JP7109937B2 - automatic analyzer - Google Patents

Description

Embodiments of the present invention relate to automated analyzers.

An automatic analyzer is an apparatus for measuring components related to test items such as biochemical test items and immunological test items contained in a sample contained in a sample container. In an automatic analyzer, a sample contained in a sample container is dispensed into reaction tubes by a sample dispensing probe. In addition, the reagent stored in the reagent storage is dispensed into the reaction tube by the reagent dispensing probe. The sample and the reagent are mixed in the reaction tube, and a predetermined component in the mixed liquid of the sample and the reagent is optically measured. At this time, in order to maintain the accuracy of measurement, the amount of sample and reagent used must be precise in the automatic analyzer.

By the way, there is a need for automatic analyzers to reduce the amount of test samples used in one analysis, for example, the amount of collected blood, and to reduce the burden on patients who provide test samples. . In addition, there is a need to reduce the amount of reagents used for one analysis, reduce reagent costs, and reduce environmental pollution caused by wastewater, waste, and the like. In response to these needs, in recent years, miniaturization of samples and reagents used in automatic analyzers has progressed.

Parts such as probes and tubes that make up the mechanism for aspirating and discharging the sample and reagent, and the pressure transmission medium used for aspirating and discharging the sample and reagent expand or contract due to changes in temperature. , there may be errors in the amount of sample and reagents aspirated and dispensed. In particular, volume fluctuations of the pressure transmission medium during suction and discharge operations affect liquid volume control. In order to calibrate this error, a method has been proposed in which a temperature sensor, a heater, and the like are newly provided to control the temperature of pure water or the like used as a pressure transmission medium for cleaning the inside of the probe.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-203009

However, conventional automatic analyzers require active temperature control such as sensing and calculation, which complicates the configuration of the device. A discrepancy may occur between the environmental temperature of the internal atmosphere and the temperature of pure water or the like.

An object of the embodiment is to prevent deterioration of dispensing accuracy with a simpler and cheaper configuration than the conventional one.

An automated analyzer according to an embodiment comprises a liquid tank, a first pump, a dispensing probe, and a heat exchanger. The liquid tank stores the first liquid. A first pump pressurizes and delivers the first liquid supplied from the liquid tank. The dispensing probe uses the first liquid delivered from the first pump as a pressure transmission medium. The heat exchanger exchanges heat between the atmosphere in the automatic analyzer and the first liquid in at least part of a second flow path connecting the liquid tank and the on-off valve.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the automatic analyzer according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the analysis mechanism shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of the analysis mechanism shown in FIG. 1; 4A is a block diagram showing the configuration of the sample pipetting unit shown in FIG. 2. FIG. FIG. 4B is a diagram showing the configuration of the heat exchanger shown in FIG. 4A. FIG. 5 is a diagram for specifically explaining the range of each component of the sample pipetting probe and the sample pipetting unit shown in FIG. 2 that has a heat insulating structure. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing temperature changes inside the sample pipetting probe and the sample pipetting unit shown in FIG. 4A. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the configuration of a heat exchanger according to another embodiment.

Embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of an automatic analyzer 1 according to this embodiment. An automatic analyzer 1 shown in FIG.

The analysis mechanism 2 mixes a sample, such as a standard sample or a test sample, with reagents used for each inspection item set for this sample. The analysis mechanism 2 measures a mixture of a sample and a reagent, and generates standard data and test data represented by, for example, absorbance.

The analysis circuit 3 is a processor that analyzes calibration data, analysis data, etc. based on the standard data and test data generated by the analysis mechanism 2 . The analysis circuit 3 reads an operation program from the memory 7 and generates calibration data, analysis data, etc. according to the operation program. For example, the analysis circuit 3 generates calibration data indicating the relationship between the standard data and standard values preset in the standard sample. Further, the analysis circuit 3 generates analysis data expressed as concentration values and enzyme activity values based on test data and calibration data of test items corresponding to the test data. The analysis circuit 3 outputs the generated calibration data, analysis data, etc. to the control circuit 8 .

The drive mechanism 4 is implemented by gears, stepping motors, belt conveyors, lead screws, and the like. The drive mechanism 4 drives the analysis mechanism 2 under the control of the control circuit 8 .

The input interface 5 is implemented by, for example, a mouse, a keyboard, and a touch pad through which instructions are input by touching an operation surface. The input interface 5 receives, for example, a sample ID identifying a sample to be inspected, inspection items corresponding to this sample ID, and analysis parameters of each inspection item from an operator. The input interface 5 is connected to the control circuit 8 , converts an operation instruction input by an operator into an electrical signal, and outputs the electrical signal to the control circuit 8 . It should be noted that the input interface 5 in each embodiment of this specification is not limited to having physical operation parts such as a mouse and a keyboard. For example, an electrical signal processing circuit that receives an electrical signal corresponding to an operation instruction input from an external input device provided separately from the automatic analyzer 1 and outputs this electrical signal to the control circuit 8 is also an input interface. 5 examples.

The display 6 includes, for example, a CRT (Cathode-Ray Tube) display, a liquid crystal display, an organic EL (Electroluminescence) display, a plasma display, and the like. Also, the display 6 is connected to the control circuit 8 and displays a signal supplied from the control circuit 8 to the outside. The display 6 displays calibration data and analytical data supplied from the control circuit 8, for example.

The memory 7 includes a processor-readable recording medium such as a magnetic or optical recording medium or a semiconductor memory. The memory 7 stores an operation program executed by the analysis circuit 3 and an operation program executed by the control circuit 8 . The memory 7 stores calibration data generated by the analysis circuit 3 for each inspection item. The memory 7 stores the analysis data generated by the analysis circuit 3 for each test sample.

The control circuit 8 is a processor that functions as the core of the automatic analyzer 1 . The control circuit 8 executes the operation program stored in the memory 7 to implement functions corresponding to the operation program. The control circuit 8 comprises, for example, a system control function 81 shown in FIG.

The system control function 81 is a function that controls all the parts in the automatic analyzer 1 based on input information input from the input interface 5 . When the system control function 81 is executed, the control circuit 8 controls the operation of each element constituting the analysis mechanism 2 via the drive mechanism 4 based on the input information. Also, the control circuit 8 directly controls the operation of each element constituting the analysis mechanism 2 based on the input information.

2 and 3 are schematic diagrams showing an example of the configuration of the analysis mechanism 2 shown in FIG. 1. FIG. The analysis mechanism 2 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 has a reaction disk 201 and a reagent storage 202 .

A constant temperature bath 2012 filled with constant temperature water is provided in the reaction disk 201 . The constant temperature bath 2012 has a circular shape. The reaction disk 201 holds a plurality of reaction tubes 2011 with a constant temperature bath 2012 . The reaction disk 201 is alternately rotated and stopped at predetermined time intervals by the driving mechanism 4 . The reaction tube 2011 is made of glass, for example.

The reagent storage 202 is an example of a reagent storage that holds a plurality of reagent containers containing reagents, and is arranged inside the reaction disk 201 in this embodiment. The reagent storage 202 retains a plurality of reagent containers in a circular shape with a reagent container rack. The outer circle 2021 in the reagent storage 202 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 indicates the positions of the openings of the reagent containers arranged on the outer circumference of the reagent containers arranged in the circumference in the reagent storage 202. represents An inner circle 2022 in the reagent storage 202 represents the positions of the openings of the reagent containers arranged on the inner circumference among the reagent containers arranged in the circumference in the reagent storage 202 .

A reagent container held in the reagent storage 202 contains a reagent to be dispensed into the reaction tube 2011 . A reagent container 101 whose opening is arranged along the outer circle 2021 contains a first reagent corresponding to each test item. The first reagent to be used is determined for each test item. A reagent container 101 whose opening is arranged along the inner circle 2022 contains a second reagent corresponding to each test item. As with the first reagent, the second reagent to be used is determined for each inspection item. The reagent container rack is rotated around the center of the reagent storage 202 by the driving mechanism 4 .

2 and 3 also includes a rack loading unit 230, a rack moving unit 240, a rack collection unit 250, and a STAT rack loading lane 260. FIG.
The rack loading unit 230 includes loading lanes 231 . The sample rack 102 is loaded into the loading lane 231 . The sample rack 102 holds a plurality of sample containers 100 containing samples. On both side surfaces of the sample rack 102 , a shape that can be picked up by the transfer arm 241 provided on the rack moving unit 240 , for example, a pair of grooves is formed. Further, the sample rack 102 is attached with an RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) chip (wireless tag) for identifying the presence or absence of the sample rack 102 .

A sample container 100 contains a sample such as a standard sample or a test sample. The sample container 100 is attached with a label printed with an optical mark on which identification information of the sample contained in the sample container 100 is described. The optical mark is a mark that encodes information about the sample container 100, sample identification information, and the like, such as a bar code, a one-dimensional code, a two-dimensional code, and the like.

The sample rack 102 is loaded into the loading lane 231 . The sample rack 102 loaded into the loading lane 231 is driven by the drive mechanism 4 and moved to the loading position where it can be moved to the rack moving unit 240 . At this time, the movement of the sample rack 102 in the loading lane 231 is achieved by, for example, a belt conveyor, a lead screw, and the like.

The rack moving unit 240 includes a transport arm 241 , transport rails 242 , sampling lanes 243 , buffer lanes 244 and readers 245 .

The transport arm 241 has, for example, a pair of claws that can move up and down. The transport arm 241 transports the sample rack 102 with its claws inserted into a pair of grooves formed in the sample rack 102, like a forklift carrying a load with its forks.

The transport arm 241 is driven by the driving mechanism 4 and transports the sample rack 102 . For example, the transport arm 241 moves on the transport rail 242 after holding the sample rack 102 placed at the loading position on the loading lane 231 . As a result, the transport arm 241 transports the sample rack 102 it holds to the sampling lane 243 . The transport rail 242 is provided between the sampling lane 243 and the buffer lane 244 and serves as a guide when the transport arm 241 moves. In addition, the transport arm 241 moves on the transport rail 242 after holding the sample rack 102 positioned at the unloading position in the sampling lane 243 so that it can be moved to the rack collection unit 250 . As a result, the transport arm 241 transports the sample rack 102 it holds to the buffer lane 244 or the rack recovery unit 250 .

Also, the transport arm 241 transports the sample rack 102 placed on the buffer lane 244 to the rack recovery unit 250 . Also, the transport arm 241 transports the sample rack 102 placed on the buffer lane 244 to the STAT rack loading lane 260 . Also, the transport arm 241 transports the sample rack 102 containing the urgent sample placed on the STAT rack loading lane 260 to the buffer lane 244 .

The sampling lane 243 is a lane for transporting a plurality of sample racks holding sample containers 100 to be dispensed to below the sample aspiration position P1 where the sample dispensing probe 205 aspirates the sample. . The sampling lane 243 moves the sample rack 102 carried in from the loading position in the loading lane 231 by the drive mechanism 4 . For example, sampling lane 243 moves the opening of each sample container 100 held in sample rack 102 below sample aspiration position P1. In addition, the sampling lane 243 moves the sample rack 102 from below the sample suction position P1 to the rack collection unit 250 when the dispensing of the samples contained in all the sample containers 100 held in the sample rack 102 is normally completed. to the unloading position where it can be moved to Movement of the sample rack 102 in the sampling lane 243 is realized by, for example, a belt conveyor, a lead screw, and the like.

The buffer lane 244 is a retention area for temporarily retaining the sample rack 102 holding the sample container 100 containing the sample in which a predetermined error has occurred.

The reader 245 is provided near the sample suction position P1, for example. The reader 245 starts reading in response to an ID reading start instruction from the control circuit 8 . When the sample container 100 to be dispensed reaches a position where the optical mark can be read, the reader 245 reads the sample identification information from the optical mark attached to the sample container 100 . The reader 245 supplies the read sample identification information to the control circuit 8 . Note that the reader 245 may be replaced with another sensor using RFID or the like.

The rack collection unit 250 has a first collection lane 251 and a second collection lane 252 . The first collection lane 251 and the second collection lane 252 serve as collection destinations for the sample rack 102 that holds the sample container 100 for which the measurement has been normally completed, for example. The first collection lane 251 and the second collection lane 252 are driven by the driving mechanism 4 to move the sample rack 102 transported by the transport arm 241 from the rack moving unit 240 to the take-out position.

A STAT rack loading lane 260 is a lane for loading a sample rack 102 holding a sample container 100 containing a sample urgently required to be measured.

2 and 3 includes a sample pipetting arm 204, a sample pipetting probe 205, a sample pipetting unit 207, a washing pool 208, a first reagent pipetting arm 210, a first reagent pipetting probe 211, first reagent dispensing unit 213, washing pool 214, second reagent dispensing arm 216, second reagent dispensing probe 217, second reagent dispensing unit 219, washing pool 220, first stirring unit 222, and A second stirring unit 223 is provided.

The sample dispensing arm 204 is provided between the reaction disk 201 and the sampling lane 243 so as to be vertically movable and horizontally rotatable. A sample dispensing arm 204 holds a sample dispensing probe 205 at one end. The sample dispensing arm 204 is rotated by the driving mechanism 4 . As the sample-dispensing arm 204 rotates, the sample-dispensing probe 205 rotates along an arc-shaped rotation track. A sample aspiration position P<b>1 is set on this rotational orbit, where the sample dispensing probe 205 aspirates the sample from the sample container 100 . The sample suction position P1 is set in advance so as to be positioned above the sampling lane 243 . Further, a sample ejection position P2 is set at a position different from the sample aspiration position P1 on the rotational track, at which the sample aspirated by the sample pipetting probe 205 is ejected into the reaction tube 2011 . The rotation trajectory of the sample pipetting probe 205 is the movement trajectory of the sample container 100 held in the sample rack 102 placed on the sampling lane 243, and the movement trajectory of the reaction tube 2011 held in the reaction disk 201. intersects with The points of intersection with the movement trajectories are the sample suction position P1 and the sample discharge position P2.

The sample pipetting probe 205 is driven by the driving mechanism 4 and moves vertically at the sample suction position P1 and the sample discharge position P2. Also, the sample dispensing probe 205 aspirates the sample from the sample container 100 located at the sample aspirating position P1 under the control of the control circuit 8 . Also, the sample pipetting probe 205 discharges the sucked sample into the reaction tube 2011 positioned at the sample discharging position P2 under the control of the control circuit 8 .

Next, the sample dispensing unit 207 according to this embodiment will be described. The sample dispensing unit 207 according to the present embodiment has a heat exchanger 2076, which will be described later, in addition to the configuration of a conventional automatic analyzer. FIG. 4A is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of the sample pipetting unit 207. FIG. The sample dispensing unit 207 shown in FIG. 4A includes a first tube 2071, a syringe pump 2072, a second tube 2073, an on-off valve 2074, a third tube 2075, a heat exchanger 2076, a liquid supply pump 2077, and a tank. 2078. In addition, the syringe pump 2072 is an example of the first pump described in the claims. Also, the liquid supply pump 2077 is an example of the second pump described in the claims.

The first tube 2071 is an elastic body with one end connected to the sample dispensing probe 205 . The syringe pump 2072 has a syringe 20721 and a plunger 20722 . The syringe 20721 is connected to the other end of the first tube 2071 different from the end to which the sample dispensing probe 205 is connected. The plunger 20722 fits into an opening provided at the lower end of the syringe 20721 . The tank 2078 stores the pressure transmission medium filled inside each of the sample pipetting probe 205 , the first tube 2071 and the syringe pump 2072 . The pressure transmission medium is, for example, a liquid such as pure water. The tank 2078 is connected to the outside of the automatic analyzer 1 , and the pressure transmission medium stored in the tank 2078 is replenished from the outside of the automatic analyzer 1 . The liquid (pure water, etc.) stored in the tank 2078 is not only used as a pressure transmission medium inside the automatic analyzer 1, but also used for other purposes such as washing water for washing the inner wall of the sample pipetting probe 205. Since a large amount of liquid is also consumed, it is necessary to replenish the liquid from the outside as needed according to the amount used. Note that the pressure transmission medium is not limited to pure water, and may be, for example, any liquid that is inelastic to pressure and does not change the physical properties of the object to be dispensed (sample, etc.).

The liquid supply pump 2077 sucks the pressure transmission medium stored in the tank 2078 and pumps the sucked pressure transmission medium through the heat exchanger 2076, the third tube 2075, the on-off valve 2074, the second tube 2073, and the syringe pump 2072. , and the first tube 2071 into the sample dispensing probe 205 .

The on-off valve 2074 opens and closes a flow path communicating between the syringe pump 2072 and the liquid supply pump 2077 . Thereby, the supply of pressure transmission medium flowing from the tank 2078 to the syringe pump 2072 can be controlled. The on-off valve 2074 is, for example, an electromagnetic valve.

A heat exchanger 2076 is provided between the liquid supply pump 2077 and the on-off valve 2074 . The heat exchanger 2076 exchanges heat between the pressure transmission medium flowing through the flow path and the atmosphere in the automatic analyzer 1 in at least part of the flow path connecting the liquid supply pump 2077 and the on-off valve 2074. I do. The term "inside the apparatus" refers to, for example, the inside or the vicinity of a housing in which each element constituting the analysis mechanism 2 is accommodated. More specifically, it represents the inside and the vicinity of the outside of the sample pipetting probe 205 and the inside and the outside of each element constituting the sample pipetting unit 207 . The heat exchanger 2076 is, for example, a stainless steel pipe (SUS pipe) whose passage is optimized to have a length sufficient for heat exchange.

Due to the heat exchange in the heat exchanger 2076, the temperature of the pressure transfer medium passing through the heat exchanger 2076 approaches the temperature of the atmosphere in the device, ie the ambient temperature.

FIG. 4B is a diagram showing an example configuration of the heat exchanger 2076 shown in FIG. 4A. According to FIG. 4B, the heat exchanger 2076 has two tubes 20761 and 20762 that form a meandering "S" shaped flow path of equal length. The tubes 20761 and 20762 can be easily installed by connecting the input end connected to the liquid supply pump 2077 and the output end connected to the third tube 2075, respectively. The serpentine "S" shape of the tube provides a longer flow path and a greater surface area for heat exchange between the pressure transfer medium and the atmosphere within the apparatus. In addition, since the flow path is divided into two tubes 20761 and 20762, the surface area for heat exchange between the pressure transmission medium and the atmosphere in the device can be expanded compared to the case where it is configured with one tube. can. This allows the temperature of the pressure transfer medium to be brought closer to the temperature of the atmosphere in the apparatus while the pressure transfer medium passes through the heat exchanger 2076 .

When dispensing the sample, the channel between the syringe pump 2072 and the liquid supply pump 2077 is closed by the on-off valve 2074 controlled by the control circuit 8 . At this time, the syringe pump 2072 receives or delivers the pressure transmission medium supplied from the liquid supply pump 2077 by decompressing or pressurizing the pressure transmission medium. Via this pressure transmission medium, the sample pipetting probe 205 aspirates or discharges the sample in the sample container 100 at the sample aspirating position P2. Specifically, the drive mechanism 4 sucks the plunger 20722 in the direction of the arrow L1, so that the sample pipetting probe 205 sucks the sample in the sample container 100 at the sample sucking position P2. Further, the drive mechanism 4 drives the plunger 20722 to discharge in the direction of the arrow L2, so that the sample pipetting probe 205 discharges the sample into the reaction tube 2011 positioned at the sample discharge position P2.

When the dispensing of the same sample is completed or when it is determined that the dispensing of the sample is abnormal, the flow path between the syringe pump 2072 and the liquid supply pump 2077 is closed by the opening/closing valve controlled by the control circuit 8. 2074 to open. The liquid supply pump 2077 is driven by the driving mechanism 4 to supply pressure transmission medium into the sample pipetting probe 205 .

A wash pool 208 is located at the sample probe wash position P3. In the cleaning pool 208, the inner wall and outer wall of the lower end portion of the sample dispensing probe 205 that is in contact with the sample are cleaned, for example, each time dispensing of the same sample is completed.

The first reagent dispensing arm 210 is provided between the reaction disk 201 and the sampling lane 243 so as to be vertically movable and horizontally rotatable. First reagent dispensing arm 210 holds first reagent dispensing probe 211 at one end. The first reagent dispensing arm 210 is rotated by the driving mechanism 4 . By rotating the first reagent-dispensing arm 210, the first reagent-dispensing probe 211 is rotated along an arc-shaped rotation track. On this rotational orbit, the first reagent dispensing probe 211 aspirates the first reagent corresponding to each test item from the reagent container arranged on the outer circle 2021 of the reagent storage 202, and the aspirating position. A first reagent ejection position P4 is set for ejecting the first reagent into the reaction tube 2011 . The rotation trajectory of the first reagent dispensing probe 211 is the movement trajectory of (the reagent suction port of) the reagent container arranged on the outer circle 2021 of the reagent storage 202, and the movement of the reaction tube 2011 held in the reaction disk 201. intersect each trajectory. The intersection with each movement locus is the reagent aspirating position and the first reagent discharging position P4.

The first reagent dispensing probe 211 is driven by the driving mechanism 4 and moves vertically at the reagent aspirating position on the rotation track and the first reagent discharging position P4. Also, the first reagent dispensing probe 211 aspirates the first reagent from the reagent container 101 located at the reagent aspirating position on the rotation track under the control of the control circuit 8 . Also, the first reagent dispensing probe 211 discharges the sucked first reagent into the reaction tube 2011 positioned at the first reagent discharge position P4 under the control of the control circuit 8 .

The configuration and functions of the first reagent dispensing unit 213 are the same as those of the sample dispensing unit 207 .

The washing pool 214 is located at the first reagent probe washing position P5. In the cleaning pool 214, the inner wall of the lower end portion of the first reagent dispensing probe 211 in contact with the reagent is washed, for example, each time dispensing of the same sample is completed.

The second reagent dispensing arm 216 is provided between the reagent storage 202 and the rack loading unit 230 so as to be vertically movable and horizontally rotatable. A second reagent dispensing arm 216 holds a second reagent dispensing probe 217 at one end. The second reagent dispensing arm 216 is rotated by the drive mechanism 4 . As the second reagent dispensing arm 216 rotates, the second reagent dispensing probe 217 rotates along an arc-shaped rotation track. On this rotational orbit, the second reagent dispensing probe 217 aspirates a second reagent corresponding to each test item from the reagent container 101 arranged on the inner circle 2022 of the reagent storage 202, and a reagent aspirating position; A second reagent discharge position P6 for discharging the sucked second reagent into the reaction tube 2011 is set. The rotation trajectory of the second reagent dispensing probe 217 is the movement trajectory of (the reagent suction port of) the reagent container arranged on the inner circle 2022 of the reagent storage 202, and the movement of the reaction tube 2011 held in the reaction disk 201. intersect each trajectory. The intersection with each movement locus is the reagent aspirating position and the second reagent discharging position P6.

The second reagent dispensing probe 217 is driven by the driving mechanism 4 and moves vertically at the reagent aspirating position on the rotation track and the second reagent discharging position P6. In addition, the second reagent dispensing probe 217 aspirates the second reagent from the reagent container 101 located at the reagent aspirating position on the rotation track under the control of the control circuit 8 . Also, the second reagent dispensing probe 217 discharges the sucked second reagent into the reaction tube 2011 positioned at the second reagent discharging position P6 under the control of the control circuit 8 .

The configuration and function of the second reagent dispensing unit 219 are the same as those of the sample dispensing unit 207 .

The washing pool 220 is arranged at the second reagent probe washing position P7. In the cleaning pool 220, for example, the inner wall and outer wall of the lower end portion of the second reagent dispensing probe 217 in contact with the reagent are washed each time dispensing of the same sample is completed.

The 1st stirring unit 222 and the 2nd stirring unit 223 have a stirring arm and a stirrer, respectively. The stirring arm supports a stirrer near the tip so as to be rotatable and vertically movable. The first stirring unit 222 moves the stirrer to the reaction tube 2011 located at the stirring position in the reaction disk 201 under the control of the control circuit 8, and mixes the sample and the first reagent in the reaction tube 2011 by the stirrer. The liquid, that is, the mixed liquid in the reaction tube 2011 after dispensing the first medicine is stirred. Under the control of the control circuit 8, the second stirring unit 223 moves the stirrer to the reaction tube 2011 located at the stirring position on the reaction disk 201, and stirs the sample, the first reagent, and the second reagent in the reaction tube 2011 by the stirrer. The mixed solution in which the reagents are mixed, that is, the mixed solution in the reaction tube 2011 after the second reagent is dispensed is stirred.

The analysis mechanism 2 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 also includes a photometry unit 224 , a cleaning unit 225 and an electrolyte measurement unit 226 .
The photometry unit 224 irradiates the mixed liquid of the sample and the reagent discharged into the reaction tube 2011 with light, and optically measures the light passing through the mixed liquid. The photometric unit 224 has a light source and a photodetector. The photometry unit 224 irradiates the reaction tube 2011 with light from the light source under the control of the control circuit 8 . The photodetector detects light that has passed through the mixed liquid of the standard sample and the reagent in the reaction tube 2011 or the mixed liquid of the test sample and the reagent. The photodetector generates standard or test data, for example expressed in absorbance, based on the intensity of the detected light. The photometry unit 224 outputs the generated standard data and test data to the analysis circuit 3 .

The cleaning unit 225 includes a waste liquid nozzle, a cleaning nozzle, and a drying nozzle. The washing unit 225 sucks the liquid mixture in the reaction tube 2011 positioned at the reaction tube washing position as a waste liquid by the waste liquid nozzle. The cleaning unit 225 cleans the reaction tube 2011 by discharging the cleaning liquid to the reaction tube 2011 located at the reaction tube cleaning position through the cleaning nozzle. The cleaning unit 225 dries the reaction tube 2011 cleaned with the cleaning liquid by supplying dry air to the reaction tube 2011 through the drying nozzle.

The electrolyte measurement unit 226 measures a specific electrolyte present in the liquid mixture inside the reaction tube 2011 . The electrolyte measurement unit 226 measures, for example, ion concentration generated from a specific electrolyte.

In the analysis mechanism 2 shown in FIG. 1, for example, at least part of the flow path through which the pressure transmission medium flows, from one end connected to the third tube 2075 of the heat exchanger 2076 to the tip of the sample dispensing probe 205 is It is preferable to cover with heat insulating material. As a result, the pressure transmission medium whose temperature has approached the atmospheric temperature due to heat exchange by the heat exchanger 2076 can reach the vicinity of the tip of the sample pipetting probe 205 without temperature change. FIG. 5 is a diagram for specifically explaining the range of each component of the sample pipetting probe 205 and the sample pipetting unit 207 shown in FIG. 2 that has a heat insulating structure.

In FIG. 5, the vicinity of the channel in range R1 from the tip of the sample pipetting probe 205 to the on-off valve 2074 is a region where temperature changes have a particularly strong effect on pipetting accuracy. For this reason, in the present embodiment, at least part of the flow path in range R1 is covered with a heat insulating material. For example, the first tube 2071 and the second tube 2073 are covered with thermal insulation 20711 and thermal insulation 20731, respectively. At this time, it is desirable that the distance between the on-off valve 2074 and the heat exchanger 2076, that is, the length of the third tube 2075 is as short as possible.

It should be noted that, for example, the length of the third tube 2075 is large, and while the pressure transmission medium flows through the third tube 2075, the temperature difference between the pressure transmission medium and the atmosphere inside and outside the third tube 2075 may increase. In such a case, at least part of the range R2 from the tip of the sample pipetting probe 205 to one end connected to the third tube 2075 of the heat exchanger 2076 should be covered with a heat insulating material. good too. For example, first tube 2071, second tube 2073, and third tube 2075 are covered with insulation 20711, insulation 20731, and insulation 20751, respectively.

In addition, when it is desired to suppress the consumption of heat insulating material as much as possible, at least part of the range R3 from the tip of the sample pipetting probe 205 to the end connected to the first tube 2071 of the syringe pump 2072 is covered with heat insulating material. You can cover it. For example, the first tube 2071 is covered with heat insulating material 20711 .

Next, the characteristics and arrangement of the heat exchanger 2076 included in the automatic analyzer 1 according to this embodiment will be described.

First, the characteristics of heat exchanger 2076 will be described. The heat exchanger 2076 shown in FIG. 4A is such that when the temperature of the pressure transfer medium (liquid) supplied from the liquid supply pump 2077 is lower than the temperature of the atmosphere in the apparatus, the temperature of the pressure transfer medium flowing through the heat exchanger 2076 has the function of raising Further, the heat exchanger 2076 has a function of lowering the temperature of the pressure transmission medium flowing inside the heat exchanger 2076 when the temperature of the pressure transmission medium supplied from the liquid supply pump 2077 is higher than the temperature of the atmosphere inside the apparatus. In addition, the heat exchanger 2076 can exchange heat through heat conduction between substances without being controlled by a dedicated temperature adjustment mechanism.

Next, the arrangement of heat exchanger 2076 will be described. In general, the range from the tip of the sample pipetting probe 205 to the on-off valve 2074 has a steep temperature gradient (temperature change rate) of the pressure transmission medium filled in this range. is particularly strong. Therefore, it is desirable that the temperature gradient in the range from the tip of the sample pipetting probe 205 to the on-off valve 2074 is not steep, that is, is gentle. Therefore, the heat exchanger 2076 is arranged in any part of the flow path until the pressure transmission medium supplied from the tank 2078 reaches the on-off valve 2074 . As a result, the temperature of the pressure transmission medium can be brought close to the temperature of the atmosphere in the apparatus before the on-off valve 2074 when viewed from the tank 2078 . As a result, the temperature gradient in the range from the tip of the sample pipetting probe 205, at least partially covered with a heat insulating material, to the on-off valve 2074 can be moderated.

Also, the liquid supply pump 2077 provided between the tank 2078 and the on-off valve 2074 retains a certain amount of heat because of its high operating rate. On the other hand, the on-off valve 2074 has a relatively low operation rate and can tolerate heat generation. Therefore, it is preferable to dispose the heat exchanger 2076 in the channel between the on-off valve 2074 and the liquid supply pump 2077 .

Furthermore, the heat exchanger 2076 is preferably arranged in the vicinity of the on-off valve 2074 in the channel connecting the on-off valve 2074 and the liquid supply pump 2077 . That is, it is preferable to arrange it in the vicinity of the flow path included in the range R1 shown in FIG. As a result, the heat exchanger 2076 can more directly apply temperature equalization by heat exchange to regions in which temperature changes have a particularly strong effect on dispensing accuracy.

In the automatic analyzer 1 configured as described above, for example, when the inner wall of the sample pipetting probe 205 is washed, the pressure transmission medium supplied from the washing pool 208 reaches the tip of the sample pipetting probe 205. , the temperature change of the pressure transmission medium will be described with reference to FIG. 4A. In the following explanation, it is assumed that the temperature of the pressure transmission medium replenished in the tank 2078 from the outside of the automatic analyzer 1 is lower than the temperature of the air inside the automatic analyzer 1 . For example, the temperature of the pressure transmission medium replenished in the tank 2078 from the outside of the automatic analyzer 1 is about 10 degrees lower than the temperature of the air inside the automatic analyzer 1 . This is because the air inside the automatic analyzer 1 has a higher temperature than the outside of the apparatus due to the heat source inside the apparatus, and when the liquid is supplied to the tank 2078 from the outside of the apparatus, the temperature of the liquid inside the tank 2078 rises relatively. This is because the In particular, if a liquid such as pure water, which consumes a large amount, is used as the pressure transmission medium, the liquid will be supplied to the tank 2078 from the outside of the apparatus at any time, and the temperature of the liquid in the tank 2078 will be the temperature of the atmosphere inside the apparatus. The frequency of low temperatures increases relative to

In FIG. 4A , the liquid supply pump 2077 sucks the pressure transmission medium stored in the tank 2078 and supplies the sucked pressure transmission medium to the heat exchanger 2076 . The pressure transfer medium supplied to the heat exchanger 2076 exchanges heat with the atmosphere within the apparatus while passing through the heat exchanger 2076 . This causes the temperature of the pressure transmission medium to rise and approach the temperature of the atmosphere within the device.

The pressure transmission medium that has approached the temperature of the atmosphere in the apparatus by passing through the heat exchanger 2076 passes through the third tube 2075, the on-off valve 2074, the second tube 2073, the syringe pump 2072, and the first tube 2071. , and reaches the tip of the sample pipetting probe 205 . At this time, at least a portion of the range from the tip of the sample pipetting probe 205 to the on-off valve 2074 is covered with a heat insulating material. Therefore, the pressure transmission medium can pass through the flow path related to the range R1 at approximately the same temperature as the atmospheric temperature in the apparatus without temperature change. That is, when cleaning the inner wall of the sample pipetting probe 205, when pipetting using the sample pipetting probe 205, etc., the flow of the pressure transmission medium in the range from the tip of the sample pipetting probe 205 to the on-off valve 2074 The temperature inside and outside the path can always be kept uniform.

As a result, in the channel from the tip of the sample pipetting probe 205 to the on-off valve 2074, the components forming the channel and the pressure transmission medium flowing in the channel do not expand or contract in volume. Therefore, even when the sample is dispensed immediately after washing, there is no error in the amount of the sample to be dispensed, thereby preventing deterioration in dispensing accuracy.

By using the heat exchanger 2076, even if the temperature of the pressure transmission medium replenished in the tank 2078 from the outside of the automatic analyzer 1 is higher than the temperature inside the apparatus, the temperature of the pressure transmission medium can be adjusted to that of the atmosphere inside the apparatus. temperature can be approached. For example, when the liquid flow path or liquid storage facility outside the device is in an environment where it receives solar heat, or when it is affected by another heat source outside the device, the temperature of the pressure transmission medium replenished in the tank 2078 may increase. A case can occur where the temperature is higher than the internal temperature.

Next, temperature changes in the conventional automatic analyzer and the automatic analyzer 1 according to the present embodiment when cleaning the inner wall of the sample pipetting probe will be described. In the following explanation, it is assumed that the temperature of the pressure transmission medium replenished in the tank 2078 from the outside of the automatic analyzer 1 is lower than the temperature inside the automatic analyzer 1 . FIG. 6 is a diagram showing temperature changes inside the sample pipetting probe 205 and the sample pipetting unit 207 shown in FIG. 4A. In FIG. 6, a graph G1 represents internal temperature changes of the sample pipetting probe 205 and the sample pipetting unit 207 when the heat exchanger 2076 and heat insulating material according to this embodiment are not used. A graph G2 represents internal temperature changes of the sample pipetting probe 205 and the sample pipetting unit 207 according to this embodiment. In FIG. 6, the horizontal axis represents time t and temperature T inside the sample pipetting probe 205 and sample pipetting unit 207 .

In the graph G1 shown in FIG. 6, the temperature T before the start of the cleaning operation is T=T1, which is substantially the same as the temperature of the air inside the apparatus. Here, when the cleaning operation is started, the pressure transmission medium (pure water or the like) flows from the tank 2078 into the sample pipetting probe 205 and the sample pipetting unit 207 shown in FIG. From time t=t1 to t=t2, the temperature T decreases from T=T1 to T=T2 (<T1). Thereafter, when the cleaning operation ends at time t=t2, the temperature T rises from T=T2 and returns to the original temperature T=T1 from time t=t2 to t=t3.

In this case, from time t=t2 to t=t3 shown in FIG. expands due to the effect of temperature rise. Therefore, if the sample is dispensed from time t=t2 to t=t3, especially immediately after time t=t2 where the temperature gradient is steep, an error will occur in the amount of sample dispensed, resulting in an error in the amount of sample dispensed. NOTE Accuracy is reduced.

Even when the temperature of the pressure transmission medium replenished in the tank 2078 from the outside of the automatic analyzer 1 is higher than the temperature inside the device, a period during which the temperature gradient is steep (a period during which the temperature drops rapidly) occurs. If the sample is dispensed during this period, an error will occur in the amount of the sample to be dispensed, and the dispensing accuracy will decrease.

On the other hand, in the graph G2 shown in FIG. 6, the temperature T before and after the cleaning operation of the sample pipetting probe 205 is automatically changed by heat exchange by the heat exchanger 2076 of the automatic analyzer 1 according to the present embodiment. Regardless of the temperature of the pressure transmission medium replenished in the tank 2078 from the outside of the analyzer 1, the temperature remains approximately T=T1, for example, and there is no period of time in which the temperature gradient (rate of change) is steep. Therefore, even if the cycle time is set short and a very small amount of sample must be dispensed immediately after washing, that is, even if the amount of sample used for one dispensing is very small, the dispensing accuracy can be improved. A decrease can be prevented. A minute amount indicates an amount of about 1 μl, for example.

According to the above-described embodiment, the heat exchanger 2076 is provided in the flow path until the pressure transmission medium (liquid) supplied from the tank 2078 reaches the on-off valve 2074 . The heat exchanger 2076 exchanges heat between the atmosphere in the automatic analyzer 1 and the pressure transmission medium in at least part of the flow path.

As a result, the temperature of the pressure transfer medium supplied from the tank 2078 approaches the temperature of the atmosphere in the apparatus at the heat exchanger 2076 . Therefore, the temperature inside and outside the channel through which the pressure transmission medium flows in the range from the tip of the sample pipetting probe 205 to the on-off valve 2074 can always be kept uniform. That is, before and after washing the inner wall of the sample pipetting probe 205, in the channel from the tip of the sample pipetting probe 205 to the on-off valve 2074, the volume of the components constituting the channel and the pressure transmission medium flowing in the channel It is possible to suppress the occurrence of expansion or contraction of the. Therefore, even if the sample is dispensed immediately after washing, there is no error in the amount of the dispensed sample.

Also, the heat exchanger 2076 according to this embodiment can perform heat exchange without being controlled by the control circuit 8 . Therefore, the installation cost and operation cost can be reduced compared to the case where a heater or the like used for heating the pressure transmission medium is provided to actively control the temperature. In addition, since the heat exchanger 2076 can have a simple structure such as a stainless steel pipe, the scale of installation can be reduced compared to a heater or the like. In addition, since the heat exchanger 2076 itself does not generate heat, it is possible to suppress the temperature rise inside the apparatus compared to the case where a heater or the like is provided.

In addition, since the heat exchanger 2076 exchanges heat between two substances, regardless of whether the temperature of the pressure transmission medium stored in the tank 2078 is higher or lower than the temperature of the atmosphere in the apparatus, It is possible to bring the temperature of the pressure transmission medium closer to the temperature of the atmosphere in the device. On the other hand, the use of a heater can only be used when the temperature of the pressure transmission medium stored in the tank 2078 is lower than the temperature of the air inside the apparatus.

Also, since the heat exchanger 2076 is provided between the tank 2078 and the on-off valve 2074 , the range requiring heat insulation can be limited to the flow path from the outlet of the heat exchanger 2076 to the tip of the sample dispensing probe 205 . That is, the flow path from tank 2078 to heat exchanger 2076 does not need to be covered with heat insulating material. Therefore, the cost related to the heat insulating material can be suppressed.

Therefore, it is possible to prevent a decrease in dispensing accuracy with a simpler and cheaper configuration than the conventional one.

The heat exchangers of the first reagent dispensing unit 213 and the second reagent dispensing unit 219 can reduce the amount of reagents used for one analysis while preventing deterioration of reagent dispensing accuracy. can be done. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the reagent cost.

In this embodiment, which uses pure water or the like as a pressure transmission medium, it is most preferable to use a pipe made of stainless steel as the heat exchanger 2076 . Since a passivation film is formed on the surface of the stainless steel pipe, it is possible to prevent the material constituting the pipe from eluting into pure water or the like. This is because, if the sample or reagent is diluted or the probe or reaction tube is washed using pure water or the like in which the materials constituting the pipe are eluted, the eluted components may affect the analysis results.

[Other embodiments]
In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment. In the above embodiment, the heat exchanger 2076 is described as being a stainless steel pipe, but it is not limited to this. For example, the heat exchanger 2076 may be made of an aluminum pipe that easily forms a passive film on its surface, or a copper pipe that has excellent thermal conductivity. Also, the heat exchanger 2076 may be a stainless steel pipe or the like with fins attached to expand the heat transfer surface, or the like, to which a function for further increasing the heat exchange efficiency may be added.

Also, the heat exchanger 2076 may have any form or structure as long as it is capable of exchanging heat between substances. Heat exchanger 2076 may be, for example, a double tube heat exchanger, a plate heat exchanger, a shell and tube heat exchanger, a cross-fin heat exchanger, a compact heat exchanger, or the like.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a heat exchanger 2076A according to another embodiment. The same material as the heat exchanger 2076 can be used for the heat exchanger 2076A. According to FIG. 7, the heat exchanger 2076A has a helical three-dimensional structure. Also, the heat exchanger 2076A has two tubes 20761A and 20762A that form flow paths of the same length. The heat exchanger 2076A has a helical configuration of the tubes, so that it takes up a longer flow path under the same occupied volume, for example, in the device compared to the heat exchanger 2076 shown in FIG. be able to. In addition, the heat exchanger 2076A can increase the surface area for heat exchange between the pressure transmission medium and the atmosphere in the apparatus by lengthening the flow path. That is, the pressure transmission medium passing through the heat exchanger can be retained inside the heat exchanger for a longer time. This allows the temperature of the pressure transfer medium to be brought closer to the temperature of the atmosphere in the device while the pressure transfer medium passes through the heat exchanger 2076A.

In addition, the heat exchanger 2076A has tubes with a smaller diameter in order to provide a longer flow path than, for example, the heat exchanger 2076 shown in FIG. 4B. Generally, when the flow rate of the liquid supply pump 2077 is about the same, the larger the diameter of the tube that the heat exchanger has, the more gaps are formed inside the tube due to other than the pressure transmission medium to be supplied, such as air bubbles. There is a risk that the contact area between the medium and the pipe will be reduced and the heat exchange efficiency will be reduced. According to the heat exchanger 2076A according to another embodiment, when the flow rate of the liquid supply pump 2077 is about the same, the pressure is transmitted without gaps inside the heat exchanger as compared with the heat exchanger 2076 shown in FIG. 4A. It can be filled with media. This makes it possible to suppress the air bubbles from remaining inside the heat exchanger.

Moreover, in the above-described embodiment, at least a part of each component of the sample pipetting probe and the sample pipetting unit shown in FIG. 4A is covered with a heat insulating material, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, at least a portion of each component of the sample pipetting probe and sample pipetting unit shown in FIG. 4A may be made of heat insulating material.

The term "processor" used in the above description is, for example, a CPU (central processing unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic device (e.g., Circuits such as Simple Programmable Logic Device (SPLD), Complex Programmable Logic Device (CPLD), and Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)). The processor realizes its functions by reading and executing the programs stored in the memory circuit. Note that each processor of the present embodiment is not limited to being configured as a single circuit for each processor, and may be configured as one processor by combining a plurality of independent circuits to realize its function. good. Furthermore, a plurality of components in FIG. 1 may be integrated into one processor to realize its functions.

While several embodiments of the invention have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention described in the claims and equivalents thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Automatic analyzer, 2... Analysis mechanism, 3... Analysis circuit, 4... Drive mechanism, 5... Input interface, 6... Display, 7... Memory, 8... Control circuit, 81... System control function, 100... Sample container, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101... Reagent container, 102... Sample rack, 201... Reaction disk, 202... Reagent storage, 204... Sample dispensing arm, 205... Sample dispensing probe, 207... Sample dispensing unit, 208... Washing pool, 210... First Reagent dispensing arm 211 First reagent dispensing probe 213 First reagent dispensing unit 214 Cleaning pool 216 Second reagent dispensing arm 217 Second reagent dispensing probe 219 Second Reagent dispensing unit 220 Washing pool 222 First stirring unit 223 Second stirring unit 224 Photometry unit 225 Washing unit 226 Electrolyte measurement unit 230 Rack input unit 231 Input lane , 240... Rack moving unit, 241... Transfer arm, 242... Transfer rail, 243... Sampling lane, 244... Buffer lane, 245... Reader, 250... Rack recovery unit, 251... First recovery lane, 252... Second recovery lane , 260... Rack input lane, 2011... Reaction tube, 2012... Constant temperature bath, 2021... Outer circle, 2022... Inner circle, 2071... First tube, 2072... Syringe pump, 2073... Second tube, 2074... On-off valve , 2075...Third tube 2076...Heat exchanger 2077...Liquid supply pump 2078...Tank 20721...Syringe 20722...Plunger P1...Sample suction position P2...Sample discharge position P3...Sample probe washing position , P4... First reagent ejection position, P5... First reagent probe washing position, P6... Second reagent ejection position, P7... Second reagent probe washing position.

Claims (10)

a liquid tank that stores the first liquid;
a first pump that pressurizes and delivers the first liquid supplied from the liquid tank;
a dispensing probe that uses the first liquid delivered from the first pump as a pressure transmission medium;
a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the atmosphere in the device and the first liquid in at least part of a first flow path that connects the first pump and the liquid tank;
an on-off valve provided between the first pump and the liquid tank for controlling supply of the first liquid from the liquid tank to the first pump;
and
The heat exchanger is arranged between the liquid tank and the on-off valve,
An automatic analyzer , wherein at least part of a channel from the dispensing probe to the on-off valve has a heat-insulating structure . 2. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein said heat insulating structure is at least part of a second flow path connecting said dispensing probe and said first pump. 2. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1 , wherein said heat insulating structure is at least part of a channel connecting said first pump and said on-off valve in said first channel. 2. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1 , wherein said heat insulating structure is at least part of a channel connecting said on-off valve and said heat exchanger in said first channel. 2. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1 , further comprising a second pump provided between said on-off valve and said liquid tank for supplying said first liquid from said liquid tank to said on-off valve. 6. The heat exchanger according to claim 5 , wherein the heat exchanger is part of the first flow path and is arranged in the vicinity of the on-off valve in the flow path connecting the on-off valve and the second pump. automatic analyzer. 7. The automatic analyzer according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein said first liquid is replenished in said liquid tank from the outside of said automatic analyzer. The automatic analyzer according to any one of claims 1 to 7 , wherein said first liquid is pure water. 9. The automatic analyzer according to any one of claims 1 to 8 , wherein said heat exchanger is a stainless steel pipe. 10. The automatic analyzer according to any one of claims 1 to 9 , wherein said heat exchanger has a spiral tube.

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