JPH03170867A - Sample pipetting apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To set the max. falling position of the tip of a pipetting nozzle based on a sample tube and the storage amount therein to predetermined height or more by estimating the liquid level position of a sample on the basis of the data optically read from the liquid level position specifying label provided on the side surface of the sample tube. CONSTITUTION:The bar code labels applied to the side surfaces of a large number of sample tubes 11 set to a sample turntable 1 are at first read one at a time by a bar code reader 23. Subsequently, when each of the sample tubes 11 reaches a sampling position A, pipetting is started and a pipetting nozzle 22 falls to be inserted in the sample tube 11 and sucks a sample to emit the same. A microcomputer 8 applies the data from the bar code related to each sample tube 11 to a pipetting apparatus control computer 4 and subsequently transmits a pipetting order signal at every preliminarily registered request item of each specimen thereto. Herein, the liquid level position of the sample in the sample tube 11 is calculated and the max. falling distance of the pipetting nozzle 22 is calculated. The max. falling position of the tip of the nozzle 22 at the time of suction is limited to limited height or more.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Field of Industrial Application This invention relates to a sample dispensing device. More specifically, it is a sample dispensing device equipped with means for optically reading information attached to a label, such as a combination of a barcode label and a barcode league, and is capable of measuring the concentration of multiple components in a sample. The present invention relates to a sample dispensing device suitable for an automatic biochemical analyzer used for disease diagnosis.

(Example) Conventional techniques: Sequentially chemically or immunologically reacting biological samples, etc.
In an automatic biochemical analyzer that measures the optical density of each reaction solution obtained, it is necessary to identify or recognize the sample (specimen) stored in each sample tube that is sequentially transferred to a predetermined suction emplacement. A sample dispensing device is used to aspirate a predetermined amount of the sample and distribute it to measurement containers at predetermined locations.

The sample dispensing device has a sample tube moving means for sequentially transferring a large number of sample tubes to a sample suction bow position, and a dispensing nozzle that can be moved vertically and horizontally, and the dispensing nozzle is lowered at the sample suction position. Each sample is further stored in a normal sample dispensing means consisting of a dispensing nozzle driving means configured to aspirate the stored sample in the sample tube by insertion and discharge it into a measurement container placed in a predetermined vertical position. A barcode label containing sample identification information is attached to the side of each sample tube, and barcode leagues are installed at predetermined locations to approach each sample tube and optically read the information on the barcode label. , the sample is configured to be able to be identified or recognized based on the output from the barcode league.

Although the sample dispensing device described above is capable of identifying or recognizing the sample stored in each sample tube, the sample tube in which the sample is stored has not been identified or recognized.

(c) Problems to be Solved by the Invention In an automatic biochemical analyzer equipped with a sample dispensing device as described above, vacuum blood collection tubes may be used as sample tubes, and in such cases, after centrifugation, It often contains samples of In other words, serum is on the upper side, and blood clots are on the lower side.

When aspirating the above-measured tm supernatant from a sample tube containing a sample separated in this way and providing it for liver separation, the sample dispensing device detects the blood 1 blue side using the night side extractor. It should be activated to suck. However, if the liquid level detector malfunctions, the dispensing nozzle may operate a full stroke in its up-and-down motion, 7 resulting in it descending too far and clot the nozzle. There is a thing.

In addition, when vacuum blood collection tubes of different lengths and inner diameters are used as they are set in the sample tube holder of the sample tube moving means, in the dispensing operation for these tubes, the vertical movement of the dispensing nozzle of the above-mentioned dispensing device It is necessary to match the full stroke to the shortest vacuum blood collection tube set. However, if you set the full stroke like this,
When using a long vacuum blood collection tube, it is necessary to increase the amount of blood collected to ensure sufficient suction.

This invention was made in view of the above situation, and it is possible to always lower the tip of the dispensing nozzle to a maximum height or higher than a predetermined height depending on the sample tube used and the amount of sample stored in the sample tube. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a sample dispensing device that can be maintained for a long time.

(2) Means for Solving the Problems According to the present invention, (a) a plurality of sample tubes each having a position identification label attached to the side surface of the liquid surface; sample tube moving means for sequentially transferring the sample tubes to positions, (
c) It has a dispensing nozzle that can be moved vertically and horizontally, so that the sample stored in the sample tube can be aspirated by lowering and inserting the dispensing nozzle at the sample suction station, and it can be discharged into the measurement container at a predetermined position. It consists of a dispensing nozzle driving means, (d) an optical reading means for reading information from a liquid level position specifying label on the side surface of the sample tube, and (e) an optical reading means based on the output of the optical reading means. Accordingly, a sample dispensing device is provided which includes a dispensing nozzle control means for controlling the maximum descending position of the dispensing nozzle tip during suction to a height above the limit height.

As the sample tube used in the apparatus of the present invention, blood collection tubes known in the art, particularly vacuum blood collection tubes, can be used as they are. In this case, the collected blood can be centrifuged as it is into direct serum and blood clots, and can be directly used for measurement.

A label identifying the liquid level should be attached to the side of the sample tube mentioned above. The liquid level position specifying label means a label on which information specifying the liquid level α violet of the sample stored in the sample tube is recorded. The information that holds the above-mentioned position is
The height of the night surface of the f2 sample stored in the sample tube may be directly expressed as the distance from an arbitrary reference point, but the amount of sample stored in the sample tube and the size of the sample tube (for example, the inner diameter , length, cross-sectional area) are different for each sample tube, it is preferable to use the amount of stored sample and the size of the sample tube as information.

The above liquid level position specifying information can be recorded on a barcode label and used together with the sample identification information normally used in the field.

As the sample tube moving means used in the apparatus of the present invention, those known in the art can be used as they are. For example, a sample turntable can be mentioned.

The dispensing nozzle drive means used in the apparatus of the present invention is one known in the art, except that its vertical movement is adjusted based on an output signal from a dispensing nozzle control means, which will be described later. Be able to do that.

The optical reading means used in the device of this invention is a night surface α
By optically reading the information recorded on the location identification label,
Use something that can output to the dispensing nozzle control means described later. For example, Barcode League can be mentioned.

The dispensing nozzle control means used in the apparatus of the present invention controls the dispensing nozzle driving means to lower the lowering position of the dispensing nozzle tip during suction based on the output of the optical reading means. The above adjustment is made so that the maximum vertical drop of the nozzle tip is greater than a predetermined limit height. The above limit height means that a predetermined amount can be sufficiently aspirated from the sample stored in the sample tube, and without contacting the bottom of the sample tube or aspirating blood clots if the sample is centrifuged blood. This refers to the lowered position of the nozzle tip until it is fully immersed in the sample.

As an example of controlling the height above the above limit, consider the case where the information on the liquid level position identification label is expressed in parallel with the amount of sample stored in the sample tube and the size of the sample tube. state In this case, the dispensing nozzle control gIJ section is equipped with a calculation section. The calculation unit calculates the position of the sample in the sample tube based on the information regarding the amount of stored sample and the size of the sample tube output from the optical reading means, and also calculates the position of the sample in the sample tube based on the calculated value. The maximum descent position of the dispensing nozzle is calculated. This can be done, for example, by m* as follows.

First, regarding the liquid level position, calculate the length of the sample column by dividing the sample amount by the cross-sectional area of the sample tube, and calculate this and the total length of the sample tube.
From the distance between the uppermost stop position of the nozzle (with respect to an arbitrary reference plane) and the top end of the sample tube, the liquid level relative to an arbitrary reference plane can be calculated. Next, the maximum descent distance can be set by calculating the descent distance from the liquid level position and the uppermost stop position to the liquid level, and then adding a predetermined distance to this. The predetermined distance is selected as a distance that is within the length of the sample chamber and at which the depth of the nozzle tip entering from the liquid level is sufficient to aspirate the amount of sample to be analyzed. . For example, if the sample is separated into upper serum and lower blood clot in the sample tube, the maximum distance that the nozzle tip does not reach the blood clot is selected. Next, the dispensing nozzle driving means is controlled to lower the dispensing nozzle based on the maximum descending distance obtained by the calculation section. The vertical drive of the dispensing nozzle can be achieved by, for example, combining a rack binion and a pulse motor.
If the nozzle is turned off, the vertical movement of the nozzle can be reduced by adjusting the number of pulses of the pulse mode.

In addition, in the apparatus of the present invention, the nozzle may be equipped with a known liquid level detector.

(E) Effect According to the present invention, the liquid level position of the sample in the sample tube is predicted based on information optically read from the liquid level position specifying label attached to the sample tube measurement surface. Based on this prediction, the maximum drop of the tip of the dispensing nozzle during suction will be maintained above the limit height.

EXAMPLES The present invention will be explained in detail below with reference to Examples, but the present invention is not limited thereby.

(F) Embodiment FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the main part configuration of an example of an automatic biochemical dispensing device including the sample dispensing device of the present invention. In the figure, 1
is a sample turntable, 2 is a sample (=sample) dispensing device, 3 is a reaction disk, 4 is a sample dispensing device control computer, 5 is an A/D converter/Log converter, 6 is a reaction section control computer, 7 is an interface, and 8 is a microcomputer.

The sample turntable 1 is designed so that it can intermittently rotate in a fixed direction a large number of sample tubes 1L that store collected samples.

The sample dispensing device 2 includes a sample dispensing pump 2l consisting of a pipette pump and a guide pump, and a sample dispensing nozzle 2.
2 and a barcode reader 23, and the dispensing nozzle 22 is connected to a predetermined vertical position A.2 of the turntable l. ! : Rin-semi The sample preparation container setting position B and the predetermined position C of the reaction disk 3 can be sequentially reciprocated, and the dispensing nozzle 22 can be moved up and down at each of the predetermined positions A, B, and C. There is.

Driving the sample turntable 1 and sample dispensing device 2
The operations are controlled by the sample dispensing device control computer 4 so that they are performed in series at predetermined timings.

The reaction disk 3 includes a measurement container 31 with a large number of failures and a photometry section 31.
and a cleaning section 32, which stirs, measures light, and cleans each sample that is sequentially dispensed into the measurement container at the predetermined position C.
A/D conversion of optical data measured by photometry 1131
Output to og converter 5. The drive of the above reaction disk is as follows:
It is controlled by a reaction section control computer 6.

The microcomputer 8 controls the operation of the sample dispensing device control computer 4 and the reaction section control computer 6 via the interface 7 based on a predetermined program, and also controls the conversion output from the A/D converter/Log converter. The optical data is processed based on a predetermined program and sent to a printer or CRT (none of which is shown).
i. : Configured to output. Furthermore, the information read by the barcode reader 23 can be output to the sample dispensing device control computer 4 via the interface, and the control computer 4 can be used to adjust the vertical movement of the dispensing nozzle based on this information. The controller is configured to command operation.

An example of a sample tube used in the sample turntable 1 is shown in FIG. In the same figure, the sample tube (a) is a vacuum blood collection tube with a size of L3φ x 751Ilffl, and the sample tube (b) is
is a vacuum blood collection tube with a size of 16φ x 100mm. Barcode labels should be affixed to the sides of these sample tubes (a) and (b). This barcode label is printed by a barcode label printer (not shown) at the time of blood collection, and the type (a) of the sample tube (vacuum blood collection tube in this case) to be attached at this time and the sample 1i (collected 11llil)
) ({) is also encoded to give the specimen identification number ([D number) (
It is printed together with c). For example, in the case of the sample tube (a) in the same figure, the printed bar code is 813251, and the most significant digit "B" indicates the size of the sample tube, that is, 13φX 75 mm. Also, the number "l" on the second fold from the top is a sample! (For example, serum 1
1), indicating that the amount of blood collected was 3JI+2. The remaining four digits are the specimen identification number, which is used to recognize the requested item at the time of dispensing.

Next, the operation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 will be explained.

Sample turntable! First, the barcode label attached to the side of each sample tube is read one by one by the barcode reader 23, and the signal is outputted to the microcomputer 8. At this time, the microcomputer 8 obtains information about the size of the sample tube, the amount of sample, and the sample identification number. Request items for each sample are registered in advance and stored in the memory within the microcomputer 8. The microcomputer 8 learns the request items of the sample registered in advance based on the information on the read barcode label, and outputs an operation signal to the sample dispensing device control computer 4 and the reaction control computer 6. When the sample tube whose barcode label has been read reaches the sampling position (predetermined position A), dispensing begins. At this time, the microcomputer 8 transmits information such as the size of the sample tube and the amount of stored sample to the sample dispensing device control computer 4. Next, a dispensing command signal for each requested item is transmitted.

Here, the operation of the sample dispensing device control computer 4 will be explained. In the calculation section of this computer 4,
Reserved samples output from the Barcode League! The liquid level position of the sample in the sample tube is calculated based on the information regarding the size of the sample tube (inner diameter, overall length, cross-sectional area, etc.), and the maximum descending distance of the dispensing nozzle is calculated based on this calculated value. Calculated. In other words, as shown in Figure 3, if the reference plane is taken at the top of the sample tube, a constant value (ha) can be obtained from the reference plane to the top stop of the nozzle, and the sample volume can be derived from the inner diameter of the sample tube. The sample length (f2.) is obtained by dividing by the cross-sectional area of the sample tube.
), the sample liquid level position from the reference surface (mar (Cl.)
The distance from the uppermost stop to the sample plane is h. +CQ-Q. ).

On the other hand, if there is a sufficient amount of sample required for dispensing the requested item (referred to here as the amount of serum), divide the amount of sample required for this dispensing by the cross-sectional area above and calculate the amount of sample a (C) to be aspirated. ), the maximum descent distance is ho + CQ L
) + Qt. In addition, if the amount of stored sample does not reach the amount required for dispensing, the maximum descent distance is ho + (12 degrees) from the sample column (12 degrees) determined only by the amount of serum in the sample.
-L)+I2'. From the above, the dispensing nozzle is always controlled so as not to descend beyond the maximum descending distance calculated by the sample dispensing device control computer 4.

(G) Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, with a relatively simple configuration, the maximum lowering position of the tip of the dispensing nozzle can always be adjusted to a predetermined value depending on the sample tube used and the amount of sample stored in the sample tube. A sample/dispensing device that can be held above the height can be carried. If the length of the sample tube becomes longer, there is no need to increase the amount of sample collected, and if the sample amount is small, problems associated with suction, such as suctioning [t[L rice cake], can be prevented without using a liquid level detector. Another advantage is that sample tubes of different sizes can be used together on the sample turntable.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram of the main parts of an automatic biochemical analyzer including the sample dispensing device of the present invention, and Figure 2 is a sample tube used in the apparatus shown in Figure 1 and the barcode label attached to it. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the positional relationship between the sample liquid surface position and the tip of the dispensing nozzle during dispensing in the apparatus of FIG. 1. l... Sample turntable, 2...
Sample (atmospheric sample) pipetting device, 3... Reaction disk, 4... Sample pipetting device control computer, 5...
...A/D conversion/Log converter, 6...Reaction section control computer, 7...Interface, 8...Microcomputer 11...Sample tube, 22 ...Dispensing nozzle, 23...Barcode league. (a) 3 Figure 2 (b)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. (a) A plurality of sample tubes each having a liquid level position identification label attached to the side surface, (b) Sample tube moving means for sequentially transferring the sample tubes to a sample suction position, (c ) It has a dispensing nozzle that can be moved vertically and horizontally, and is configured to aspirate the sample stored in the sample tube by lowering and inserting the dispensing nozzle at the sample suction position, and to discharge it into the measurement container at a predetermined position. (d) an optical reading means for reading information from a liquid level position specifying label on the side surface of the sample tube at the sample suction position; A sample dispensing device comprising dispensing nozzle control means for controlling the maximum descending position of the dispensing nozzle tip to a height limit or higher.