JPH03289566A - Automatic chemical analyzer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To normally read data by eliminating the effect of dew condensation by providing a storage medium storing the data related to a reagent to a reagent container and transmitting and receiving the data by an electromagnetic wave. CONSTITUTION:A storage medium 4a is fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the holder 4 holding a reagent container 3a and the individual data of a reagent is stored in the memory medium 4a. Herein, a transmitter-receiver 7 is constituted so as to transmit and receive the memory data of the reagent container 3a by an electromagnetic wave and receives the control of the CPU arranged at the position sucking the reagent from the container 3a by a reagent arm to read the reagent data at the time of the suction of the reagent from the storage medium 4a by the electromagnetic wave to transmit the same to the CPU. Since the reagent data is read by the electromagnetic wave as mentioned above, the data of the storage medium 4a can be read without receiving the effect of dew condensation. Further, much data capacities are obtained and unnecessary memory capacity can be omitted.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to an automatic chemical analyzer equipped with a reagent container provided with a storage medium storing reagent information.

(Prior art) For example, serum collected from a human body is used as a sample, and a desired reagent according to the analysis item is reacted with it, and the concentration of a specific component in this reaction solution is measured by, for example, a colorimetric method. 2. Description of the Related Art Automatic chemical analyzers that perform analysis of desired items are known.

When performing chemical or chemical analysis using such an analyzer, recently, a reagent container 3a containing a reagent to be reacted with a sample is used.
As shown in FIG. 5, a label 11 on which a bar code indicating information on the reagent is recorded is used. By using the reagent container 3a provided with the barcode label 11 in this manner, it is possible to prevent reagent handling errors and streamline measurements.

Such a barcode label 11 is produced by printing necessary reagent information in the form of a barcode using paper, resin tape, or the like. Reagent information is stored in the CPU (Central Processing Unit) in advance, and when the reagent container is set in the desired position of the analyzer for analysis, the reagent information is read via the bar code by the reader, and the reagent information is stored in the CPU in advance. Verification with stored reagent information is performed.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, there are the following problems with reagent containers with barcode labels used in conventional automatic chemical analyzers.

1. Since the information capacity represented by barcodes is limited, it is impossible to include a large amount of reagent information.

2. In the case of a random access type automatic chemical analyzer, the set reagent container is reset from the analyzer once due to a request to change the analysis items midway through, and the reagent is replaced with another reagent and stored in an external storage. However, the individual information of the reagents exchanged during this period must be stored in the storage device all the time, which requires extra memory capacity.

3. Barcodes are read as images, so
When a barcode label is taken out from an external storage and set in the reagent storage of an analyzer, dew condensation tends to form on the surface of the barcode label due to the temperature difference, so it may not be possible to read it correctly.

The present invention has been made in response to the above-mentioned problems.
The object of the present invention is to provide an automatic chemical analyzer that can solve conventional problems.

[Configuration of the Invention (Means for Solving the Problems) To achieve the above object, the present invention provides an automatic chemical analyzer that performs chemical analysis of desired items by dispensing a sample and a reagent into a reaction container. The present invention is characterized by comprising a reagent container provided with a storage medium storing information about the reagent, and a transmitting/receiving means arranged at a position to suck the reagent from the reagent container and capable of transmitting and receiving the reagent information using electromagnetic waves. It is something.

(Function) Since the reagent information from the reagent container is read by transmitting and receiving electromagnetic waves, the conventional problems can be solved. That is, since the reagent container is provided with a storage medium that can be read by electromagnetic waves, it is possible to store a large amount of reagent information. Furthermore, since the transmitting/receiving means for reading reagent information is disposed at the reagent suction position and reads the reagent information at the time of reagent suction, reagent information outside the reagent suction position is unnecessary and no extra memory capacity is required. Furthermore, since reagent information is read using electromagnetic waves, it is not affected by condensation.

(Example) The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the automatic chemical analyzer of the present invention, in which 1 is a sampler section in which a sample to be analyzed is placed in a sample container 1a.
The sample container 1a is moved intermittently. 3
The probe 3A held at the tip of the sample arm sucks the sample from the sample container 1a, and the reaction container 2 of the reaction section 2 is moved by swinging around the shaft 3B.
Dispense into a. A large number of reaction vessels 2a are arranged in the reaction section 2, and the reaction vessels 2a are intermittently rotated in the direction of the arrow in a constant cycle by a drive source (not shown). 3
In the reagent section, a large number of reagent containers 3a containing reagents are held in a holder 4, and the reagent containers 3a are moved intermittently.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a reagent arm which aspirates a reagent according to the analysis item from the reagent container 3a using a probe 5A held at its tip, and divides it into the reaction container 2a of the reaction section 2 by performing a rocking motion using the shaft 5B as a fulcrum. Note.

As shown in FIG. 2, a semiconductor memory, for example, in the form of a card is attached as a storage medium 4a to the outer peripheral surface of the holder 4 holding each reagent container 3a, and this semiconductor memory stores individual information of the reagent. is stored so that it can be transmitted and received using electromagnetic waves.

Necessary information can be stored as reagent information, such as reagent name, analysis parameters, and manufacturing date.

Validity period, reagent absorbance range, remaining reagent amount per dispense, etc. are stored. This allows individual information about the reagent to be integrated with the reagent so that the reagent itself has it. By forming semiconductor memory with flexibility,
Can be mounted on any surface.

Reference numeral 7 denotes a transmitting/receiving device which is configured to be able to transmit and receive reagent information stored in the semiconductor memory of the reagent container 3a using electromagnetic waves, and this transmitting/receiving device 7 is arranged at a position where the reagent arm 5 sucks the reagent from the reagent container 3a Been C
Under the control of the PU (Central Processing Unit) 10, it operates to read reagent information from the storage medium 4a using electromagnetic waves when the reagent is aspirated. The read reagent information is transmitted by the transmitting/receiving device 7 to the CPU10.

A stirring section 8 performs a stirring operation so that the sample and reagent dispensed into the reaction container 2a sufficiently react with each other.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a photometry section, which is disposed in the middle of the moving path of the reaction container 2a, and has a light source 9a and a detector 9b facing each other with the reaction container 2a in between. By measuring the absorbance of the reaction solution when the reaction container 2a blocks the optical path of the light source 9a,
Chemical analysis of desired items is performed.

Reference numeral 10 is a CPU (Central Processing Unit) which is in charge of the overall control operation, and in particular, in the case of the embodiment of the present invention, it controls the operation of the transmitting/receiving device 7 and also receives the reagent information transmitted from this and performs necessary control. is configured to do so.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

When the reaction container 2a of the reaction section 2 rotates and moves to a position facing the sampler section 1, the sample required for analysis is sucked from the sample container 1a by the sample arm 3 and dispensed in a predetermined amount. Subsequently, when this reaction container 2a moves to a position facing the reagent section 3, a reagent corresponding to the analysis item is sucked by the reagent arm 5 from the reagent container 3a held in the holder 4 and dispensed in a predetermined amount. be done.

At this time, the transmitting/receiving device 7 disposed at the reagent suction position of the reagent section 3 uses electromagnetic waves to read reagent information from the storage medium 4a of the holder 4 corresponding to the reagent container 3a under the control of the CPU I O, and transmits it to the CPU 10. . In this way, when aspirating a reagent, this reagent information is always read by the transmitting/receiving device 7 and transmitted to the CPU10.
l0 can immediately detect the reagent information and perform the necessary control actions. For example, even if a preset reagent is replaced with another reagent due to a request to change an analysis item midway through, the reagent information at the time of reagent aspiration is always detected and analysis is performed accordingly. can be controlled.

After the reaction container 2a into which the reagent has been dispensed is stirred by the stirring section 8, the absorbance is measured by a colorimetric method by the photometric system 9, thereby analyzing desired items.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the storage medium 4a in which reagent information is stored in advance so as to be able to be transmitted and received by the transmitting/receiving device 7 is provided in the holder 4 of the reagent container 3a, and the reagent information at the time of reagent suction is stored in this storage medium. Since reading is performed using electromagnetic waves from 4a, the conventional problems can be solved. That is, by reading reagent information using electromagnetic waves rather than using barcodes, it is possible to dramatically increase the information capacity, and it is possible to have a large amount of reagent information. In addition, since the reagent information is stored in the reagent itself and the reagent information is always read when aspirating the reagent, even if there is a request to change an analysis item in the middle of an analysis and the reagent needs to be replaced, the reagent information at the time of aspirating is always read. There is no need to permanently store individual information on reagents that are exchanged upon detection. Therefore, since extra memory capacity is not required, costs can be reduced accordingly. Furthermore, since reagent information is read using electromagnetic waves, even if dew condensation occurs on the reagent container or holder, it will not be affected in any way and can be read normally.

In this embodiment, a card-shaped semiconductor memory is used as the storage medium, but by using a flexible storage medium 4a as shown in FIG. It can also be installed. Alternatively, the storage medium may be embedded in the holder in advance. Such a storage medium can be realized without preparing a new one by using various types of media such as commonly used IC cards. Furthermore, the storage medium can be provided in the reagent container 3a itself as shown in FIG. 4, instead of being provided in the holder as in the embodiment.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, since reagent information is read by electromagnetic waves when reagent is aspirated, a large amount of information can be obtained and unnecessary memory capacity can be omitted. , which can further avoid the effects of condensation.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the automatic chemical analyzer of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the main parts of the device of this embodiment, and FIG.
4 and 4 are perspective views showing a modification of this embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a conventional example. 2a... Reaction container, 3... Reagent section, 3a... Reagent container, 4... Holder 4a... Storage medium, 7...
Transmitting/receiving device, 10...CPU (central processing unit)
. 40 officials and row 1 a certain dedication

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an automatic chemical analyzer that performs chemical analysis of desired items by dispensing a sample and a reagent into a reaction container, a reagent container is provided with a storage medium that stores information regarding the reagent;
1. An automatic chemical analysis apparatus comprising: a transmitting/receiving means disposed at a position for sucking a reagent from a reagent container and capable of transmitting and receiving the reagent information using electromagnetic waves.