sample dispensing mechanisms operate independently, and dispense the pre-pretreated sample and the pre-treated sample , respectively, to individual reaction vessels on the reaction disk ,
Before SL reaction vessel is stopped in a first position where the first sample dispensing mechanism for ejecting the pretreatment before samples after a predetermined cycle, the second sample dispensing mechanism of the pre-processed samples The second sample dispensing mechanism is controlled to stop at a second position to be discharged, and the second sample dispensing mechanism is configured to collect the preprocessed sample from the reaction container containing the preprocessed sample; Controlled to perform a dispensing operation including a discharge operation of the pretreated sample into a reaction vessel that stops at a second position and does not contain the pretreated sample in one cycle,
Starting from the cycle in which the reaction container containing the pre-treatment sample is stopped at the second position, the pre-treatment liquid dispensing mechanism performs pre-treatment on the reaction container containing the pre-treatment sample. , until the second sample dispensing mechanism to discharge the reaction vessel wherein no pretreatment sample is accommodated in the pretreated sample was taken the second position, the dispensing operation carried out in one cycle When the number of re-dispensing cycles is Z , the control unit controls the disk rotation mechanism and the first and second sample dispensing mechanisms so that Z is not divisible by n. An automatic analyzer. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein
The automatic analyzer is characterized in that the n cycles are two cycles .