JP7261616B2 - automatic analyzer - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an automatic analyzer that performs qualitative/quantitative analysis of a biological sample (hereinafter referred to as sample) such as blood or urine contained in a sample container.

Patent Document 1 discloses a dispensing probe that dispenses a reagent or sample into a reaction container, a gear pump that supplies cleaning water to the dispensing probe, and a cleaning flow that sends the cleaning water discharged from the gear pump to the dispensing probe. a pressure sensor for measuring the pressure in the cleaning channel; a return channel connecting the discharge port side and the suction port side of the gear pump; It is described that a controller is provided that adjusts the flow rate of cleaning water flowing through the return flow path by changing the opening/closing degree of the flow rate adjusting section according to the measurement result of the pressure sensor.

WO2018-055931

In an automated analyzer, for example, an automated biochemical analyzer, in order to analyze the components of a sample, a reagent and a sample are aspirated by probes mounted on their respective aspirating mechanisms, and discharged into a cell to separate the sample and reagent. The analytical result is calculated by reacting and measuring the change.

In such automatic analyzers, if the reagent or sample remains in the probe when the next reagent or sample is dispensed, contamination will occur due to carryover.

In order to prevent this contamination, the outer and inner surfaces of the probe are cleaned. Of these, cleaning of the inner surface of the probe is generally performed by discharging the inner cleaning water under high pressure using a gear pump.

This gear pump has been found to lose pressure with prolonged use. In the past, pressure drops have been addressed by operators monitoring the pressure or by service personnel making regular adjustments to the gear pump.

Further, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-200003 describes that the automatic analyzer itself is provided with a function of monitoring and adjusting the discharge pressure of the gear pump.

However, the technique described in Patent Document 1 does not consider the contamination of reagents or samples due to a decrease in the temperature of the washing water, and the present inventors have found that there is room for further improvement in washing power. It became clear.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic analyzer with improved cleaning power for the inner surface of a dispensing probe compared to the prior art.

The present invention includes a plurality of means for solving the above problems. One example is an automatic analyzer that dispenses a sample and a reagent into a reaction vessel, causes them to react, and measures the reacted liquid. a plurality of dispensing probes for dispensing the reagent and the sample into the reaction vessel; a gear pump for supplying cleaning water to the dispensing probe; and a branched cleaning water discharged from the gear pump. to the plurality of dispensing probes, a thermometer for measuring the temperature of the washing water, and a discharge pressure of the washing water discharged from the gear pump according to the measurement result of the thermometer. and a flow rate control unit that adjusts the flow rate of the washing water supplied to the dispensing probe, wherein the flow rate control unit controls a portion of the plurality of washing channels where washing is most uneasy. The cleaning is performed using one of the value of the flow rate of the cleaning water , the average value of the flow rate values at a plurality of locations , or the weighted average obtained by weighting according to the diameter of the cleaning channel and the importance of the cleaning channel. It is characterized by adjusting the flow rate of water.

According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the detergency of the inner surface of the dispensing probe compared with the conventional method, and reduce the rate of contamination of reagents or samples due to a decrease in the temperature of the washing water compared with the conventional method. Problems, configurations and effects other than those described above will be clarified by the following description of the embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is the figure which showed the outline of the whole structure of the automatic analyzer of Example 1 of this invention. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of internal washing channels for the reagent probe and the sample probe in the automatic analyzer of Example 1. FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the main parts to be cleaned in the reagent probe and sample probe in the automatic analyzer of Example 1; 4 is a flow chart of automatic pressure adjustment in the automatic analyzer of Example 1. FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the configuration of internal washing channels for reagent probes and sample probes in an automatic analyzer according to Example 2 of the present invention; FIG. 10 is a flow chart of automatic pressure adjustment in the automatic analyzer of Example 2; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the configuration of internal washing channels for reagent probes and sample probes in an automatic analyzer according to Example 3 of the present invention;

An embodiment of the automatic analyzer of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First, the circumstances leading to the present invention will be described with reference to Table 1.

First, the reason why reagent or sample contamination occurs due to a decrease in washing water temperature will be described.

Table 1 shows the water temperature, viscosity, kinematic viscosity, and Reynolds number at each flow rate when the inner diameter of the probe is 1.0 (mm).

Here, the Reynolds number as shown in Table 1 is calculated by Equation (1).

In the above formula (1), Re is the Reynolds number, L is the representative length (inner diameter for a circular pipe) (m), U is the representative flow velocity (cross-sectional average flow velocity for a circular pipe) (m/s), υ is the kinematic viscosity ( m ² /s (×10 ⁻⁶ )).

Also, the flow velocity is calculated by the following formula (2).

In the above formula (2), V is the flow velocity (m/s), Q is the flow rate (m ³ /s), and D is the probe diameter (m).

When the washing water in the probe flows in a laminar flow (low Reynolds number), the washing water flows in a single straight line, so dirt adhering to the inside of the probe cannot be involved. As a result, the cleaning effect is reduced, and contamination of reagents or samples may occur.

Conversely, if the flow of cleaning water inside the probe becomes turbulent (reaching the critical Reynolds number), the cleaning water will engulf the contaminants adhering to the inside of the probe as it flows, thus exerting its cleaning effect and preventing reagent or sample contamination. Nation can be prevented.

As shown in Table 1 above, a high Reynolds number can be maintained by increasing the flow rate even when the water temperature is low. However, there is a problem in designing the apparatus so as to always ensure a high Reynolds number in consideration of the decrease in the washing water temperature.

One of the reasons for this is that if the Reynolds number is too high, the wash water will be discharged from the probe with too much force, and the state may become unstable, resulting in poor dispensing accuracy. In addition, the flow path becomes unbearable due to water pressure, and in the worst case, water leakage may occur.

For example, an automated analyzer that processes 1000 tests per hour takes 3.6 seconds per test. In order to improve the cleaning effect within such a short limited time, it is desirable to maintain an appropriate Reynolds number.

Furthermore, depending on the installation environment of the automatic analyzer, the season of analysis, and the time period of use, there is a possibility that the temperature of the water supply will deviate from the range of 15° C. to 32° C. specified by the device. Therefore, when the feed water temperature is below 15° C., it is desirable to increase the flow rate so as to exceed the critical Reynolds number. Conversely, when the feedwater temperature exceeds 32° C., it is desirable to reduce the flow rate and adjust so as to approach the critical Reynolds number. Therefore, the study by the inventors of the present invention has revealed that there is a demand for a technique for changing the flow rate according to the cleaning water temperature so as to approach the critical Reynolds number.

Based on such knowledge, the operator can monitor the temperature of the cleaning water discharged from the gear pump, preferably monitor the flow rate and discharge pressure of the cleaning water discharged from the probe, and provide an adjustment function for the discharge pressure of the gear pump. We also completed an automatic analyzer that can reduce the work of service personnel and improve the reliability of analytical performance.

<Example 1>
Embodiment 1 of the automatic analyzer of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. FIG.

First, the overall configuration of the automatic analyzer will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the overall configuration of the automatic analyzer of this embodiment.

The automatic analyzer 100 shown in FIG. 1 is a device that dispenses samples and reagents into a plurality of reaction containers 2, reacts them, and measures the reacted liquid. As shown in FIG. 1, a sample transport mechanism 17, a reaction disk 1, a sample dispensing mechanism 11, a sample syringe 19, a reagent disk 9, reagent dispensing mechanisms 7 and 8, a reagent syringe 18, washing tanks 13 and 14, 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , cleaning containers 23 , 24 , stirring mechanisms 5 , 6 , light source 4 a , spectrophotometer 4 , cleaning mechanism 3 , cleaning pump 20 , and controller 21 .

A plurality of reaction vessels 2 for mixing and reacting a sample and a reagent are arranged on the circumference of the reaction disk 1 . A sample transport mechanism 17 for moving a sample rack 16 carrying a sample container 15 containing a sample such as blood is installed near the reaction disk 1 .

Between the reaction disk 1 and the sample transfer mechanism 17, there are installed sample dispensing mechanisms 11 and 12 which are rotatable and vertically movable, and which are equipped with sample probes 11a and 12a, respectively. A sample syringe 19 is connected to the sample probes 11a and 12a. The sample probes 11 a and 12 a move in an arc around the rotating shaft, and the sample is dispensed from the sample vessel 15 transported to the sample dispensing position by the sample transport mechanism 17 to the reaction vessel 2 .

A washing tank 13 for washing the sample probe 11a with washing water and a washing container 23 for washing with special washing water are arranged in the operating range of the sample pipetting mechanism 11 . A washing tank 14 for washing the sample probe 12a with washing water and a washing container 24 for washing with special washing water are arranged in the operating range of the sample pipetting mechanism 12 .

A plurality of reagent bottles 10 can be placed in the reagent disc 9 on a circumference. The reagent disk 9 is kept cool and covered with a cover provided with a suction port (not shown). The reagent bottle 10 is a container containing reagents used for sample analysis.

Between the reaction disk 1 and the reagent disk 9 are installed rotatable and vertically movable reagent dispensing mechanisms 7 and 8, each equipped with reagent probes 7a and 8a. A reagent syringe 18 is connected to the reagent probes 7a and 8a. The reagent probes 7a and 8a move in an arc around the rotation axis, access the inside of the reagent disk 9 through the suction port, and dispense the reagent from the reagent bottle 10 to the reaction container 2. FIG.

A washing tank 32 for washing the reagent probe 7a with washing water is arranged in the operating range of the reagent dispensing mechanism 7, and a washing tank 31 for washing the reagent probe 8a with washing water is arranged in the operating range of the reagent dispensing mechanism 8. It is

Surrounding the reaction disk 1 are stirring mechanisms 5 and 6 for stirring the mixture (reaction liquid) of the sample and the reagent dispensed into the reaction vessel 2, A spectrophotometer 4 for measuring the absorbance of the reaction solution by measuring transmitted light, a cleaning mechanism 3 for cleaning the used reaction vessel 2, and the like are arranged.

The stirring mechanisms 5 and 6 are configured to be capable of horizontal rotation and vertical movement, and are inserted into the reaction vessel 2 to stir the mixed solution (reaction solution) of the sample and the reagent. Cleaning tanks 29 and 30 for cleaning the stirring mechanisms 5 and 6 with cleaning water are arranged in the operation range of the stirring mechanisms 5 and 6 . A cleaning pump 20 is connected to the cleaning mechanism 3 .

The controller 21 is composed of a computer or the like having a CPU, a memory, etc., controls the operation of each device and mechanism in the automatic analyzer 100, and detects a predetermined component in the sample from the detection result of the spectrophotometer 4. Arithmetic processing is performed to obtain the concentration of

Various programs control the operation of each device by the controller 21 . This program is stored in a database (not shown), an internal recording medium, or an external recording medium, and is read and executed by the CPU. It should be noted that the control processing of the operation executed by the controller 21 may be integrated into one program, may be divided into a plurality of programs, or may be a combination thereof. Also, part or all of the program may be realized by dedicated hardware, or may be modularized.

The above is the general configuration of the automatic analyzer 100 .

Analysis processing of a test sample by the automatic analyzer 100 as described above is generally executed in the following order.

First, the sample in the sample container 15 placed on the sample rack 16 transported to the vicinity of the reaction disk 1 by the sample transport mechanism 17 is transferred to the reaction disk 1 by the sample probes 11a and 12a of the sample dispensing mechanisms 11 and 12. Dispense into reaction vessel 2 above. Next, the reagent used for analysis is dispensed from the reagent bottle 10 on the reagent disk 9 by the reagent dispensing mechanisms 7 and 8 to the reaction container 2 into which the sample has previously been dispensed. Subsequently, the mixture of the sample and the reagent in the reaction container 2 is stirred by the stirring mechanisms 5 and 6 .

After that, the light emitted from the light source 4 a is transmitted through the reaction vessel 2 containing the mixed liquid after stirring, and the luminous intensity of the transmitted light is measured by the spectrophotometer 4 . The light intensity measured by the spectrophotometer 4 is transmitted to the controller 21 via an A/D converter (not shown) and an interface (not shown).

The controller 21 obtains the concentration of a predetermined component in the sample through arithmetic processing, displays the result on a display (not shown) or the like, and stores it in a storage (not shown).

Next, the configuration for cleaning the inner surfaces of the reagent probes 7a and 8a and the sample probes 11a and 12a will be described with reference to FIG. 1 onward.

The reagent probes 7a and 8a used for reagent aspiration and dispensing and the sample probes 11a and 12a used for sample aspiration and dispensing are not disposable. Therefore, the same probe is used consecutively.

Here, when using the same probe, if the reagent or sample ejected in the previous operation remains in the probe, contamination will occur when it is mixed with the reagent or sample to be aspirated in the next operation, resulting in normal analysis results. may not be judged.

For this reason, the outer surface and inner surface of the probe are generally cleaned.

The outer surfaces of the probes are cleaned by discharging cleaning water from the cleaning tanks 13, 14, 31, and 32 toward the outer surfaces of the probes. The inner surfaces of the probes are cleaned by discharging cleaning water pressurized by pumps from the cleaning tanks 13, 14, 31, and 32 from the probes. A gear pump 34 is often used to pressurize the washing water.

Here, as described above, attention was paid to the fact that even if the gear pump 34 is operating normally, if the temperature of the cleaning water drops, the cleaning effect of the probe will decrease. If the washing water temperature drops, the sample or reagent may not be washed sufficiently and may remain in the probe, increasing the risk of contamination.

As a current countermeasure against the drop in washing water temperature, service personnel periodically adjust the gear pump 34 to maintain the washing effect. However, there is room for improvement in this respect as well.

By reducing the risk of contamination, it is possible to provide the market with automatic analyzers with even more reliable analytical performance. Therefore, the characteristic flow path configuration of the present invention is employed to monitor the washing water temperature during the operation of the apparatus and realize the monitoring and adjusting functions of the discharge pressure of the gear pump 34 .

The configuration of the flow path will be described below with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 shows the configuration of flow paths for cleaning the inner surfaces of reagent probes 7a and 8a and sample probes 11a and 12a.

As shown in FIG. 2, the channels for cleaning the reagent probes 7a and 8a and the sample probes 11a and 12a include a reservoir 201, a cleaning pump 20, a gear pump 34, a cleaning channel 106, a return channel 105, and a throttle. Part 101, pressure sensor 102, thermometer 107, branch pipe 104, electromagnetic valves 108, 109, 110, 111, reagent probe pressure sensors 112, 113, sample probe pressure sensors 114, 115, reagent probe flowmeters 116, 117, sample It is composed of probe flowmeters 118 and 119 and a control unit 103 .

Among them, the flow rate control section is composed of the return flow path 105 , the throttle section 101 , and the control section 103 that controls the opening/closing degree of the throttle section 101 . In this embodiment, the flow rate control unit adjusts the discharge pressure of washing water discharged from the gear pump 34 according to the measurement result of the thermometer 107, thereby supplying washing water to the dispensing probes 7a, 8a, 11a, and 12a. Water flow is regulated.

More specifically, the flow control unit determines the Reynolds number of the cleaning water in the cleaning flow path 106 based on the measurement result of the thermometer 107, and determines the amount of cleaning water required to keep the determined Reynolds number within the target range. A target flow rate is obtained, and the discharge pressure of the gear pump 34 is adjusted so that the measurement results of the flowmeters 116, 117, 118, and 119 become the target flow rate.

The cleaning pump 20 is a pump that supplies the cleaning water stored in the water storage portion 201 to the gear pump 34 in this flow path. The cleaning pump 20 is connected to a gear pump 34, which pressurizes the cleaning water supplied from the cleaning pump 20 and discharges the cleaning water toward the reagent probes 7a, 8a and the sample probes 11a, 12a. .

The washing flow path 106 is a flow path for sending washing water discharged from the gear pump 34 to the reagent probes 7a, 8a and the sample probes 11a, 12a.

A pressure sensor 102 is arranged in the cleaning channel 106 to measure the discharge pressure of the cleaning pump 20 when the gear pump 34 is stopped and the pressure of the cleaning channel 106 while the gear pump 34 is operating.

Moreover, the pressure sensor 102 can be used together with reagent probe pressure sensors 112 and 113 for detecting the ejection pressure of the reagent probes 7a and 8a, and sample probe pressure sensors 114 and 115 for detecting the ejection pressure of the sample probes 11a and 12a. Then, whether or not the reagent probes 7a and 8a of the reagent pipetting mechanisms 7 and 8 are normally sucking and discharging the reagent and the sample probes 11a and 12a of the sample pipetting mechanisms 11 and 12 are operating normally. can be confirmed.

A thermometer 107 is arranged in the cleaning channel 106 described above. A thermometer 107 measures the water temperature of the cleaning water flowing through the cleaning channel 106 . The measurement of the water temperature may be performed constantly during the operation of the automatic analyzer 100, or may be performed at predetermined times or at time intervals.

A branch pipe 104 is arranged in the washing channel 106 described above. A branch pipe 104 is provided to branch the flow path of washing water to reagent probes 7a and 8a and sample probes 11a and 12a. In addition, a filter 104a is provided in the flow path of the branch pipe 104 for removing foreign matter that may be contained in the washing water.

Electromagnetic valves 108, 109, 110, and 111 are provided in the cleaning flow path 106 branched by the branch pipe 104 to control the flow of the cleaning water. By opening the electromagnetic valves 108, 109, 110 and 111, washing water flows to the reagent probes 7a and 8a or the sample probes 11a and 12a, and washing is performed.

Reagent probe flowmeters 116, 117 and sample probe flowmeters 118, 119 for measuring the flow rate of the washing water are provided in the washing flow channel 106 after being branched by the branch pipe 104, respectively. Measurements of the wash water flow rate may be made constantly or at fixed times or intervals. Only one flow meter for measuring the flow rate of the cleaning water in the cleaning channel 106 can be installed on the cleaning channel 106 before the branch pipe 104 .

A return flow path 105 is arranged in the cleaning flow path 106 in parallel with the gear pump 34 and connects the discharge port side and the suction port side of the gear pump 34 . The return channel 105 is provided with a narrowed portion 101 whose opening/closing degree is adjustable in order to adjust the flow rate of the washing water flowing through the return channel 105 .

The throttle portion 101 is composed of, for example, a proportional electromagnetic valve, and the opening/closing degree thereof is adjusted by a control portion 103, which will be described later.

The control unit 103 is arranged in the controller 21, and according to the results of the temperature of the cleaning water flowing through the cleaning flow path 106 measured by the thermometer 107 and the results of the flow rate of the cleaning water of the flowmeters 116, 117, 118, and 119, By changing the opening/closing degree of the narrowed portion 101, the flow rate of the cleaning water flowing through the return flow path 105 is adjusted.

For example, the control unit 103 measures the temperature of the washing water with the thermometer 107 and the flow rate of the washing water with the flowmeters 116, 117, 118, and 119, and obtains the Reynolds number from these measurement results. After that, it is judged whether or not the obtained Reynolds number is within the target range. While checking the value, the opening/closing degree of the restrictor 101 is changed so that the target flow rate is adjusted according to the water temperature.

More specifically, when the Reynolds number is higher than the target range, the throttle section 101 is adjusted in the opening direction. As a result, the amount of wash water discharged from the gear pump 34 that flows to the suction port side of the gear pump 34 via the return flow path 105 is increased, thereby decreasing the amount that flows to the branch pipe 104 side, and the dispensing probe 7a. , 8a, 11a and 12a.

On the other hand, when the Reynolds number is lower than the target range, the throttle section 101 is adjusted in the closing direction. As a result, the amount of wash water discharged from the gear pump 34 that flows toward the suction port of the gear pump 34 via the return flow path 105 is reduced, thereby increasing the amount that flows toward the branch pipe 104 and dispensing probe 7a. , 8a, 11a, and 12a.

For wash water, the critical Reynolds number is 2,300. Here, even if the reference value of the target Reynolds number is set to 2300, it may not be possible to stably generate turbulent flow by switching between laminar flow and turbulent flow. Therefore, it is desirable to set the reference value of the target Reynolds number to 3000, which is considered to generate stable turbulence.

However, although the higher the Reynolds number, the higher the cleaning effect, a too high Reynolds number (too fast flow rate) may affect the dispensing accuracy, so it is desirable not to increase the Reynolds number more than necessary.

The target range of Reynolds number can be appropriately set according to the properties of the cleaning water and the environment of the apparatus. Desirably, it can be within +10% of the reference value of the target Reynolds number.

As shown in FIG. 3, the position of the probe for calculating the Reynolds number is desirably the position where the diameter of the probe is large, and is desirably the main target site to be washed.

Here, as described above, in this embodiment, a total of four flowmeters, namely reagent probe flowmeters 116 and 117 and sample probe flowmeters 118 and 119 are arranged.

Comparing the inner diameters of the reagent probes 7a and 8a and the sample probes 11a and 12a, the reagent probes 7a and 8a are generally thicker than the sample probes 11a and 12a. For this reason, if the flow rate and pressure of the washing water are the same, there is concern that the washing power will be lower than that of the sample probes 11a and 12a, and the probability of contamination will increase. Therefore, when the flow rate of washing water is measured at a plurality of points, it is desirable to use the value at the point where washing is most uneasy, which is the value at the reagent probes 7a and 8a in this embodiment.

It should be noted that it is not limited to the case of using the value of the place where cleaning is the most uneasy, and the average value of the flow rate values of a plurality of places, or the weighted average can be used by weighting according to the diameter of the flow path and the degree of importance.

Further, in this embodiment, the control unit 103 generates a caution alarm when the measurement result of the thermometer 107 exceeds the control range of the return flow path 105 or the throttle unit 101 .

FIG. 2 shows a configuration in which a filter 104a is incorporated upstream of the flow path in order to prevent foreign matter from getting into the electromagnetic valves 108, 109, 110, and 111. FIG. The pressure sensor 102 can be used to grasp the discharge pressure of the gear pump 34, the reagent probe pressure sensors 112 and 113 can detect the washing water discharge pressure of the reagent probes 7a and 8a, and the sample probe pressure sensors 114 and 115 can detect the washing water discharge pressure. It is possible to detect the ejection pressure of the washing water from the sample probes 11a and 12a.

Therefore, the controller 103 compares the discharge pressure of the gear pump 34 with the pressure of washing water discharged from the reagent probes 7a and 8a and the sample probes 11a and 12a to determine the degree of clogging of the filter 104a in the branch pipe 104. .

If the pressure drops in all probes, there is a high possibility that the filter 104a is clogged, and if the pressure drops in a single probe, malfunction of the solenoid valves 108, 109, 110, 111 is suspected. . Therefore, when it is determined that the filter 104a is clogged, the control unit 103 causes the display unit to display a warning that the filter 104a needs cleaning/replacement, and prompts the operator to clean/replace the filter 104a.

Even if the filter 104a is not incorporated, the degree of clogging (including the presence or absence of clogging) of the flow path between the pressure sensor 102 and the reagent probe pressure sensors 112, 113 or the sample probe pressure sensors 114, 115, or the electromagnetic valve 108, Malfunctions of 109, 110 and 111 can be detected.

In other words, the control unit 103 can determine an abnormality in the cleaning channel 106 based on the difference between the measured value of the pressure sensor 102 and the measured values of the probe pressure sensors 112 , 113 , 114 and 115 . If the filter 104a is present, the control unit 103 can determine the degree of clogging of the filter 104a based on this difference.

The cleaning channel 106 has a return channel (not shown) equipped with an on-off valve (not shown) on the downstream side of the gear pump 34 to clean the reagent probes 7a and 8a and the sample probes 11a and 12a. When adjusting the pressure of the flow path 106, the on-off valve is closed, and at other times, the on-off valve is opened to return the cleaning water discharged by the gear pump 34 to the water storage unit 201, thereby preventing the gear pump 34 from overheating. are preventing. A relief valve may be used instead of the on-off valve.

Next, FIG. 4 shows a pressure adjustment flow of the discharge pressure of the gear pump 34 for keeping the Reynolds number within the target range based on the measurement results of the wash water temperature and the flow rate of the wash water by the flow control unit including the control unit 103. will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 4 is a flow chart for adjusting the flow rate of the cleaning channel 106 by the controller 103. As shown in FIG.

First, the temperature of the cleaning water flowing through the cleaning channel 106 is measured by the thermometer 107 (step S301).

Next, the control unit 103 receives the result of the water temperature measurement in step S301, and determines whether the water temperature is too low or too high to exceed the control range for flow rate adjustment (step S302). If it is determined that the control range has been exceeded, the process proceeds to step S303 to issue a caution alarm on the apparatus (step S303), and the process proceeds to step S308 to end the control.

On the other hand, when it is determined that the control range is not exceeded, the reagent probe flowmeters 116, 117 and the sample probe flowmeters 118, 119 measure the flow rate of the wash water (step S304). Note that step S304 may be executed before step S303.

Next, the control unit 103 receives the result of measuring the flow rate of cleaning water in each probe measured in step S304, and calculates the Reynolds number from the measurement results of the temperature of the cleaning water and the flow rate of the cleaning water (step S305). The Reynolds number is calculated based on the above equation (1).

Next, the control unit 103 determines whether the Reynolds number calculated in step S305 is within the target range (step S306). If it is determined that it is within the target range, the process proceeds to step S308, and the process ends without adjusting the aperture unit 101. FIG. On the other hand, when it is determined that it is not within the target range, the process proceeds to step S307.

Next, the control unit 103 adjusts the throttle unit 101 so as to achieve the target flow rate required to keep the Reynolds number within the target range (step S307). After the adjustment is finished, the process proceeds to step S308 and the adjustment is finished (step S308).

Next, the effects of this embodiment will be described.

The automatic analyzer 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention described above dispenses a sample and a reagent into the reaction container 2, causes them to react, and measures the reacted liquid. In particular, dispensing probes 7a, 8a, 11a, and 12a for dispensing reagents and samples into reaction containers 2, gear pumps 34 for supplying cleaning water to the dispensing probes 7a, 8a, 11a, and 12a, A cleaning flow path 106 for feeding the washed water to the dispensing probes 7a, 8a, 11a, and 12a, a thermometer 107 for measuring the water temperature of the cleaning water, and a gear pump 34 that discharges water according to the measurement result of the thermometer 107. a flow rate control unit that adjusts the flow rate of the washing water supplied to the dispensing probes 7a, 8a, 11a, and 12a by adjusting the discharge pressure of the washing water.

This maintains an appropriate wash water flow rate for washing, since the wash water flow rate is adjusted based on changes in wash water temperature that can lead to reagent or sample contamination. Therefore, it is possible to improve the detergency of the inner surface of the dispensing probe compared with the conventional one, and to reduce the contamination of the reagent or sample due to the temperature drop of the wash water.

Further, flow meters 116 , 117 , 118 , and 119 for measuring the flow rate of the cleaning water in the cleaning channel 106 are further provided, and the flow controller controls the Reynolds to find the target flow rate of the wash water required to fall within the target range, and to adjust the discharge pressure of the gear pump 34 so that the measurement results of the flow meters 116, 117, 118, and 119 are the target flow rate, The flow state of washing water suitable for washing can be maintained with higher accuracy, and the improvement of washing power can be more reliably achieved.

Furthermore, the flow rate control unit is arranged in parallel with the gear pump 34, and is arranged in the return flow path 105 connecting the discharge port side and the suction port side of the gear pump 34, and the return flow path 105. It consists of a throttle section 101 that adjusts the flow rate of washing water and a control section 103 that controls the opening/closing degree of the throttle section 101. The control section 103 controls the measurement results of a thermometer 107 and flowmeters 116, 117, 118, and 119. The discharge pressure of the gear pump 34 is adjusted by changing the opening/closing degree of the throttle portion 101 in response to adjusting the flow rate of the washing water flowing through the return flow path 105 .

In particular, when the flow rate of the cleaning channel 106 measured by the flow meters 116, 117, 118, and 119 is greater than the target flow rate, the control unit 103 changes the opening direction of the restrictor 101 to increase the flow rate of the cleaning channel 106. is smaller than the target flow rate, the throttle portion 101 is changed in the closing direction.

As a result, the amount of washing water sent from the washing channel 106 to the reagent probes 7a, 8a and the sample probes 11a, 12a can be adjusted in accordance with the washing water temperature without controlling the driving force of the gear pump 34. , it is possible to reduce the size and cost of the device by eliminating the need to incorporate a large and expensive control system.

In addition, an automatic analyzer can be obtained in which the work of operators and service personnel is reduced and the reliability of analytical performance is further improved.

Furthermore, there is no need to control the rotation speed of the gear pump 34 to adjust the pressure of the cleaning flow path 106, and there is no need to increase the load applied to the gear pump 34 more than necessary. Also, it is possible to prevent the life of the gear pump 34 from being shortened without increasing the impact applied to the gear.

In addition, when the measurement result of the thermometer 107 exceeds the control range of the flow control unit, a caution alarm is generated to suppress the execution of the analysis under inappropriate conditions and prompt the user to take appropriate measures. can. Therefore, it is possible to shorten the time until an accurate analysis result is obtained, and to suppress consumption of consumables.

<Example 2>
An automatic analyzer of Example 2 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. FIG. FIG. 5 shows the flow channel configuration for cleaning the inner surfaces of the reagent probes 7a and 8a and the sample probes 11a and 12a in the second embodiment.

In addition, the same code|symbol is shown to the same structure as Example 1, and description is abbreviate|omitted. The same applies to the following examples.

In the automatic analyzer of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the flowmeters 116, 117, 118 and 119 are omitted from the automatic analyzer 100 of the first embodiment.

In this embodiment as well, the flow rate control section is composed of the return channel 105, the throttle section 101, and the control section 103A that controls the degree of opening and closing of the throttle section 101. FIG.

The difference from the first embodiment is that the flow control unit obtains the Reynolds number of the cleaning water in the cleaning flow path 106 based on the measurement result of the thermometer 107, and adjusts the cleaning flow path 106 necessary to keep it within the target range. The target pressure is compared with the pressure value of the cleaning flow path 106 measured by the pressure sensor 102, and the discharge pressure of the gear pump 34 is adjusted so that the pressure value falls within the adjustment target range.

In particular, the control unit 103A changes the opening/closing degree of the throttle unit 101 according to the measurement results of the thermometer 107 and the pressure sensor 102 to adjust the flow rate of the cleaning water flowing through the return flow path 105, thereby increasing the discharge pressure of the gear pump 34. to adjust.

For this purpose, the relationship between water temperature, flow rate and pressure is stored in advance in the device. Then, the discharge pressure P of the gear pump 34 is measured by the pressure sensor 102, and the throttle portion 101 of the return flow path 105 is adjusted so that the discharge pressure P falls within the adjustment target range necessary to keep the Reynolds number within the target range. Adjust the degree of opening and closing of the

Specifically, when the Reynolds number is lower than the target Reynolds number, the discharge pressure P is lower than the adjustment target range. Therefore, the control section 103A adjusts the diaphragm section 101 in the closing direction. As a result, part of the cleaning water discharged from the gear pump 34 flows through the return passage 105 to the suction port side of the gear pump 34, and the amount of the water flowing to the branch pipe 104 increases, preventing the pressure from escaping. , the cleaning channel 106 is adjusted to the high pressure side.

On the other hand, when the Reynolds number is higher than the target Reynolds number, the discharge pressure P is higher than the adjustment target range. Therefore, the control unit 103A changes the opening direction of the throttle unit 101. FIG. As a result, part of the cleaning water discharged from the gear pump 34 flows through the return passage 105 to the suction port side of the gear pump 34, and the flow amount to the branch pipe 104 side decreases, so that the pressure escapes. , the cleaning channel 106 is adjusted to the low pressure side.

Next, the pressure adjustment flow of the discharge pressure of the gear pump 34 is shown in the flowchart of FIG. will be used to explain. FIG. 6 is a flow chart for pressure adjustment of the cleaning flow path 106 by the controller 103A.

The first steps S401 and S402 and the subsequent steps S403 and S408 are the same as steps S301, S302, S303 and S308 shown in FIG. 4, respectively.

When it is determined in step S402 that the control range is not exceeded, the Reynolds number is calculated by receiving the measurement result of the wash water temperature measured in step S401 (step S404). The Reynolds number is calculated based on the above equation (1).

Next, the control unit 103A determines whether the Reynolds number calculated in step S404 is within the target range (step S405). If it is determined that it is within the target range, the process proceeds to step S408, and the process ends without adjusting the aperture unit 101. FIG. On the other hand, when it is determined that the range is not within the target range, the process proceeds to step S406.

Next, the discharge pressure of the gear pump 34 is measured by measuring the water pressure in the cleaning channel 106 with the pressure sensor 102 (step S406).

Next, the control unit 103A receives an input of the measured value of the discharge pressure P of the gear pump 34 measured in step S406, and adjusts the opening/closing degree of the throttle unit 101 so that the discharge pressure P falls within the adjustment target range (step S407). After the adjustment is finished, the process proceeds to step S408 to end the adjustment (step S408).

Other configurations and operations are substantially the same as those of the automatic analyzer of the first embodiment described above, and the details are omitted.

Also in the automatic analyzer of the second embodiment of the present invention, substantially the same effects as those of the automatic analyzer of the first embodiment can be obtained.

Further, a pressure sensor 102 for measuring the pressure in the cleaning channel 106 is further provided, and the flow control unit obtains the Reynolds number of the cleaning water in the cleaning channel 106 based on the measurement result of the thermometer 107, and the calculated Reynolds number is The adjusted target pressure of the cleaning channel 106 required to stay within the target range is compared with the pressure value of the cleaning channel 106 measured by the pressure sensor 102, and the gear pump 34 discharges so that the pressure value becomes the adjusted target pressure. By adjusting the pressure, it is possible to more accurately maintain the flow state of the washing water suitable for washing, and to improve the washing power more reliably.

Furthermore, the flow rate control unit is arranged in parallel with the gear pump 34, and is arranged in the return flow path 105 connecting the discharge port side and the suction port side of the gear pump 34, and the return flow path 105. The control unit 103A controls the opening/closing degree of the throttle section 101, and the control section 103A controls the flow rate of the cleaning water. The discharge pressure of the gear pump 34 is adjusted by changing the degree of opening and closing of the return passage 105 to adjust the flow rate of the wash water flowing through the return passage 105 .

In particular, when the pressure value of cleaning channel 106 measured by pressure sensor 102 is higher than the adjustment target pressure, control unit 103A changes throttle section 101 in the opening direction so that the pressure value of cleaning channel 106 reaches the adjustment target pressure. In the case of a lower pressure, by changing the throttle part 101 in the closing direction, the driving force of the gear pump 34 is not controlled, and the washing flow path 106 to the reagent probes 7a and 8a and the sample probes 11a and 12a are pumped according to the washing water temperature. It is possible to adjust the amount of cleaning water to be sent, eliminate the need to incorporate a large and expensive control system, and reduce the size and cost of the apparatus.

<Example 3>
An automatic analyzer according to Example 3 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 7 shows the flow path configuration for cleaning the inner surfaces of the reagent probes 7a and 8a and the sample probes 11a and 12a in the third embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 7, in the automatic analyzer of the present embodiment, the flow rate control unit has the drive output of the gear pump 34 ( It is composed of a control unit 103B for controlling rotation output) and a control device 35.

In this embodiment, the control unit 103B obtains the Reynolds number of the washing water in the washing flow path 106 based on the measurement result of the thermometer 107, and also obtains the target flow rate of the washing water necessary to keep it within the target range. , the control device 35 adjusts the discharge pressure of the gear pump 34 so that the measurement results of the flowmeters 116, 117, 118 and 119 are the target flow rates.

Other configurations and operations are substantially the same as those of the automatic analyzer of the first embodiment described above, and the details are omitted.

Also in the automatic analyzer of the third embodiment of the present invention, substantially the same effect as the automatic analyzer of the first embodiment described above can be obtained.

In FIG. 7, the flowmeters 116, 117, 118, and 119 for measuring the flow rate of the cleaning water in the cleaning flow path 106 are provided. , 119 are omitted, and the Reynolds number of the cleaning water in the cleaning channel 106 is obtained based on the measurement result of the thermometer 107. The discharge pressure of the gear pump 34 can be adjusted so that the measured pressure value of the cleaning flow path 106 is compared and the pressure value becomes the adjustment target pressure.

<Others>
It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above examples, and includes various modifications. The above embodiments have been described in detail for easy understanding of the present invention, and are not necessarily limited to those having all the described configurations.

It is also possible to replace part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, or to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment. Moreover, it is also possible to add, delete, or replace a part of the configuration of each embodiment with another configuration.

For example, the reagent probes 7a and 8a and the sample probes 11a and 12a have been described as examples of dispensing probes, but the dispensing probe is not limited to these, and has a probe shape and discharges washing water. It can also be applied to the cleaning flow path of a probe-type mechanism, the inner surface of which is cleaned.

Furthermore, the control of the automatic adjustment of the discharge pressure of the gear pump 34 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 may be executed when the automatic analyzer 100 is on standby or based on an operator's instruction.

Reference Signs List 1 Reaction disk 2 Reaction container 3 Washing mechanism 4 Spectrophotometer 4a Light source 5, 6 Stirring mechanism 7, 8 Reagent dispensing mechanism 7a, 8a Reagent probe (dispensing probe)
9 Reagent disk 10 Reagent bottles 11, 12 Sample dispensing mechanisms 11a, 12a Sample probes (dispensing probes)
Reference Signs List 13, 14 Washing tank 15 Sample container 16 Sample rack 17 Sample conveying mechanism 18 Reagent syringe 19 Sample syringe 20 Washing pump 21 Controllers 23, 24 Washing containers 29, 30 Stirring mechanism Washing tanks 31, 32... Washing tank for reagent dispensing mechanism 34... Gear pump 35... Control device (flow control unit)
100 Automatic analyzer 101 Throttle (flow control unit, flow control unit)
102... Pressure sensors 103, 103A, 103B... Control unit (flow control unit)
104...Branch pipe 104a...Filter 105...Return flow path (flow control unit)
106... Washing channel 107... Thermometers 108, 109, 110, 111... Solenoid valves 112, 113... Reagent probe pressure sensors 114, 115... Sample probe pressure sensors 116, 117... Reagent probe flow meters 118, 119... Sample probe flow rate Total 201...Water reservoir

Claims (8)

An automatic analyzer that dispenses a sample and a reagent into a reaction vessel, reacts them, and measures the reacted liquid,
a plurality of dispensing probes for dispensing the reagent and the sample into the reaction container;
a gear pump that supplies washing water to the dispensing probe;
a branched cleaning channel for sending cleaning water discharged from the gear pump to the plurality of dispensing probes;
a thermometer for measuring the temperature of the washing water;
a flow control unit that adjusts the flow rate of the washing water to be supplied to the dispensing probe by adjusting the discharge pressure of the washing water discharged from the gear pump according to the measurement result of the thermometer;
The flow rate control unit controls the value of the flow rate of the cleaning water at a location where cleaning is most uneasy among the plurality of cleaning channels, the average value of the flow rates at a plurality of locations , or the diameter of the cleaning channel, the An automatic analyzer, wherein the flow rate of the cleaning water is adjusted using either one of: a weighted average based on weighting according to the degree of importance of the cleaning flow path. In the automatic analyzer according to claim 1,
further comprising a flow meter for measuring the flow rate of the cleaning water in the cleaning channel;
The flow control unit determines the Reynolds number of the cleaning water in the cleaning flow path based on the measurement result of the thermometer, and determines the target flow rate of the cleaning water required to keep the determined Reynolds number within the target range. and adjusting the discharge pressure of the gear pump so that the measurement result of the flow meter becomes the target flow rate. In the automatic analyzer according to claim 2,
The flow rate control unit is arranged in parallel with the gear pump, is arranged in a return flow path connecting a discharge port side and a suction port side of the gear pump, and is arranged in the return flow path, and the cleaning flow rate flowing through the return flow path is arranged in the return flow path. Consists of a flow rate adjusting unit that adjusts the flow rate of water, and a control unit that controls the degree of opening and closing of the flow rate adjusting unit,
The controller adjusts the flow rate of the cleaning water flowing through the return flow path by changing the opening/closing degree of the flow rate adjusting section according to the measurement results of the thermometer and the flow meter, thereby adjusting the discharge pressure of the gear pump. An automatic analyzer characterized by adjusting In the automatic analyzer according to claim 3,
When the flow rate value of the cleaning channel measured by the flow meter is greater than the target flow rate, the control section changes the flow rate adjusting section in an opening direction so that the flow rate value of the cleaning channel is less than the target flow rate. An automatic analyzer characterized in that the flow rate adjusting unit is changed in the closing direction when the flow rate is adjusted. In the automatic analyzer according to claim 1,
further comprising a pressure sensor that measures the pressure of the cleaning channel;
The flow control unit determines the Reynolds number of the cleaning water in the cleaning flow path based on the measurement result of the thermometer, and adjusts the target pressure of the cleaning flow path required to keep the determined Reynolds number within the target range. and the pressure value of the washing channel measured by the pressure sensor, and adjust the discharge pressure of the gear pump so that the pressure value becomes the adjustment target pressure. In the automatic analyzer according to claim 5,
The flow rate control unit is arranged in parallel with the gear pump, is arranged in a return flow path that connects the discharge port side and the suction port side of the gear pump, and is arranged in the return flow path, and the cleaning gas flowing through the return flow path is arranged in the return flow path. Consists of a flow rate adjusting unit that adjusts the flow rate of water, and a control unit that controls the degree of opening and closing of the flow rate adjusting unit,
The controller adjusts the flow rate of the cleaning water flowing through the return flow path by changing the opening/closing degree of the flow rate adjusting section according to the measurement results of the thermometer and the pressure sensor, thereby adjusting the discharge pressure of the gear pump. An automatic analyzer characterized by adjusting In the automatic analyzer according to claim 6,
When the pressure value of the cleaning flow path measured by the pressure sensor is higher than the adjustment target pressure, the control section changes the flow rate adjustment section in an opening direction so that the pressure value of the cleaning flow path reaches the adjustment target pressure. An automatic analyzer characterized in that, when the pressure is lower than the pressure, the flow rate adjusting section is changed in the closing direction. In the automatic analyzer according to claim 1,
An automatic analyzer, wherein a warning alarm is generated when the measurement result of the thermometer exceeds the control range of the flow control unit.

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