JP7266500B2 - automatic analyzer - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an automatic analyzer for clinical examination that performs qualitative and quantitative analysis of components in biological samples such as blood and urine.

A constant temperature device that can prevent the propagation of fungi generated in the constant temperature medium, prevent contamination and clogging of the circulation path, and improve optical characteristics without adversely affecting the metal used in the circulation path of the constant temperature medium. As an example of an automatic chemical analysis device equipped with such an apparatus, Patent Document 1 discloses that a test tube containing a sample is arranged in a constant temperature bath, and a constant temperature medium is circulated through a heating unit to keep the temperature of the sample constant. It is described that a constant temperature device is provided, a part of the circulation path in the heating part is composed of a member that transmits ultraviolet rays, and an ultraviolet lamp that irradiates the constant temperature medium with ultraviolet rays through the member is described.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 7-015476

Automated analyzers that analyze specific components in biological samples such as blood and urine use reagents that change their optical properties when they react with specific components, or reagents with indicators that specifically react with specific components. It is an apparatus for performing qualitative/quantitative analysis by measuring changes in optical properties of a reaction solution of a sample and a reagent, or by counting the number of labels.

In this automatic analyzer, reaction containers are generally arranged on a circular turntable. A reagent supply unit consisting of a cold storage unit, a reagent dispensing mechanism, and an automatic reagent container transport mechanism; It is equipped with an optical system mechanism consisting of a light source unit and a light receiving unit that perform measurement, and a control system that controls the operation of each device in the apparatus, and the operation is managed by software.

In the current situation surrounding automatic analyzers that analyze biochemical items, the pursuit of high-speed, compact, low-cost, and functions as an automatic machine is reaching a plateau. Therefore, functions and mechanisms for automatically performing sample mounting operations and reagent container replacement operations are beginning to be incorporated. In addition, emphasis is placed on further reducing operator work and eliminating maintenance.

Here, in the automatic analyzer, it is necessary to keep the reaction container for the reaction between the specimen and the reagent at 37° C., which is the same as the human body temperature, so that the reaction is stabilized. As a result, the reaction vessel is submerged in a constant temperature bath filled with constant temperature water. This constant temperature water has a circulating flow path to keep the constant temperature, and the temperature is controlled by passing through the cooling part and the heating part.

However, this temperature of around 37°C is also a very suitable temperature for breeding various bacteria. Excessive growth of bacteria causes slime on the sides of parts, and when the slime accumulates, it turns into aggregates. This agglomerate may detach from the component surface, and if the detached agglomerate should pass on the optical axis, it may adversely affect analytical data.

Therefore, it is necessary to remove slime before this aggregate is formed, and physical cleaning is most effective for this. Eliminating this cleaning, or reducing its frequency, is a major issue in achieving maintenanceless operation.

Furthermore, in order to keep the inside of the circulation channel clean without causing slime in the first place, the constant temperature bath is cleaned, the constant temperature water is changed regularly, and chemicals are added to prevent the growth of various bacteria. . However, the chemicals added to the constant temperature circulating water are limited in long-term suppression of bacteria in the circulation channel.

On the other hand, as in Patent Document 1, a method using an ultraviolet light source is considered as a method for suppressing the propagation of various germs.

However, the ultraviolet light source is also a limited-life product, and continuous irradiation to make use of the sterilization effect will affect the deterioration of the light source itself and the deterioration of surrounding parts due to ultraviolet irradiation to the surrounding parts. There is a need to replace various parts. In other words, it goes against maintenanceless. In addition, since the light source itself is a heating element, it must be cooled, requiring an additional mechanism for suppressing overheating. Furthermore, since the light source itself also has a risk of failure, its failure determination becomes a bottleneck.

In addition, when ultraviolet light irradiation and use of a chemical are combined, the chemical itself is decomposed due to long-term irradiation of ultraviolet light, resulting in a decrease in the concentration of the chemical. There is a problem that this decrease in drug concentration hinders suppression of germs.

The present invention provides an autoanalyzer in which the maintenance of the constant temperature bath and its structure can be made simpler than before.

The present invention includes a plurality of means for solving the above problems, and one example thereof is an automatic analyzer for measuring optical properties of a reaction liquid in which a specimen and a reagent are reacted, wherein the reaction liquid a spectrophotometer for measuring the optical properties of the reaction solution; a constant temperature bath for keeping the temperature of the reaction container constant; and a circulation channel for supplying constant temperature water to the constant temperature bath. , an ultraviolet light source for irradiating the constant temperature water with ultraviolet light, a densitometer for measuring the concentration of the sterilizing agent added to the constant temperature water, and a control unit for controlling the operation of the automatic analyzer, The control unit is characterized in that it determines the status of ultraviolet irradiation from changes in the concentration of the sterilizing agent measured by the densitometer.

According to the present invention, the maintenance of the constant temperature bath and its structure can be made simpler than before. 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 a figure which shows the outline|summary of the automatic analyzer of Example 1 of this invention. 1 is a diagram showing the outline of the configuration of a constant temperature circulation system in the automatic analyzer of Example 1. FIG. FIG. 4 is a state determination diagram from the drug concentration in the automatic analyzer of Example 1; It is a figure which shows the relationship of various bacteria suppression in an automatic analyzer. FIG. 2 is a determination diagram of a concentration region in the automatic analyzer of Example 1; 4 is a flow chart of determination in the constant temperature circulation system in the automatic analyzer of Example 1. FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the outline of the configuration of a circulation channel in the automatic analyzer of Example 2 of the present invention;

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

<Example 1>
Embodiment 1 of the automatic analyzer of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6. 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.

An automatic analyzer 1 shown in FIG. 1 is an apparatus for measuring the optical properties of a reaction liquid obtained by mixing and reacting a specimen and a reagent. As shown in FIG. 1, the automatic analyzer 1 includes a sample transport mechanism 1-3, a reaction disk 1-6, a sample dispensing mechanism 1-7, a reagent cooler 1-5, a reagent dispensing mechanism 1-9, a stirring It has a mechanism 1-10, a light source 1-11A, a spectrophotometer 1-11B, a cleaning mechanism 1-12, and a computer 1-13.

A plurality of reaction vessels 1-8 for holding a reaction solution are arranged in a ring on the reaction disk 1-6. The reaction discs 1-6 are configured to rotate in cycles at regular intervals.

A sample transport mechanism 1-3 is installed near the reaction disk 1-6 for moving a sample holding mechanism 1-2 carrying a test tube 1-1 containing a sample to be analyzed such as blood to a prescribed position. ing.

Between the reaction disk 1-6 and the sample transport mechanism 1-3, a sample pipetting mechanism 1-7 that can rotate and move up and down is installed. The specimen pipetting mechanism 1-7 moves in an arc around the rotating shaft, and the specimen pipette 1-8 is transferred from the test tube 1-1 transported to the specimen pipetting position by the specimen transport mechanism 1-3 to the reaction container 1-8. make a note.

A cleaning tank for cleaning the sample dispensing mechanism 1-7 with cleaning water and a cleaning container for cleaning the sample dispensing mechanism 1-7 with special cleaning water (both omitted for convenience of illustration) are arranged in the operation range of the sample dispensing mechanism 1-7. ing.

In the reagent cooler 1-5, a plurality of reagent containers 1-4 filled with reagents used for sample analysis can be placed on the circumference. The reagent cooler 1-5 is kept cool and covered with a cover provided with a suction port (not shown).

A rotatable and vertically movable reagent dispensing mechanism 1-9 is installed between the reaction disk 1-6 and the reagent cooler 1-5. The reagent dispensing mechanism 1-9 moves in an arc around the rotation axis, accesses the inside of the reagent cooler 1-5 through the suction port, and supplies the reagent from the reagent container 1-4 to the reaction container 1-8. dispense.

A cleaning tank for cleaning the reagent dispensing mechanism 1-9 with cleaning water and a cleaning container for cleaning the reagent dispensing mechanism 1-9 with special cleaning water (both omitted for convenience of illustration) are arranged in the operating range of the reagent dispensing mechanism 1-9. ing.

Around the reaction disk 1-6, a stirring mechanism 1-10 for stirring the reaction liquid of the sample and the reagent dispensed into the reaction container 1-8, a light source 1-11A, and the light source 1-1A are illuminated, Spectrophotometer 1-11B for measuring optical characteristics of the reaction liquid such as measuring light passing through the reaction liquid in the reaction vessel 1-8, cleaning mechanism 1-12 for cleaning the reaction vessel 1-8 after measurement is completed, etc. are placed.

The stirring mechanism 1-10 is configured to be capable of horizontal rotation and vertical motion, and stirs the reaction liquid of the specimen and the reagent so that the reaction liquid becomes uniform. A cleaning tank (not shown for convenience of illustration) for cleaning the stirring mechanism 1-10 with cleaning water is arranged in the operating range of the stirring mechanism 1-10.

The computer 1-13 is a computer or the like having a CPU, memory, etc., and is composed of a display device 1-13A, an input device 1-13B, a storage device 1-13C, a control section 1-13D and the like.

The display device 1-13A displays information such as input screens for various parameters and settings, analysis test data of the initial inspection or re-inspection, measurement results, etc., and displays information related to maintenance of each device in the apparatus. It is a display device such as a display. It should be noted that a touch panel type display device that also serves as an input device 1-13B, which will be described later, can be used.

The input device 1-13B is composed of a keyboard and a mouse for inputting various data such as various parameters and settings, analysis request information, instructions to start analysis, and the like.

The storage device 1-13C is a semiconductor device such as a flash memory that records the measurement results of the samples put into the automatic analyzer 1, the analysis request information of the samples contained in the sample containers mounted on each sample rack, and the like. It is a recording medium such as a memory or a magnetic disk such as an HDD. In this storage device 1-13C, various parameters and setting values for controlling the operation of each device in the automatic analyzer 1, and various computer programs for executing various display processes and the like are also recorded.

The control unit 1-13D corresponds to the above-described CPU and the like, controls the operation of each device/mechanism in the above-described automatic analyzer 1, and detects a predetermined component in the sample from the detection result of the spectrophotometer 1-11B. Arithmetic processing is performed to obtain the concentration of

In addition, the control unit 1-13D performs display control of a screen on which various types of information such as information on specimens, information on analysis items, and information on analysis results are displayed on the display screen of the display device 1-13A. Furthermore, it controls the display of various screens related to the operation of the automatic analyzer 1, such as an operation screen for starting analysis, progress of analysis, a screen for instructing execution of maintenance, and information on progress of maintenance.

Various programs control the operation of each device by the control unit 1-13D. This program is stored in the storage device 1-13C, database, or external recording medium, and is read and executed by the CPU. The control processing of the operations executed by the control unit 1-13D 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 1 .

Note that the form of the automatic analyzer 1 shown in FIG. 1 is an example, and the number of various devices such as the sample pipetting mechanism 1-7, the reagent pipetting mechanism 1-9, and the reagent cooler 1-5 is two or more. can do. Further, an autoloader or the like for automatically transporting reagent bottles to one or more reagent coolers 1-5 can be additionally provided.

The automatic analyzer is not particularly limited to a large one in which a plurality of analysis units are connected by a transport device, or a medium-sized or small one having one or more analysis units. The present invention can be applied to all analyzers.

The analytical processing of test samples by the automatic analyzer 1 as described above is generally executed in the following order.

First, the sample in the test tube 1-1 placed on the sample holding mechanism 1-2 transported near the reaction disk 1-6 by the sample transport mechanism 1-3 is transferred by the sample dispensing mechanism 1-7. Dispense into reaction vessels 1-8 on reaction disk 1-6. Next, the reagent to be used for analysis is dispensed from the reagent container 1-4 on the reagent cold storage 1-5 by the reagent dispensing mechanism 1-9 to the reaction container 1-8 into which the sample was previously dispensed. . Subsequently, the mixed liquid of the sample and the reagent in the reaction container 1-8 is stirred by the stirring mechanism 1-10 to prepare a reaction liquid.

After that, the light generated from the light source 1-11A is transmitted through the reaction container 1-8 containing the reaction liquid, and the intensity of the transmitted light is measured by the spectrophotometer 1-11B, for example. The light intensity measured by the spectrophotometer 1-11B is transmitted to the computer 1-13 via an A/D converter (not shown) and an interface (not shown).

The concentration of a predetermined component in the sample is determined by arithmetic processing in the control section 1-13D of the computer 1-13, and the result is displayed on the display device 1-13A or the like and stored in the storage device 1-13C.

Next, the construction of a constant temperature circulation system for maintaining the temperature of the reaction liquid in the reaction vessel 1-8 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an outline of the construction of a constant temperature circulation system.

In FIG. 2, the constant temperature circulation system includes a reaction container 1-8 arranged in a ring on the reaction disk 1-6 shown in FIG. 13, constant temperature bath 2-1, circulation channel 2-3, circulation pump 2-4, heater 2-5, cooler 2-6, thermometer 2-7, concentration detector 2-8, ultraviolet light source 2 -9 etc.

In such a constant temperature circulation system, the reaction vessel 1-8 is immersed in the constant temperature circulation channel water 2-2 so that the reaction between the specimen and the reagent can be stably carried out.

The spectrophotometer 1-11B is arranged adjacent to the constant temperature bath 2-1 via a glass window (not shown) in order to measure the absorbance of the reaction solution in the reaction container 1-8. . The light source 1-1A is arranged adjacent to the constant temperature bath 2-1 via a glass window (not shown) at a position facing the spectrophotometer 1-11B across the reaction vessel 1-8. there is

The circulating flow water 2-2 is supplied by a circulating pump 2-4 arranged on the circulating flow channel 2-3 to a constant temperature bath 2-1 for keeping the temperature of the reaction container 1-8 constant and a temperature control It circulates through the circulation channel 2-3.

The circulating water 2-2 flowing out of the constant temperature bath 2-1 is cooled by the cooler 2-6 arranged on the circulating flow 2-3, and then the reaction between the specimen and the reagent is caused by the heater 2-5. After being heated to a constant temperature (for example, about 37° C.) to stabilize, and irradiated with ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet light source 2-9, it returns to the constant temperature bath 2-1.

Further, the constant temperature bath 2-1 is provided with a thermometer 2-7 for measuring the temperature of the circulating water 2-2, and the measurement result is input to the computer 1-13.

Here, deionized water is used as the circulation channel water 2-2 used in the constant temperature circulation system. However, since the upper part of the constant temperature bath 2-1 is an open system and is exposed to the outside air, floating bacteria in the air enter the circulating water 2-2. Therefore, a chemical is added to the circulating water 2-2 to suppress germs.

Therefore, it is desirable that the amount of chemical added to the constant temperature bath 2-1 is controlled so as to be within a certain concentration range with respect to the amount of water in the circulation channel water 2-2. 8 is provided. The measurement result of the concentration detector 2-8 is input to the computer 1-13.

A concentration detection method by the concentration detector 2-8 is not particularly limited, and an optimum method such as conductivity, pH, or ion measurement can be selected according to the added chemical. Furthermore, various techniques for measuring specific properties that can be converted to concentration can be used.

The ultraviolet light source 2-9 is incorporated in a part of the circulation flow path 2-3 and irradiates the circulating water with ultraviolet rays. In the configuration of the apparatus, the ultraviolet light source 2-9 may be arranged in the vicinity of the constant temperature bath 2-1, in the vicinity of the circulation pump 2-4, in the vicinity of the heater 2-5 or the cooler 2-6. FIG. 2 shows the case where it is mounted immediately before the outlet for sending out the circulating water 2-2 to the constant temperature bath 2-1.

This is because even if there is a point where the water flow is stagnant due to the structure of the constant temperature bath 2-1, the flow of sterilized water into the constant temperature bath 2-1 reduces the concentration rate of various bacteria, and the growth of bacteria due to chemicals. This is because the suppression effect can be enhanced.
Mercury-free LEDs, for example, are used as the type of the ultraviolet light source 2-9.

The controller 1-13D of the computer 1-13 of this embodiment controls the outputs of the cooler 2-6 and the heater 2-5.

Further, the control unit 1-13D of the present embodiment detects the status of ultraviolet irradiation from the change in the concentration of the sterilizing agent measured by the concentration detector 2-8, for example, the change in the concentration of the sterilizing agent over time to the ultraviolet light source 2-9. determine the operating status of

For example, the control unit 1-13D determines whether or not the ultraviolet light source 2-9 is normally irradiating ultraviolet rays from the amount of concentration decrease with respect to the elapsed time after the sterilizing agent is added, and determines whether the ultraviolet ray irradiation is performed. is not normally performed, a warning is given to the operator.

Although the warning method is not particularly limited, it may be displayed as characters on the display device 1-13A.

More specifically, when the concentration of the sterilizing agent continues to be lower than the predetermined concentration range, the operator is instructed to replace the circulating flow water 2-2 or to add additional sterilizing agent. , or when the concentration of the sterilizing agent continues to be higher than the predetermined concentration range, the operator is notified of the presence or absence of an abnormality in the ultraviolet light source 2-9, When the concentration of the sterilizing agent is lower than the predetermined concentration range and the concentration is higher than the predetermined concentration range, a warning is issued to the operator to check whether the concentration detector 2-8 is abnormal.

Details of these will be described later.

Here, by irradiating ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet light source 2-9, the chemical component added to the circulating flow water 2-2 is decomposed, and the concentration of the chemical decreases. FIG. 3 shows changes in concentration, and FIG. 4 shows the effects of UV irradiation and chemical addition.

In FIG. 3, line 3-1 is a line showing the drug concentration in the absence of ultraviolet irradiation. This is the concentration decrease that occurs at

Line 3-2 shows the decrease in drug concentration when optimal UV irradiation is performed, indicating the state of effective UV sterilization. In addition to the decrease in density of line 3-1, the decrease in density when UV irradiation is performed once an hour for 3 minutes is added.

Line 3-3 shows the detergent concentration when the ultraviolet irradiation is always performed. The line 3-4 is the concentration that indicates the holding limit of the ability of the drug to suppress germs, and the line 3-3 means that the bactericidal effect is low due to the too low concentration of the detergent.

Line 3-1 retains the ability to suppress germs as a drug, so it can be viewed that UV irradiation is not necessary. However, as shown in FIG. 4, ultraviolet irradiation (line 4-2) is much more efficient for sterilization than chemical (line 4-1), and there is an advantage in using them together.

The reason why they must be used together is that some of the chemical components have the effect of a surfactant that increases the affinity between the parts and the circulating water.

Here, when the trend of line 3-1 occurs, if current is applied to the ultraviolet light source 2-9 in terms of application, it will be judged that light is not emitted even though there is an input. , it can be determined that an abnormality has occurred in the ultraviolet light source 2-9.

In addition, when the trend of line 3-3 occurs, it is judged that there is a resentment that the sterilization effect of the chemical is reduced, so it is desirable to replace the circulation flow path water 2-2 or add additional chemicals. be able to.

To simply consider the sterilization effect, as shown in FIG. 5, it is common to think that the ultraviolet light source 2-9 should be turned on all the time, or that the ON/OFF cycle should be repeated at regular intervals. is.

However, such control results in unnecessary irradiation of ultraviolet rays and excessive heat generation of the light source. Therefore, by preventing such unnecessary irradiation, it is possible to keep the life of the light source longer and suppress the deterioration of the peripheral parts.

For this purpose, the correlation between the cumulative irradiation time of the ultraviolet light source 2-9 and the decrease in density (tendency in FIG. 3) is stored in the storage device 1-13C of the computer 1-13, and the apparatus for each cumulative irradiation time is stored. It is desirable to measure the drug concentration, determine the zone of concentration values, and determine the presence or absence of UV irradiation. FIG. 5 shows an example of a graph showing the correlation between the irradiation time for zone determination and the amount of decrease in drug concentration.

In FIG. 5, zone A is the region with high density, zone C is the region with low density, and zone B is the region therebetween. FIG. 6 shows an example of a flow chart of operation using the zone.

In the automatic analyzer 1 as shown in FIG. 1, the circulating water-2 in the constant temperature bath 2-1 is replaced before the device operation (analysis of the sample) is started, and then the circulating water 2-2 is replaced. A new sterilizing chemical is introduced (step S101). This is a common maintenance item called a reactor water change.

After the reaction tank water is replaced, the ultraviolet light source 2-9 is turned on to start sterilizing the circulating water (step S201). The sterilization time is, for example, 3 minutes. The irradiation time is determined by the wavelength to be used, the flow rate of the circulation channel, and the total liquid volume, and varies depending on the device configuration.

Then, after a certain period of time has passed, the concentration detector 2-8 is used to measure the concentration of the sterilizing chemical in the circulating water 2-2 (step S301). In the autoanalyzer 1 of the present embodiment, the fixed waiting time is set to 1 hour. The waiting time from the irradiation of the ultraviolet rays to the concentration measurement is also determined by the wavelength to be used, the flow rate of the circulating flow path, and the total liquid volume, and varies depending on the device configuration.

Next, the region where the drug concentration measured in step S301 is located is determined (step S302).

If it is located in zone A, it means that the density is higher than expected, so the process proceeds to step S303, and the ultraviolet light source 2-9 is illuminated for a certain period of time, for example, 3 minutes (step S303). If the area determination is zone B, the ultraviolet light source 2-9 is illuminated for a certain period of time, for example, 3 minutes (step S303).

On the other hand, if the area determination is zone C, it means that the density has decreased earlier than the predicted value. proceed to This is because the ultraviolet light source 2-9 is not illuminated to stabilize the density due to time change.

The cycle of the concentration measurement process (steps S401 and S501), the area determination process (step S402), and the ultraviolet irradiation process (step S403) is repeated while the automatic analyzer 1 is in operation.

At a certain stage of the area determination step (step S703 in FIG. 6), when it is determined to be zone B, the ultraviolet light source 2-9 is illuminated for a predetermined time, for example, for 3 minutes (step S704), and after a predetermined time has passed, The process proceeds to the next density measurement process (step S801).

On the other hand, when it is determined to be zone A in step S703, when it is determined that it has continued for a predetermined number of times, for example, 24 times, the concentration is higher than assumed during normal operation. This means that the drug has not been decomposed by the ultraviolet rays. In terms of system control, although the ultraviolet light source 2-9 is turned ON, the ultraviolet light source 2-9 does not emit light, and a failure of the ultraviolet light source 2-9 is suspected.

Therefore, without proceeding to step S704, a caution alarm is displayed on the display device 1-13A or the like (step S705). Confirmation is requested from the operator (step S706).

Similarly, when it is determined to be zone C in step S703, when it is determined that it has continued for a predetermined number of times, for example, 24 times, the density is lower than assumed during normal operation. The bactericidal effect of the drug cannot be obtained.

Therefore, instead of advancing the process to step S801, a caution alarm is displayed on the display device 1-13A or the like (step S707), indicating that caution is required due to the decrease in the concentration of the sterilizing agent, and the circulating flow water 2-2 is requested to the operator (step S708). In addition, in this step S708, it is possible to ask for additional injection of the sterilizing agent.

In this way, the control unit 1-13D determines whether or not the ultraviolet light source 2-9 is normally irradiating ultraviolet rays from the amount of decrease in the concentration with respect to the elapsed time after the sterilizing agent is introduced. It is desirable to issue a warning to the operator when it is determined that the irradiation is not performed normally.

In the processing shown in FIG. 6, the case where zone A and zone C continue for 24 consecutive times has been described as the criterion for issuing a warning in the region determination processing. can be the number of times. The user may set this number of times reference, but it is desirable that the initial setting be made by the device manufacturer.

Further, in the area determination process, although it has not been continuously determined to be zone A, if it is determined that it was zone A a predetermined number of times or more out of the predetermined number of times in the past, the ultraviolet light source 2 is determined in the same manner as in step S705 described above. A warning can be issued assuming that the ultraviolet light source 2-9 is not illuminated even though -9 has been turned ON.

Similarly, if zone C has not been determined consecutively, but it has been determined to have been zone C a predetermined number of times or more out of the predetermined number of times in the past, the concentration of the sterilizing agent decreases in the same manner as in step S707 described above. It is possible to operate to notify a warning that more attention is required.

Furthermore, when it is determined in the area determination process that it has been in zone A for a predetermined number of times or more and that it has been in zone C for a predetermined number of times or more in the past, the fluctuation in density is large. It is desirable to issue a warning to the operator to confirm whether there is any abnormality in 2-8.

Next, the effects of this embodiment will be described.

The automatic analyzer 1 of Example 1 of the present invention described above includes a plurality of reaction vessels 1-8 that hold reaction liquids, a spectrophotometer 1-11B that measures the optical characteristics of the reaction liquids, and a reaction vessel 1- A constant temperature bath 2-1 that keeps the temperature of 8 constant, a circulation channel 2-3 that supplies the circulation channel water 2-2 to the constant temperature bath 2-1, and the circulation channel water 2-2 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays. An ultraviolet light source 2-9, a concentration detector 2-8 for measuring the concentration of the sterilizing agent put into the circulating water 2-2, and a computer 1-13 for controlling the operation of the automatic analyzer 1. In addition, the computer 1-13 determines the ultraviolet irradiation status from the change in concentration of the sterilizing agent measured by the concentration detector 2-8.

In the past, it was difficult to directly observe the sterilization effect of an ultraviolet light source, and the common method was to count the number of bacteria by culturing the collected water. Therefore, it was necessary to repeat basic experiments to determine various conditions such as the flow rate, the temperature of the circulating water, and the irradiation power due to the input current to the ultraviolet light source, and find the conditions with the highest sterilization effect.

In addition, in automatic analyzers, ultraviolet rays have the effect of destroying the substances contained in the circulating water by the sterilizing agent, so the sterilizing agent added to the circulating water is also adversely affected. There is a problem that the antibacterial substance is decomposed.

Further, failure of the ultraviolet light source 2-9 or decrease in illuminance has generally been determined by directly measuring the amount of ultraviolet rays using a measuring instrument such as an illuminometer, which is dedicated to ultraviolet wavelengths. Mounting the illuminance meter on the device will lead to an increase in the device price and an expansion of the space.

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the phenomenon of decomposition due to ultraviolet irradiation is used as an advantage, and a control system cycle is used in which the ultraviolet irradiation status is determined by converting the effect value of the ultraviolet light source 2-9 into an effective value. Failure determination and system optimization can be performed without the need to provide a special sensor for the light source 2-9, and the structure of the constant temperature circulation system can be made simpler than before. Even in the case of a component equipped with a sensor such as an illuminometer, this can be used to determine the failure of the sensor itself.

In addition, since it is possible to demonstrate the maximum effect of suppressing various bacteria with the minimum necessary ultraviolet light source irradiation, it is possible to effectively suppress the occurrence of slime etc. with less labor than before, and the maintenance of the constant temperature bath is reduced. It can be made simpler than before.

In addition, the control unit 1-13D determines the operating status of the ultraviolet light source 2-9 from the change over time in the concentration of the sterilizing agent measured by the concentration detector 2-8, especially the progress after the sterilizing agent is introduced. In order to determine whether or not the ultraviolet light source 2-9 is normally irradiating the ultraviolet rays from the amount of decrease in concentration with respect to time, it is possible to more accurately determine whether or not the circulating flow water 2-2 is being irradiated with the ultraviolet rays. Therefore, it is possible to contribute to easier and simpler maintenance of the automatic analyzer 1 .

Further, the control unit 1-13D notifies the operator of a warning when it is determined that the irradiation of ultraviolet rays is not performed normally, so that even if trouble occurs in the apparatus, it can be quickly resolved. It is possible to stabilize the operation of the system more.

Further, when the concentration of the sterilizing chemical continues to be higher than the predetermined concentration range, the control unit 1-13D issues a warning to the operator to check whether the ultraviolet light source 2-9 is abnormal. As a result, the circulating water 2-2 is sterilized due to a situation such as no ultraviolet light being irradiated due to a failure of the ultraviolet light source 2-9, or a decrease in irradiation power due to deterioration of the ultraviolet light source 2-9. It is possible to suppress the continuation of the state in which the effect is reduced, and to more reliably suppress an increase in the time and effort required for maintenance work.

Furthermore, when the concentration of the sterilizing agent continues to be lower than the predetermined concentration range, the control unit 1-13D instructs the circulating flow channel water 2-2 to replace the water, or adds the sterilizing agent. By notifying the operator of a warning to perform, it is possible to suppress the continuation of the state in which the sterilization effect of the chemical is reduced, and more reliably suppress the increase in maintenance work. be able to.

Further, the control unit 1-13D instructs the operator to confirm whether or not the concentration detector 2-8 is abnormal when the concentration of the sterilizing chemical is mixed with the concentration lower than the predetermined concentration range and the concentration higher than the predetermined concentration range. By issuing a warning to , it is possible to prevent the continued state of abnormalities in the measured values for judging the status of ultraviolet irradiation, so that the maintenance of the automatic analyzer 1 can be further labor-saving.

Further, the control unit 1-13D is disposed in the circulation channel 2-3 immediately before the outlet for sending the circulation channel water 2-2 to the constant temperature bath 2-1, so that the control unit 1-13D is sterilized by ultraviolet rays. To allow the circulating flow water 2-2 immediately after to flow into the constant temperature bath 2-1, and to more easily maintain a state in which the circulating flow water 2-2 having a high degree of cleanliness fills the constant temperature bath 2-1. can be done.

<Example 2>
An automatic analyzer according to Example 2 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The same reference numerals are given to the same configurations as in the first embodiment, and the description thereof is omitted.

As shown in FIG. 7, the constant temperature circulation system in the automatic analyzer of the present embodiment automatically circulates the chemical as an automatic supply function of the sterilizing chemical in addition to the constant temperature circulation system of the automatic analyzer 1 of the first embodiment. It is further provided with a charging part 2-10 for charging into the channel water 2-2.

After that, the control unit 1-13D controls the input unit 2-10 so as to automatically input the sterilizing agent when the concentration of the sterilizing agent continues to be lower than the predetermined concentration range.

In such a configuration, the alarm activation process after 24 successive determinations of the area determination zone C in steps S707 and S708 shown in FIG.

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, an input unit 2-10 for automatically injecting the sterilizing agent into the circulating flow water 2-2 is further provided, and the control unit 1-13D controls the state where the concentration of the sterilizing agent is lower than the predetermined concentration range. By controlling the input unit 2-10 so as to automatically input the sterilizing agent when it is present, the burden of maintenance on the operator can be further reduced.

<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.

1: Automatic analyzer 1-1: Test tube 1-2: Specimen holding mechanism 1-3: Specimen transport mechanism 1-4: Reagent container 1-5: Reagent cooler 1-6: Reaction disk 1-7: Specimen portion Note mechanism 1-8: reaction vessel 1-9: reagent dispensing mechanism 1-10: stirring mechanism 1-11A: light source 1-11B: spectrophotometer 1-12: washing mechanism 1-13: computer 1-13A: display Device 1-13B: Input device 1-13C: Storage device 1-13D: Control unit 2-1: Constant temperature bath 2-2: Circulation channel water (constant temperature water)
2-3: Circulation channel 2-4: Circulation pump 2-5: Heater 2-6: Cooler 2-7: Thermometer 2-8: Concentration detector 2-9: Ultraviolet light source 2-10: Input part 3 -1: Drug concentration decreasing line (without UV irradiation)
3-2: Drug concentration declining line (optimal state of UV irradiation)
3-3: Drug concentration decreasing line (excessive UV irradiation)
3-4: Retention limit of bacteria suppression ability of drug concentration 4-1: Bacteria suppression force line by drug 4-2: Bacteria suppression force line by ultraviolet rays

Claims (8)

a reaction container holding a reaction liquid in which a specimen and a reagent are reacted;
a photometer for measuring the optical properties of the reaction solution;
a constant temperature bath that keeps the temperature of the reaction vessel constant;
a circulation channel for supplying constant temperature water to the constant temperature bath;
an ultraviolet light source for irradiating the constant temperature water with ultraviolet light;
a densitometer for measuring the concentration of the sterilizing agent in the constant temperature water;
a control unit for controlling the irradiation of the ultraviolet rays to the constant temperature water of the ultraviolet light source based on the temporal change in the concentration of the sterilizing agent measured by the densitometer.
An automatic analyzer characterized by In the automatic analyzer according to claim 1 ,
The control unit has a function of determining whether or not the UV irradiation from the UV light source is performed normally from the amount of decrease in concentration with respect to the elapsed time after the injection of the sterilizing agent.
An automatic analyzer characterized by In the automatic analyzer according to claim 2 ,
The automatic analyzer, wherein the controller notifies an operator of a warning when it is determined that the ultraviolet irradiation is not performed normally. In the automatic analyzer according to claim 3 ,
When the concentration of the sterilizing agent continues to be higher than a predetermined concentration range, the control unit issues a warning to the operator to check whether there is an abnormality in the ultraviolet light source. automatic analyzer. In the automatic analyzer according to claim 3 ,
When the concentration of the sterilizing agent continues to be lower than a predetermined concentration range, the control unit instructs the operator to replace the constant temperature water or to add the sterilizing agent. An automatic analyzer characterized by notifying a warning by In the automatic analyzer according to claim 3 ,
further comprising an injection unit for automatically injecting the sterilizing agent into the constant temperature water,
The automatic analyzer, wherein the control unit controls the input unit to automatically input the sterilizing agent when the concentration of the sterilizing agent continues to be lower than a predetermined concentration range. In the automatic analyzer according to claim 3 ,
The control unit warns the operator to check whether or not there is an abnormality in the densitometer when the concentration of the sterilizing chemical is mixed between a state of being lower than a predetermined concentration range and a state of being higher than the predetermined concentration range. An automatic analyzer characterized by notifying In the automatic analyzer according to claim 1,
The automatic analyzer, wherein the ultraviolet light source is arranged in the circulation channel immediately before an outlet for sending the constant temperature water to the constant temperature bath.

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