JPH04127065A - Washing mechanism of biochemical automatic analyzer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate the clogging and contamination of a solenoid valve and a flow path and to enhance the reliability of a large-sized automatic analyzer by providing a manual manifold to a tank for a vacuum buffer and allowing washing water to flow in the reverse direction of a vacuum suction flow path from the branch pipe. CONSTITUTION:The power supply of a vacuum pump 66 is cut off and a connection pipe 75 is clamped to prevent the penetration of a washing solution in the third chamber 72, a vacuum detector 67 and a pump 66 and, thereafter, a tube 76 is detached from a cock 92 to connect an outside water supply pump to the tube 76 and, when water is passed through the tube 76 in such a state that the solenoid valves 55 - 57, 60 - 63 of a vacuum flow path system are opened, washing water flows to the first and second chamber 70, 71 in a tank 90, the connection tube and solenoid valves 55 - 57, 60 - 63 of the vacuum flow path system, a sample vacuum bin 58, a washing water vacuum bin 59, manifolds 50 - 52 and a suction nozzle 54 to carry out washing and is discharged from a sample drain pipe 64, a washing drain pipe 65 and the nozzle 54. When a reaction container 53 is preliminarily detached from a reaction disc, washing water is emitted into a reaction tank and discharged from the overflow part of the reaction tank. By this method, the vacuum system can be washed and the reliability of the apparatus can be enhanced.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an automatic biochemical analyzer, and relates to an automatic biochemical analyzer that is suitable for cleaning a channel for discharging a sample out of the apparatus using vacuum. Regarding the cleaning mechanism.

[Conventional technology]

The analysis operation in a conventional automatic analyzer will be explained using FIG. 2. The sample in the sample container 30
is placed on the rack 26, so that it moves via the sampler 1 and moves to the position of the sampling mechanism 6. Here, a fixed amount of the sample is taken out by the quantitative separation mechanism 5 of the sampling mechanism 6 and discharged into the reaction container 31 on the reaction disk 2. The reaction vessels 31 are arranged and fixed in a circumferential row on the outer edge of the reaction disk 2, and the reaction vessels 31, which are fixed to the reaction disk 2 by a rotational drive mechanism (not shown), are placed in a constant temperature water bath (not shown). It moves in a circular orbit while submerged. The reaction container 31 is moved to the position of the reagent discharge mechanism 10 as the reaction disk 2 rotates. A reagent container 20 is connected to the reagent discharge mechanism 10 via a multiple dispenser 16, and a fixed amount of the reagent in the reagent container 20 is discharged by the multiple dispenser 16 into a reaction container containing a sample. . When mixing the reagents into the sample, the first reagent and the second reagent are mixed according to the needs of the sample item and the like. The mixed liquid of the sample and reagent in the reaction container 31 is stirred by the stirring mechanism 13 as the reaction disk 2 rotates, and current mixing is promoted. Through these series of operations, a coloring reaction between the specimen and the reagent is performed, and the rotation of the reaction disk 2 causes the reaction container 31 to cross the optical axis between the light source and the spectrophotometer 15, and the absorbance is measured. After the data is digitized at -22, it is sent to the computer 25.

Thereafter, the operations of sample dispensing, reagent injection, and rotation of the reaction disk 2 are repeated at regular time intervals. During this time, the reaction container 31 crosses the optical axis of the spectrophotometer 15 at regular intervals, so that the computer 22 intermittently tracks changes in absorbance during the chemical reaction process of the reaction solution. By processing the data, the concentrations of various components in the sample are calculated, and when the operator of the device operates the operation unit 25, various measurement results can be output to a printer, CRT, or to a floppy disk (not shown). It may be written.

The reaction container 31 whose absorbance has been measured is cleaned by the reaction container cleaning mechanism 14 at a predetermined position.

When the reaction vessel 31 is being cleaned, other reaction vessels 3
In No. 1, the component analysis of the sample is performed in parallel, so cleaning the reaction container does not reduce the throughput. After washing, the reaction vessel is used for the next analysis. FIG. 3 shows a conventional waste liquid suction channel system of a cleaning mechanism for a reaction vessel 31 using a vacuum.

53 is a circumferential cross-sectional view of the reaction vessel. Reference numeral 80 denotes a water supply nozzle for cleaning, which is located at positions A-D as shown in the figure. 5
4 are waste liquid suction nozzles A-C, G, and H.

It is located at ■. A series of cleaning operations will be explained below. First, the sample in the reaction container 53 after the measurement is sucked in by the suction nozzle 54 A through a vacuum channel described below, and then water is supplied by the water suction nozzle 80 A. Next, suction and water supply are performed at position BC, and water droplets adhering to the wall surface of reaction vessel 53 are sucked at position G. The G tip of the suction nozzle 54 has the same shape as the reaction vessel in order to suction the liquid on the wall surface. .

The water supply nozzle 80D is a cell blank water for absorbance measurement. Suction the cell blank water with the suction nozzle 54H,
At step 4I, water droplets on the wall inside the reaction vessel 53 are sucked.

Next, the vacuum flow path will be explained. There are two flow paths, one for sample suction and one for washing water suction, and the train pipe is also
It is divided into a sample drain vibro 4 and a wash water drain vibro 5, and the vacuum bottle is also divided into a sample vacuum bottle 58 and a wash water vacuum bottle 59. 50 to 52 are branch pipes for flow paths that are piped to individual nozzles. 55-57
．． 60 to 63 are vacuum system control solenoid valves. 57 is a branch pipe for a solenoid valve. A vacuum pump 66 is connected to a vacuum tank 69 for a vacuum buffer. 67 is a detector for detecting the degree of vacuum. The structure inside the vacuum tank 69 is as follows:
The interior is divided into three rooms.

The first chamber 70 has a nozzle connected to the suction nozzle 54 system, and the second chamber 71 has a sensor 74 connected to the vacuum detection 67. The position of the sensor 74 is set at a height that will not cause any problems even if atomized drainage liquid or liquid accumulates due to a failure in the flow path. In order to divide the chamber into one chamber 70 and two chambers 71, a partition whose lower part is cut off is provided. The third chamber 72 has a nozzle connected to the vacuum pump 66. 2nd room 71
There is also a partition here to divide it into three chambers 72, but a small diameter hole is drilled at a position higher than the sensor 74 to prevent the liquid accumulated in the first chamber 71 and the second chamber 72 from entering. .

A series of operations of the vacuum system will be explained on the sample suction side. The same operation is performed for the cleaning water side flow path.

When the vacuum pump 66 is operating and the solenoid valve 62 is closed and the vacuum level in the vacuum tank is maintained at about -600rrnHg, the cleaning mechanism 14 is lowered into the reaction vessel 31 and at the same time the solenoid valve 55.62 is closed. It is opened and the sample is aspirated and stored in a sample vacuum bottle. Immediately after, the solenoid valves 55 and 60 are closed, and then approximately 700 μQ of cleaning liquid is poured into the water supply nozzle 80 by a water supply mechanism (not shown). After completion, the solenoid valves 55 and 60 are opened again, and the cleaning liquid is once again stored in the sample vacuum bottle 58. Further, when the solenoid valves 55 and 60 are closed, the solenoid valve 6
0 is opened, the sample and washing liquid stored in the sample vacuum bottle 58 pass through the sample train vibro 4,
It is discharged outside the device. When this is completed, the cleaning mechanism] 4 lands on the reaction vessel 31.

These series of operations are repeated.

The cleaning mechanism of the conventional automatic analyzer is as described above.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

The problems of the above conventional technology will be described below.

As automatic analyzers become larger, their processing capacity also increases, and reliability must follow suit, but there has been a major problem with the cleaning mechanism system. it is,
Although there is no shortage of methods for cleaning the inside of the reaction vessel itself, no consideration has been given to cleaning the cleaning channel using vacuum. The flow of waste liquid was unidirectional, which only allowed dirt to accumulate, and no system was built in to clean this flow path.

In the case of a large automatic analyzer, if the processing capacity reaches 600 samples/hour, the vacuum channel will inevitably become contaminated or clogged, which will reduce the reliability of the device.

The purpose of the present invention is to eliminate the problems of the prior art described above,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a cleaning mechanism for an automatic biochemical analyzer that is highly reliable and free from dirt and clogging in the flow path even in a large analyzer.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above objectives, a manual branch pipe was installed in the vacuum tank for the vacuum buffer in the vacuum channel system, and a system was built into the equipment to flow external cleaning water from the branch pipe in the opposite direction of the vacuum channel during maintenance. It is something.

[Effect]

As described above, a manual branch pipe is provided in the vacuum tank for the vacuum buffer in the vacuum channel system. During maintenance,
Turn off the power to the vacuum pump, shield chambers 2 and 3 in the vacuum tank, open the solenoid valve of the vacuum flow path system, and connect external cleaning water to the manual branch pipe of the vacuum tank to flow water.

This allows connecting tubes for vacuum flow systems, vacuum tanks,
solenoid valve.

Washing water flows through the sample vacuum bottle, wash water vacuum bottle, and branch pipe to be washed and discharged from the sample drain pipe, wash water train pipe, and suction nozzle. If the reaction vessel is removed from the reaction disk in advance, washing water will be discharged into the reaction vessel and will be discharged from a portion of the reaction vessel overflow. If the water in the reaction tank is exchanged afterwards, the staining of the reaction tank water, which is a problem in measuring reaction absorbance, will not be a problem.

These make it possible to clean the vacuum system, which was previously impossible, and significantly improve the reliability of the device.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. 1st
The figure shows a vacuum system flow path of the cleaning mechanism of the present invention. Although the operation of this cleaning mechanism is well known, the structure of the present invention is largely different in the flow path system of the vacuum tank 90.

The structure of the vacuum tank 90 will be explained. The interior is divided into three rooms. The first chamber 70 has a nozzle connected to the suction nozzle 54 system. Conventionally, this nozzle had one branch pipe installed between the nozzle and the solenoid valve 62, 63, but since there is a possibility of dirt and clogging, in the present invention, two nozzles are installed and a branch pipe is provided between the nozzle and the solenoid valve 62, 63. .63.

Furthermore, conventionally, the train accumulated in the first chamber 70 and the second chamber 71 must be drained after removing the entire vacuum tank 90 outside the device and removing the flow path piping, otherwise it would be difficult to drain, and maintenance would be very time consuming. Therefore, in the present invention, a train nipple 91 and a stopper 92 are provided on the front side of the first chamber 70, and are connected through a tube 76 during normal operation of the apparatus to prevent vacuum leakage. A nipple is provided at the upper part of the second chamber 71 so that it is connected to the third chamber 72 through a tube 75. 1 room 70 and 2
In order to divide the room into chambers 71, a partition plate whose lower part is cut is provided. A partition plate is provided to completely partition the second chamber 71 and the third chamber 72. A nipple for connection to the second chamber 71 and a sensor 74 connected to the vacuum detection 67 are attached to the third chamber 72. The sensor 74 is located at a height from the second chamber 71 that will not cause any temporary problems even if the liquid gets mixed in and accumulates due to a failure in the flow path. Further, the third chamber 72 is provided with a nipple connected to the vacuum pump 66.

It is configured as described above.

Next, a system for a vacuum channel cleaning method according to the present invention will be explained.

Turn off the power to the vacuum pump 66 and open the second chamber 7 of the vacuum tank 90.
Tighten the connecting tubes 75 of chambers 1 and 3 72 with a strong pinch cock or the like as shown in the figure. Cleaning liquid is prevented from entering the vacuum detection 67 and vacuum pump 66.

The tube 7G is removed from the stopper 92 on the front of the vacuum tank 90, and the flow path of the vacuum system is opened to the atmosphere.

Next, an external water supply pump (not shown) is connected to the tube 76, and water is supplied with the solenoid valves 55-57 and 60-63 of the vacuum passage system open. As a result, the first chamber 70, the second chamber 72 in the vacuum tank 90, the connecting tube of the vacuum flow path system, the solenoid valves 55-57, the sample vacuum bottle 58. Cleaning water vacuum pin 592 branch pipes 50-52. Suction nozzle 54
The sample drain tube 64. is washed by the flow of washing water.
Wash water train pipe 65. The water is discharged from the suction nozzle 54.

If the reaction vessel 53 is removed from the reaction disk in advance, cleaning water will be discharged into the reaction vessel and will be discharged from a portion of the reaction vessel overflow.

According to the present invention, it is possible to clean the vacuum system, which was previously impossible, and the reliability of the device can be significantly improved.In addition, the cleaning mechanism is suitable for large automatic analyzers that process multiple items and multiple samples. becomes.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As is clear from the above explanation, according to the present invention, by incorporating a function to clean the vacuum system of the cleaning mechanism, clogging and dirt in the solenoid valve and flow path, which had many problems in the past, are eliminated, and large-scale automatic analysis The reliability of the device is significantly improved. In addition, conventionally, when the solenoid valve or flow path became dirty, each part had to be replaced, but this is no longer necessary, and the running cost of the device can be significantly reduced, as well as the downtime of the device.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a vacuum system flow path of a cleaning mechanism showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an overall configuration diagram of a conventional device, and FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a vacuum system flow path of a cleaning mechanism of the prior art. FIG. 2... Reaction disk, 6... Sampling mechanism, 14
...Cleaning mechanism, 26...Rack, 30...Reagent container, 31...Reaction container, 50-52...Branch pipe, 5
4... Suction nozzle, 55-57. 60-63... Solenoid valve, 58... Sample vacuum bottle, 59... Washing water vacuum bottle, 64... Sample drain pipe, 65...
...Washing water train pipe, 66...Vacuum pump, 6
7...Vacuum detection, 69...Vacuum tank, 74...Sensor, 75...Tube, 76...Tube, 8o
...Water supply nozzle, 9o...Vacuum tank, 91...
Nipple, 92...plug.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A sample sampling mechanism that dispenses the sample into a reaction container where the sample and reagent are chemically reacted, a reagent injection mechanism that injects the reagent, an absorptiometer that measures the absorbance of the reaction solution in the reaction container, A reaction disk is held in the reaction disk, a rotation drive mechanism rotates the reaction disk, a constant temperature water bath is used to mix the sample and reagent in the reaction container and keep it at a constant temperature for chemical reaction, and the chemical reaction is completed within a certain period of time and the absorbance is measured. Cleaning of the reaction container that is used repeatedly in a biochemical automatic analyzer that consists of a cleaning mechanism that discharges the sample in the reaction container where it has been measured outside the device and cleans the inside of the reaction container, and an accompanying flow path. In this system, a manual branch is provided in the vacuum buffer tank of the flow path system that uses vacuum to aspirate samples, and external cleaning water is flowed from the branch pipe in the opposite direction of the vacuum suction flow path during maintenance. A cleaning mechanism for an automatic biochemical analyzer characterized by: