JPH03186763A - Automatic analysis apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To contrive the simplification of a regeneration operation and the prevention of a contamination and to prevent environmental pollution by a closed system by grouping and recovering regeneratable used reaction vessels by applying the same washing method. CONSTITUTION:A reaction vessel supplying station 3 takes out the reaction vessel 9 housed removably in a rack, etc., by means of an arm 11 in synchronization with the movement of a transporting mechanism 1 and sets the vessel in a recess. A reaction vessel discarding station 7 is constituted of an arm 12 which removes the used reaction vessel 9' from the transporting mechanism 1 and a reaction vessel housing case 13 which is segmented to plural regions 21, 22, 23, 24. A microcomputer 14 for controlling the operation over the entire part of the apparatus is so constituted as to select the one region of the reaction vessel housing case 13 by managing the analysis items for the respective reaction vessels by a memory 15 during the time before the reaction vessels 9 are discarded while selecting the reagent to be dispensed in coincidence with the analysis items. The regeneratable used reaction vessels are grouped and recovered by applying the same washing method.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to an automatic analyzer using disposable reaction vessels, and more particularly to a technique for managing used reaction vessels.

(Prior art) An automatic analyzer is configured to set a disposable reaction container in a circulable transport device, and transfer the container to a sample injection station, a reagent dispensing station, a measurement station, and a waste station. There is a method in which the used reaction container is removed from the transport device and disposed of after the analysis is completed.

Such an automatic analyzer has the advantage of eliminating the need for a reaction vessel cleaning step, thereby simplifying the analysis work.

(Problem to be solved by the invention) However, since one reaction vessel is consumed for each sample, running costs are high, and some users may be able to recycle the discarded reaction vessel by cleaning it. If this is the case, you may want to use it for the next analysis.

However, since used reaction vessels are all stored together in the same disposal case regardless of the analysis item, it is difficult to distinguish between those that can be reused and those that cannot be recycled. There was a problem that reuse was extremely difficult.

The present invention was developed in view of the above, and its purpose is to collect used reaction vessels by grouping them according to analysis items, etc., and thereby enable reuse. An object of the present invention is to provide a new automatic analyzer H that can be easily operated.

(Example) The details of the present invention will be described below based on illustrated examples.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, in which reference numeral 1 denotes a reaction container transport mechanism, and a recess 2.2.2 on the outer periphery of an annular member for removably holding the reaction container. ... are formed, and are configured to circulate through a reaction vessel supply station 3, a sample dispensing station 4, a reagent dispensing station 5, a measurement station 6, and a reaction vessel disposal station 7.

The reaction container supply station 3 takes out reaction containers 9, 9, 9, . A certain 0 reaction vessel disposal station 7 consists of an arm 12 for removing used reaction vessels 9° 9' from the transport mechanism 1, and a reaction vessel storage case divided into a plurality of areas 21, 22, 23, 24. has been done.

Reference numeral 14 denotes a microcomputer that controls the operation of the entire apparatus, which selects reagents to be dispensed based on analysis items, and also analyzes each reaction container until the reaction container 9 is discarded. The items are managed by the memory 15 and one area of the reaction container storage case 3 is selected. In the figure, reference numerals 16 and 17 indicate pipettes for dispensing the sample and reagent, respectively, and 19 indicates a driving means for selecting an area of the reaction container housing case 3.

Next, the operation of the apparatus configured in this way will be explained based on the flowchart shown in FIG.

When the apparatus is activated, the reaction vessel supply station 9 takes out one reaction vessel 9 from the rack and sets it in the recess 2 of the transport mechanism 1 using the arm 11 (Step 1). 9 step by step, the sample dispensing station 4 dispenses a predetermined amount of sample 8 (step port), and the reagent dispensing station 5 dispenses a reagent corresponding to the analysis item registered in advance. (Step C), and the target component will be measured at measurement station 6 (Step D).
.

In this way, when the microcomputer 14 leaves the measurement station and reaches the waste station 7 (step E), the microcomputer 14 reads out from the memory 15 the analysis items of the reaction vessel 9' that have just arrived, and the analysis items that are executed by this reaction vessel 9' are read. Select one of the areas 21, 22, 23, and 24 in Case 3 corresponding to the disposal method corresponding to the analysis item.

In other words, if the analysis item that can be reused is A, the first storage section 21 is removed (Step Re), and if it is the analysis item B that requires integrated management from the perspective of pollution prevention, ( Step G), the second storage section (Step N), and if the analysis item C requires treatment to prevent the spread of bacteria, etc. (Step H), the third storage section is installed. Select (step).

As a result, even if different samples or different reagents are mixed on the same analysis line, it is possible to collect the same type of samples as a group, making it possible to reuse used reaction vessels. Not only does this make it easier to use, but it also makes it possible to prevent pollution and bacterial contamination. In this example, the reusable reaction vessels are collected in one group, but it is clear that they can also be collected in multiple groups so that the same cleaning process is performed. It is.

In addition, in this example, the area of the waste container is selected according to the analysis item, but as shown in FIG. 1131, 32, and 33 are provided, and when the reaction container is moved to the corresponding position, the reaction container is removed from the transport mechanism 1 and the areas 31, 32, and 331 are separated.
It is clear that the same effect can be achieved even if one is selected.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, the present invention includes a transport mechanism that removably holds a reaction container, a reaction container supply mechanism that sets the reaction container on the transport mechanism, and a reaction container that is set on the transport mechanism. (A means for dispensing the sample, a means for dispensing the reagent into the reaction container, a means for measuring the target component in the reaction container, and a means for removing the reaction container from the transport mechanism after the measurement is completed to perform the analysis in accordance with the analysis item.) Since the reactors are separated and stored in predetermined areas, used reaction vessels that can be recycled can be collected in groups by applying the same cleaning method, simplifying the recycling process and preventing contamination. In addition, a closed system can be formed for samples and reagents that require special disposal, and environmental pollution can be reliably prevented.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus showing one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the same apparatus, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the invention. 1...Reaction vessel transport mechanism 2...Reaction vessel accommodation recess 3...Reaction vessel supply station 4...Sample dispensing station 5...Reagent dispensing station 6... -Measurement station 7...Reaction vessel disposal station 9...Reaction vessel 11...Arm 12...Reaction vessel removal arm 13...Accommodation case

Claims (1)

[Claims] A transport mechanism for detachably holding a reaction container, a reaction container supply mechanism for setting a reaction container in the transport mechanism, a means for dispensing a sample into a reaction container set in the transport mechanism, and a means for dispensing a reagent into a reaction container. a means for measuring the target component in the reaction container, a means for removing the reaction container from the transport mechanism after the measurement is completed, and a means for dividing and storing the reaction container into predetermined areas corresponding to analysis items. An automatic analyzer.