JP7181828B2 - Analysis equipment - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention mainly relates to an analyzer that analyzes a reaction liquid between a specimen and a reagent.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an analyzer is known that analyzes the components of a sample by reacting the sample with a reagent. In this type of analyzer, a plurality of cuvettes containing specimens and reagents are arranged in a circle on a cuvette table, the cuvette table is rotated, and a photometric position between a light source and a spectroscopic detector placed across the cuvette is detected. to pass through the cuvette. By measuring the amount of light transmitted through the cuvette at this time, the components of the sample are analyzed.

In general analyzers, a stepping motor is used as the power to rotate the cuvette table. A cuvette table is attached to a rotating shaft, and a driven gear is attached to the other end. A drive gear attached to the stepping motor and a driven gear on the cuvette table side are connected by a timing belt, and the driven gear operates following the rotation of the drive gear.

Ideally, it should be possible to grasp the position of the cuvette while the cuvette table is rotating by counting the number of command pulses to the stepping motor. However, due to the influence of elongation of the timing belt, etc., the cuvette position actually deviates from the command pulse.

In order to solve this problem and accurately determine the position of the cuvette during rotation, some models attach a rotary encoder to the rotating shaft and count the number of pulses of the encoder to determine the true rotation angle of the driven side. However, in an analyzer equipped with an annular cuvette table on which a large number of cuvettes can be arranged, a rotary encoder cannot be attached because the cuvette table does not have a rotating shaft.

On the other hand, in Patent Document 1, instead of the rotary encoder, a slit dog with the same number of slits as the number of cuvettes is mounted on the top surface of the circular cuvette table, and the slits are detected by a photosensor (detection plate detector). A method of grasping the rotational position of the cuvette table by doing so has been proposed.

In the method of Patent Document 1, photometry is started at a timing after the pulse width of the timing adjustment pulse from the falling edge of the detection plate detector pulse (see FIG. 3 of Patent Document 1). As a result, when the circumferential velocity is normal, the photometric position is near the center of the cuvette (cell). However, if the pulse width of the timing adjustment pulse is a fixed value, the photometry position will deviate from the center position of the cuvette when the circumferential velocity is high (see FIG. 4 of Patent Document 1). Therefore, the pulse width of the timing adjustment pulse is increased or decreased according to the pulse width of the detection plate detector so that the photometric position remains near the center position of the cuvette even if the peripheral speed changes (Fig. 5).

Japanese Patent No. 4901766

In Patent Document 1, it is necessary to constantly adjust the pulse width of the timing adjustment pulse in accordance with the speed (peripheral speed) of the cuvette, which complicates arithmetic processing for adjusting the photometric position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to solve the above problems and to provide an analyzer capable of accurately analyzing the contents of a cuvette without complicated arithmetic processing.

An analysis apparatus according to the present invention comprises a cuvette table on which rows of cuvettes are arranged in a circle, a driving unit that repeatedly and intermittently rotates the row of cuvettes in a circular direction, and each cuvette that passes a photometry position during the intermittent rotation. a photometry unit that irradiates light onto the cuvette and measures the emitted light from the irradiated area of each cuvette that passes through the photometry position; and an analysis unit that analyzes the contents of the cuvette based on the photometry data. and, among the irradiated regions of each of the cuvettes, a region of the cuvette in which the amount of change in the emitted light due to the passage of the cuvette is equal to or less than a predetermined amount of change is defined as the measurable region of each of the cuvettes. In order to specify the analysis target region to be used for the analysis in each cuvette, by detecting the measurable region detection unit and the point in time when the first reference point included in the measurable region of each cuvette passes through the photometric position. and a reference timing setting unit for setting the reference timing of the.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an analyzer capable of accurately analyzing the contents of a cuvette without performing complicated arithmetic processing.

It is a top view showing composition of an analysis device concerning one embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of an analysis device according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an analysis device according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. It is a side view which shows the structure of an optical sensor. (a) and (b) are diagrams for explaining the correspondence relationship between cuvettes and slits. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing waveforms of a voltage signal output from a light receiving element of a photometry unit and a voltage signal output from a light receiving element of an optical sensor, and correspondence relationships between these waveforms and cuvettes; It is an example of data indicating the range of the analysis target region set in each cuvette. This is data obtained by converting the numerical values of the start point and the end point shown in FIG. 7 into the number of encoder pulses.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, this invention is not limited to the following embodiment.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the configuration of an analysis device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the analysis device 1, and FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the analysis device 1. be. The analysis apparatus 1 is an apparatus for analyzing a sample (for example, blood, urine, etc.) and a reagent reaction liquid, and includes a cuvette table 3 on which rows of cuvettes 2 are arranged in a circle, a drive unit 4, and a photometry unit 5. , an optical sensor 6 , a control unit 7 , and a display unit 8 .

The cuvette table 3 is formed in an annular shape in plan view, and a plurality of cuvettes 2 are arranged along the annular direction (arc-shaped arrow line in FIG. 1). The cuvette 2 is a container for containing a specimen and a reagent, and has a cubic or rectangular parallelepiped shape with an open top. Inside or around the cuvette table 3, there are provided a sample storage (not shown) that stores sample containers, a reagent store (not shown) that stores reagent containers, and the like. After placing the cuvette 2 on the cuvette table 3, a pipette (not shown) is used to supply the sample and reagent from the sample container and the reagent container to the cuvette 2 .

The drive unit 4 is a member that repeatedly intermittently rotates the row of cuvettes 2 in a circular direction, and displaces the position of the row of cuvettes 2 by a predetermined number of cuvettes each time the cuvette 2 rotates approximately once. In this embodiment, the driving section 4 comprises a driving gear 41 and a driven gear 42 connected to the cuvette table 3 . The driving gear 41 is attached to a stepping motor 43 , and by driving the stepping motor 43 to rotate the driving gear 41 , the cuvette table 3 can be rotated via the driven gear 42 . An encoder 44 is mounted on the stepping motor 43 , and the position of the driven gear 42 can be monitored by encoder pulses from the encoder 44 . A servo-controlled stepping motor may be used as the stepping motor 43 .

The photometry unit 5 irradiates each cuvette 2 passing through the photometry position P during the intermittent rotation of the row of the cuvettes 2, and photometers the emitted light from the irradiated region of each cuvette 2 passing the photometry position P. It is a member that In this embodiment, the photometry unit 5 includes a light source 51 provided outside the cuvette table 3 and a light receiving element 52 provided inside the cuvette table 3 .

The light source 51 is composed of, for example, a halogen lamp and emits light toward the light receiving element 52 . While the cuvette table 3 is rotating, the cuvette 2 crosses the optical path of the emitted light from the light source 51 (straight arrow line in FIG. 1). A photometry position P is a position where the optical path of the light emitted from the light source 51 and the path of the cuvette 2 intersect.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the cuvette 2 passes through the photometric position P, the cuvette 2 is irradiated with light emitted from the light source 51 . The light that has entered the illuminated area of the cuvette 2 passes through the interior, exits from the illuminated area of the cuvette 2 (more precisely, the back surface of the illuminated area), and the emitted light enters the light receiving element 52 . The light receiving element 52 photoelectrically converts the light emitted from the cuvette 2 and outputs a voltage signal V1 having an intensity corresponding to the amount of light to the control section 7 .

As shown in FIG. 1, the cuvette table 3 is provided with a slit dog 9 composed of individual slits 91 arranged corresponding to each cuvette 2 . The number of slits 91 is the same as that of the cuvette 2 , and the slits 91 are arranged in an annular direction on the outer peripheral edge of the cuvette table 3 .

The optical sensor 6 is a member that detects the slit 91 . As shown in FIG. 4, the optical sensor 6 has a U-shape and includes a light source 61 and a light receiving element 62 facing each other across the outer periphery of the cuvette table 3 . Only while the slit 91 is passing between the light source 61 and the light receiving element 62, the emitted light from the light source 61 reaches the light receiving element 62, and the voltage signal V2 photoelectrically converted by the light receiving element 62 is sent to the controller 7. output.

Which slit 91 each cuvette 2 corresponds to can be grasped by a known method. In this embodiment, in the initialization operation, the origin detection dog (not shown) that rotates together with the cuvette table 3 is detected by the origin sensor (not shown) installed on the fixed side, thereby executing the origin search. be done. After that, when the cuvette table 3 is rotated again, it is possible to monitor which cuvette 2 is passing near the photometric position P or the photometric portion 5 by counting the number of slits 91 passing through the optical sensor 6 . can.

5A and 5B are diagrams for explaining the correspondence between the cuvette 2 and the slit 91. FIG. Specifically, in each of FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b), the upper diagram is a schematic plan view showing the positional relationship between the light source 51 and the light receiving element 52 and the cuvette 2, and the lower diagram is and a schematic plan view showing the positional relationship between the optical sensor 6 and the slit 91 at the same time as in the upper diagram. When the cuvette 2 passes between the light source 51 and the light receiving element 52 of the photometry unit 5 , the slit 91 associated with the cuvette 2 passes through the optical sensor 6 . Specifically, when the optical sensor 6 detects the upstream end (second end) 91b of the slit 91, the upstream end of the cuvette 2 corresponding to the slit 91 (a second reference point P2 to be described later) is detected. 2a is positioned at the photometry position P. FIG. 5(a) shows the state immediately before one end of the cuvette 2 on the upstream side reaches the photometry position P. FIG.

After that, as shown in FIG. 5(b), when the optical sensor 6 detects the downstream one end (first end) 91a of the slit 91, the middle point (the first reference point, which will be described later) of the cuvette 2 in the circular direction is detected. P1) is located at the photometric position P.

FIG. 6 shows the waveforms of the voltage signal V1 output from the light receiving element 52 of the photometry unit 5 and the voltage signal V2 output from the light receiving element 62 of the optical sensor 6, and the correspondence relationship between these waveforms and the cuvette 2. It is a figure which shows. In addition, in FIG. 6, the cuvette 2 is drawn in an elongated shape for the sake of convenience. When the cuvette 2 is not positioned between the light source 51 and the light receiving element 52 of the photometry unit 5, the light emitted from the light source 51 reaches the light receiving element 52 as it is, so the voltage signal V1 is relatively large and varies. Small quantity.

After that, at time t1, when the upstream end 2a of the cuvette 2 reaches the photometric position P between the light source 51 and the light receiving element 52, the emitted light from the light source 51 passes through the inside of the cuvette 2 and is received. To reach element 52, voltage signal V1 changes abruptly. At this time, one end (second end) 91b on the upstream side of the slit 91 reaches directly below the light source 61 of the optical sensor 6, so that the voltage signal V2 rises.

After that, at time t2, when the cuvette 2 containing the specimen and the reagent passes through the photometric position P, the voltage signal V1 changes little and becomes stable. Further, at time t3, when the first reference point P1, which is the center point of the cuvette 2 in the circular direction, passes the photometric position P, the downstream one end (first end) 91a of the slit 91 reaches the light source 61 of the optical sensor 6. The voltage signal V2 falls because it is separated from directly below.

After that, at time t4, when the end of the cuvette 2 containing the sample and the reagent passes through the photometric position P, the voltage signal V1 abruptly changes. After that, at time t5, when the downstream end 2b of the cuvette 2 passes the photometric position P, the emitted light from the light source 51 reaches the light receiving element 52 as it is, so the amount of change in the voltage signal V1 becomes small. .

The control unit 7 shown in FIG. 3 is an information processing device that controls various operations of the analysis device 1 . The control unit 7 includes a storage unit 71 , a measurable area detection unit 72 , a reference timing setting unit 73 , a measurement target area setting unit 74 and an analysis unit 75 .

The storage unit 71 is a member that stores various data used by the control unit 7, and can be configured by a volatile memory such as a DRAM, a nonvolatile memory such as a flash memory, or both.

The measurable region detection unit 72 detects cuvettes 2 in which the amount of change in the emitted light from the irradiated regions R1 accompanying passage of the cuvettes 2 shown in FIG. is detected as the respective measurable area R2 of each cuvette 2. As shown in FIG. 6, while the specimen and reagent storage areas of the cuvette 2 are passing through the photometric position P, the amount of change in the voltage signal V1 (light emitted from the cuvette 2) is small. The measurable region detection unit 72 detects the region with the small amount of change as the measurable region R2.

In addition, the measurable region detection unit 72 detects that the amount of change in the emitted light from the cuvette 2 due to passage of the cuvette 2 exceeds a predetermined amount of change in the irradiated region R1 of each cuvette 2, and is greater than the measurable region R2. A region of the cuvette 2 on the upstream side in the movement direction of the cuvette 2 is detected as the respective non-measurable region R3 of each cuvette 2 . In the example shown in FIG. 6, the amount of change in the voltage signal V1 is large between time t1 and time t2. The measurable region detection unit 72 detects the region where the amount of change is large as the non-measurable region R3.

The reference timing setting unit 73 shown in FIG. 3 uses the time t3 at which the first reference point P1 included in the measurable region R2 of each cuvette 2 passes the photometry position P for analysis of the content in each cuvette 2. It is set as a reference timing for specifying the analysis target region R4. In this embodiment, the first reference point P1 is positioned at the midpoint of the cuvette 2, and as shown in FIG. 6 detects the downstream end 91a of the slit 91, the voltage signal V2 output from the light receiving element 62 of the optical sensor 6 falls, as shown in FIG. Reference timing setting unit 73 specifies time t3 at which voltage signal V2 falls as the reference timing.

The first reference point P1 is not particularly limited as long as it is included in the measurable region R2. It is preferable to be located in the area up to the dividing point), and it is particularly preferable to be located at the midpoint of the cuvette 2 as in this embodiment.

Further, the reference timing setting unit 73 starts storing the photometric data D1 in each cuvette 2 at the time when the second reference point P2 included in the non-measurable region R3 of each cuvette 2 passes the photometric position P. The start timing is specified, and the photometric data D1 for a predetermined period from the storage start timing is stored in the storage unit 71 . In this embodiment, the second reference point P2 is positioned at the upstream end 2a of the cuvette 2, and when the second reference point P2 is positioned at the photometric position P, the optical sensor 6 is positioned upstream of the slit 91. 6, the voltage signal V2 output from the light receiving element 62 of the photosensor 6 rises at time t1, as shown in FIG. The reference timing setting unit 73 uses the rise of the voltage signal V2 as a trigger to specify the storage start timing.

The predetermined period is not particularly limited as long as the photometric data D1 to be stored in the storage unit 71 includes the measurable region R2, but in this embodiment, it is twice the pulse width of the voltage signal V2. Therefore, the reference timing setting unit 73 cuts out the voltage signal V1 for the period from the time t1 to the time t5, which is twice the period from the time t1 to the time t3, as the photometric data D1, and stores it in the storage unit 71.

The second reference point P2 is not particularly limited as long as it is included in the non-measurable region R3. A method of identifying the analysis target region R4 based on the reference timing t3 will be described later. Note that the reference timing setting section 73 may store the voltage signal V1 from the photometry section 5 as it is in the storage section 71 as the photometry data D1 without specifying the second reference point P2.

As shown in FIG. 6, the amount of change in the voltage signal V1 in the measurable region R2 is small. Therefore, in order to improve the accuracy of the analysis, it is necessary to set a region with a particularly small amount of change in the measurable region R2 as the analysis target region R4.

In this embodiment, before the cuvette 2 contains the sample and the reagent, the correction data preparation step is performed in advance to set the analysis target region R4 in each cuvette 2 . Specifically, in the correction data preparation step, the cuvette 2 is filled with a liquid such as pure water, and the cuvette table 3 is rotated while light is emitted from the light source of the photometry unit 5 . Emitted light (here, transmitted light) from the cuvette 2 is measured. The measurement target area setting unit 74 stores the data at this time in the storage unit 71 as correction photometric data D2.

Furthermore, the measurement target region setting unit 74 analyzes the correction photometric data D2, detects a region within a certain range (for example, 2 mm) in which the amount of change in transmitted light is very small in each cuvette 2, and determines that region as the analysis target region R4. set as

FIG. 7 is an example of data indicating the range of the analysis target region R4 set in each cuvette 2. As shown in FIG. The numerical values for the start and end points are expressed in terms of the distance of the cuvette 2 from the first reference point P1, with positive values downstream of the first reference point P1 and negative values upstream of the first reference point P1. It means that there is

Furthermore, the measurement target region setting unit 74 sets the distance representing the range of the analysis target region R4 to the number of encoder pulses from the encoder 44 at the normal rotation speed of the cuvette 2 during the analysis process (the speed at which the cuvette 2 passes through the photometry unit 5). Convert. If the normal passing speed of the cuvette 2 during the analysis process is, for example, 1000 mm/s and the encoder pulse frequency is 50 kHz, the cuvette 2 passes 0.1 mm in 10 μs (5 pulses), so FIG. The data shown is converted into correction data D3 shown in FIG. In the correction data D3, for each cuvette 2, the number of pulses from the reference timing t3 at the start point and end point of the analysis target region R4 is associated as a correction value. The measurement target region setting unit 74 causes the storage unit 71 to store the correction data D3. With the above, the correction data preparation process is finished.

In the analysis step, the sample and the reagent are dispensed into the cuvette 2, the reaction solution is stirred, the cuvette table 3 is rotated, the light emitted from each cuvette 2 is measured by the photometry unit 5, and the reference timing setting unit 73 The photometric data D1 is stored in the storage unit 71. FIG. After that, the analysis unit 75 reads the photometric data D1 and the correction data D3 from the storage unit 71, and analyzes the contents of the cuvette 2 based on the read photometric data D1 and the correction data D3. Specifically, the analysis unit 75 uses the reference timing t3 set for each cuvette 2 in the photometric data D1 and the correction value individually associated with each cuvette 2 in the correction data D3 for analysis. An analysis target region R4 is specified, and the content of the cuvette 2 is analyzed based on the analysis target region R4. The analysis result by the analysis unit 75 is displayed on the display unit 8. FIG.

As shown in FIG. 6, the range of the analysis target region R4 of each cuvette 2 has a start point at time t3+Δp1 and an end point at time t3+Δp2 with reference timing t3 as a reference. The analysis unit 75 reads the correction data D3 from the storage unit 71 and specifies the analysis target region R4 by adding Δp1 and Δp2 to the reference timing t3 set by the reference timing setting unit 73 for each cuvette 2 . For example, No. 1 cuvette 2, Δp1=25 pulses and Δp2=125 pulses. The reaction liquid of the sample and the reagent contained in the cuvette 2 is analyzed based on the voltage signal V1 corresponding to . Specifically, the analysis unit 75 calculates the average value of voltages at a plurality of (100) photometry points corresponding to the encoder pulses input from the encoder 44 in the voltage signal V1 corresponding to the analysis target region R4. , the analysis is based on the average value.

(Summary)
As described above, in the present embodiment, the change amount is identified as an analysis target region R4 in which is particularly small. If the speed of the cuvette 2 during the analysis process is equal to the normal speed assumed for generating the correction data D3, the analysis target region R4 specified by the analysis unit 75 is determined by the measurement target region setting unit 74 as It is equal to the set ideal analysis target region R4. On the other hand, during the analysis process, the stepping motor 43 is driven at high speed, so that the rotation speed of the cuvette table 3 slightly fluctuates. Therefore, when the speed of the cuvette 2 is faster or slower than the normal speed, the distance between the analysis target region R4 specified by the analysis unit 75 and the ideal analysis target region R4 set by the measurement target region setting unit 74 deviation occurs.

However, the actual analysis target region R4 is often positioned near the middle region of the cuvette 2 . Therefore, in the present embodiment, the first reference point P1 is set in the measurable region R2 of the cuvette 2, particularly in the middle region (for example, the middle point) of the cuvette 2, and the first reference point P1 is used as a reference for the analysis target. Correction data D3 for specifying region R4 is generated. Therefore, the correction value in the correction data D3 can be significantly reduced compared to the case where a point far from the intermediate region of the cuvette 2 (for example, a point within the non-measurable region R3) is used as a reference. Therefore, even if the speed of the cuvette 2 differs from the normal speed, the analysis target region R4 specified by the analysis unit 75 and the ideal analysis target region R4 set by the measurement target region setting unit 74 is not so large as to affect the accuracy of the analysis.

On the other hand, in the method of Patent Document 1, the falling edge of the detection plate detector pulse, that is, the position outside the area (measurable area) where the amount of change in the emitted light from the cuvette is small, is used as a reference for photometry. The position (analysis target area) is specified (Figs. 3 to 5 of Patent Document 1). Therefore, if the pulse width of the timing adjustment pulse is fixed regardless of the speed of the cuvette, the photometric position may deviate greatly from the ideal position.

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, even if the correction value in the correction data D3 is fixed regardless of the speed of the cuvette 2, the analysis target region R4 specified by the analysis unit 75 does not deviate significantly from the ideal analysis target region R4. Therefore, there is no need to adjust the pulse width of the timing adjustment pulse according to the speed of the cuvette as in Patent Document 1. Therefore, the content of the cuvette can be accurately analyzed without complicated arithmetic processing.

(Additional notes)
The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and can be modified in various ways within the scope of the claims. Forms obtained by appropriately combining technical means disclosed in the embodiments are also techniques of the present invention. included in the scope.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, after specifying the analysis target region R4, the analysis unit 75 determines the average value of the voltages at the plurality of photometric points corresponding to the encoder pulses in the voltage signal V1 corresponding to the analysis target region R4. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The analysis unit 75 may perform the analysis, for example, based on the integrated value of the voltage signal V1 corresponding to the analysis target region R4.

Also, in the above embodiment, the range of the analysis target region R4 is defined based on the number of encoder pulses, but it may be defined based on the number of motor command pulses instead of the number of encoder pulses. Further, the correction data D3 may be generated by converting the distance representing the range of the analysis target region R4 shown in FIG. 7 into time.

In the above embodiment, the same number of slits 91 as the cuvettes 2 are provided in order to set the reference timing at which the first reference point P1 of the cuvette 2 passes the photometric position P, and the ends of the slits 91 are detected by the optical sensor 6. Although the point of time of detection is used as the reference timing, the mode of setting the reference timing is not particularly limited. For example, at the first reference point P1 of the cuvette 2, a member (for example, a convex portion or recesses or collar markings) may be provided. When the intensity of the emitted light is varied, the time point at which the intensity of the voltage signal V1 changes abruptly is set as the reference timing. When the wavelength of the emitted light is varied, the light receiving element 52 of the photometry unit 5 is configured with a color sensor, and the point of time when the wavelength of the voltage signal V1 abruptly changes is set as the reference timing.

Further, in the above embodiment, the photometry unit 5 measures the light transmitted through the cuvette 2, but the present invention is not limited to this. The photometry unit 5 may, for example, irradiate the cuvette 2 with light and measure the light scattered or reflected from the cuvette 2 .

1 analysis device 2 cuvette 2a one end 2b one end 3 cuvette table 4 drive unit 5 photometry unit 6 optical sensor (sensor)
7 control unit 8 display unit 9 slit dog 41 drive gear 42 driven gear 43 stepping motor 44 encoder 51 light source 52 light receiving element 61 light source 62 light receiving element 71 storage unit 72 measurable area detection unit 73 reference timing setting unit 74 measurement target area setting unit 75 Analysis unit 91 Slit 91a One end (first end)
91b one end (second end)
D1 photometric data D2 photometric data for correction D3 correction data P photometric position P1 first reference point P2 second reference point R1 irradiated region R2 measurable region R3 non-measurable region R4 analysis target region V1 voltage signal V2 voltage signal t1 time t2 Time t3 Time (reference timing)
t4 time t5 time

Claims (11)

A cuvette table with rows of cuvettes arranged in a circle,
a driving unit for repeatedly and intermittently rotating the rows of cuvettes in a circular direction;
a photometry unit that irradiates light onto each cuvette passing through the photometry position during the intermittent rotation and measures the emitted light from the irradiated area of each cuvette that passes through the photometry position;
an analysis unit that analyzes the contents of the cuvette based on the measured photometric data;
Among the irradiated areas of each cuvette, an area of the cuvette in which the amount of change in the emitted light due to the passage of the cuvette is equal to or less than a predetermined amount of change is detected as the measurable area of each cuvette. a measurable area detection unit;
Reference timing setting for setting a time point at which a first reference point included in the measurable area of each cuvette passes through the photometric position as a reference timing for specifying the analysis target area used for the analysis in each cuvette. Department and
a slit dog provided on the cuvette table and made up of individual slits arranged corresponding to each of the cuvettes;
a sensor that detects the slit;
with
The analyzer of claim 1, wherein when the sensor detects the first end of each slit, the first reference point of the cuvette corresponding to that slit is located at the photometric position. A cuvette table with rows of cuvettes arranged in a circle,
a driving unit for repeatedly and intermittently rotating the rows of cuvettes in a circular direction;
a photometry unit that irradiates light onto each cuvette passing through the photometry position during the intermittent rotation and measures the emitted light from the irradiated area of each cuvette that passes through the photometry position;
an analysis unit that analyzes the contents of the cuvette based on the measured photometric data;
Among the irradiated areas of each cuvette, an area of the cuvette in which the amount of change in the emitted light due to the passage of the cuvette is equal to or less than a predetermined amount of change is detected as the measurable area of each cuvette. a measurable area detection unit;
Reference timing setting for setting a time point at which a first reference point included in the measurable area of each cuvette passes through the photometric position as a reference timing for specifying the analysis target area used for the analysis in each cuvette. Department and
a slit dog provided on the cuvette table and made up of individual slits arranged corresponding to each of the cuvettes;
a sensor that detects the slit;
with
The measurable area detection unit determines that, in the irradiated area of each cuvette, the amount of change in the emitted light due to the passage of the cuvette exceeds a predetermined amount of change, and the cuvette moves more than the measurable area. detecting the area of the cuvette on the upstream side of the direction as the respective out-of-measurable area of each of the cuvettes;
The reference timing setting unit sets the point of time when the second reference point included in the non-measurable area of each cuvette passes the photometry position as a storage start timing for starting storage of the photometry data in each cuvette. specify and store the photometric data for a predetermined period from the storage start timing in a storage unit;
The analysis device, wherein when the sensor detects the second end of each slit, the second reference point of the cuvette corresponding to that slit is located at the photometric position. A cuvette table with rows of cuvettes arranged in a circle,
a driving unit for repeatedly and intermittently rotating the rows of cuvettes in a circular direction;
a photometry unit that irradiates light onto each cuvette passing through the photometry position during the intermittent rotation and measures the emitted light from the irradiated area of each cuvette that passes through the photometry position;
an analysis unit that analyzes the contents of the cuvette based on the measured photometric data;
Among the irradiated areas of each cuvette, an area of the cuvette in which the amount of change in the emitted light due to the passage of the cuvette is equal to or less than a predetermined amount of change is detected as the measurable area of each cuvette. a measurable area detection unit;
Reference timing setting for setting a time point at which a first reference point included in the measurable area of each cuvette passes through the photometric position as a reference timing for specifying the analysis target area used for the analysis in each cuvette. Department and
with
The analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the first reference point of each cuvette is provided with a member that makes the intensity or wavelength of the emitted light different from that of other areas in the measurable area. The cuvette is a cuvette that contains and reacts a specimen and a reagent,
The analysis unit analyzes the reaction liquid of the specimen and the reagent at a plurality of photometric points in the analysis target region of each cuvette for each intermittent rotation.
The analyzer according to any one of claims 1 to 3 . The first reference point is located in an intermediate region of the cuvette in the annular direction.
The analyzer according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The first reference point is located at the midpoint of the cuvette in the annular direction.
The analyzer according to any one of claims 1 to 5 . The measurable area detection unit determines that, in the irradiated area of each cuvette, the amount of change in the emitted light due to the passage of the cuvette exceeds a predetermined amount of change, and the cuvette moves more than the measurable area. detecting the area of the cuvette on the upstream side of the direction as the respective out-of-measurable area of each of the cuvettes;
The reference timing setting unit sets the point of time when the second reference point included in the non-measurable area of each cuvette passes the photometry position as a storage start timing for starting storage of the photometry data in each cuvette. specifying and storing the photometric data for a predetermined period from the storage start timing in a storage unit;
The analyzer according to claim 1 or 3 . The analysis unit reads out the photometric data from the storage unit, and based on the reference timing in the read photometric data and the correction values individually associated with the cuvettes, the analysis target used in the analysis. identifying a region and analyzing the contents of the cuvette based on the region to be analyzed;
The analyzer according to claim 2 or 7 . a slit dog provided on the cuvette table and made up of individual slits arranged corresponding to each of the cuvettes;
a sensor that detects the slit,
when the sensor detects the first end of each slit, the first reference point of the cuvette corresponding to the slit is located at the photometric position;
The analyzer according to claim 2 or 3 . a slit dog provided on the cuvette table and made up of individual slits arranged corresponding to each of the cuvettes;
a sensor that detects the slit,
when the sensor detects the second end of each slit, the second reference point of the cuvette corresponding to the slit is located at the photometric position;
The analyzer according to claim 7 . The first reference point of each cuvette is provided with a member that makes the intensity or wavelength of the emitted light different from that of other areas in the measurable area.
The analyzer according to claim 1 or 2 .

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