JPH04190161A - Biochemical analyser - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To carry out efficient preheating at the starting time of an apparatus by setting the driving time of a heating means corresponding to the output of a temp. monitor means and that of a cooling fan to the optimum value. CONSTITUTION:A control part 8 detects the output of a temp. monitor means 6 on the basis of a use starting signal and determines the necessary driving time to the output value (circumferential temp.) of the monitor means 6 on reference to memory data to send the determined data to a drive apparatus 7. The drive part 7 drives a pump 2, an external heating means 3 and a cooling fan 4 corresponding to the necessary driving time. By this constitution, a biochemical analyzing part 5 is heated to predetermined temp., that is, 37 deg.C uniformly and rapidly and, at this point of time, temp. control keeping this temp. is carried out. Therefore, the biochemical analyzing part 5 is efficiently controlled in heating within the shortest time at a starting time corresponding to the circumferential temp. As a result, the efficient preheating at the starting time of the apparatus becomes possible.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Field of Industrial Application This invention relates to a biochemical analysis device. More specifically, the present invention relates to an improvement in control of starting analysis from device activation in a biochemical analyzer used for clinical chemistry analysis and the like.

(b) Conventional technology In the field of clinical analysis, in order to analyze large quantities of biochemical samples, biochemical analyzers that are configured to be able to continuously analyze various biochemical items have been widely used. There is.

Since many of these biochemical analyzers employ analysis methods using enzymatic methods, etc., it is possible to perform analysis operations at a constant steady temperature (for example, 25°C or 37°C). The device has the following structure, and a temperature control means is provided for this purpose. As the device structure becomes more complex, temperature control means are now used that combine not only a regular thermostatic chamber but also a cooling fan, heat generated by the dispensing/dilution pump itself, and the like.

In the above-mentioned biochemical analyzer, it is necessary to raise the temperature of the apparatus system, particularly the biochemical analysis section, to a predetermined steady state temperature from the time the apparatus is activated until the start of actual liver division.

Regarding this point, in conventional biochemical analyzers, the above-mentioned cooling fan and heating means are started by inputting the device start switch, that is, inputting a start-of-use signal, and uniformly heats the biochemical analysis section to the above-mentioned steady temperature. The driving time of the cooling fan and heating means is set empirically and constant by a timer.

(c) Problems to be solved by the invention However, in the above conventional biochemical analyzer,
Heating at startup is simply controlled by a timer, so if you start it in the winter, especially in the morning when the temperature has dropped, the timer setting time described above will not be sufficient, and as a result, the predetermined steady temperature will not be obtained at the start of analysis. This may cause errors in the analysis results.

Regarding this point, it may be possible to increase the timer setting time by assuming such a low-temperature environment, but in many cases, this would be a waste of time and energy, and would not be efficient.

The present invention has been made under such circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a biochemical analyzer that can perform preheating efficiently and accurately at the time of starting the apparatus.

(d) Means for Solving the Problems Thus, according to the present invention, (a) a heating means and a cooling fan are provided, and the chemical fraction analysis of a biochemical sample can be continuously performed under a predetermined steady temperature; 2 Biochemical Analysis Department and (
b) temperature monitoring means capable of detecting the ambient temperature of the biochemical analysis section; and (c) driving the heating means and/or cooling fan upon input of a start-of-use signal to maintain the temperature of the biochemical analysis section at the predetermined temperature. (d) By inputting a start-of-use signal, the output of the temperature monitoring means at that time is monitored, and based on this output value, the biochemical analysis section can raise and maintain the steady temperature. A biochemical analyzer is provided, comprising a control section that determines the shortest driving time of the heating means and/or the cooling fan necessary to raise the temperature, and controls the driving section.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides temperature monitoring means capable of detecting the ambient temperature of the biochemical analysis section, and compares the output of the temperature monitoring means with the preset ambient temperature of the biochemical analysis section. Heating means corresponding to each temperature and/or
Alternatively, the preheating at the time of starting the device (when the start-of-use signal is input) is optimized and performed every time the device is started based on the relationship with the shortest driving time of the cooling fan.

As the heating means in this invention, a normal external air conditioner for heating or a constant temperature bath can be used as is, but a dispensing/dilution pump itself can also be used. That is, by operating the partial pressure/dilution pump separately from the partial Fr operation, the heat generated by itself can be used for heating. Normally, it is suitable to include such a dispensing/dilution pump and an external air conditioner, and to use one or both of these for heating. On the other hand, the cooling fan is not only used for cooling purposes, but is also used as necessary to uniformly heat the biochemical analysis group.

(e) In the action control section, the driving time of the heating means and/or cooling fan corresponding to the output of the temperature monitoring means is determined to be the optimum value, and the driving section is controlled accordingly, so biochemical analysis at startup is performed. This will prevent the adverse effects of high or low temperatures around the area.

EXAMPLES Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited thereby.

1 shown in FIG. 1 is a configuration explanatory diagram showing an automatic biochemical analyzer according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the biochemical automatic analyzer 1 has a sampling table and a reaction cuvette, and a biochemical analysis section 5 for multi-item analysis, which is configured in a hood that allows gas to flow, and has an optical analysis table using direct photometry. Be prepared for this biochemical component! ff [5] includes a pump 2. for dispensing and dilution, which can also be used as a heating means for the system.
2 is installed internally. The biochemical analysis section 5 is equipped with a cooling fan 4 that can cool the inside of the system by introducing outside air, and an external heating means 3 consisting of an air conditioner. Temperature monitoring means consisting of a thermistor that detects the ambient temperature is attached. The temperature monitoring means 6 is controlled by a control section 8.
The pumps 2, 2, the cooling fan 4, and the external heating means 3 are each connected to the drive unit 7. Note that 9 is a biochemical analysis operation unit that automatically controls the entire analysis.

In this example, the biochemical analysis is 37"C:
Correspondingly, the control section 8 includes ambient temperature data of the biochemical analysis section 5 and heating means and/or cooling means for raising the temperature of the biochemical analysis section to about 37°C. A fan drive control program is set and stored for each ambient temperature.More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, a relational expression between ambient temperature and required drive time is stored as data.

In this configuration, when the device start switch is turned ON, a start-of-use signal is sent to the control section 8, and the control section 8 detects the output of the temperature monitoring means 6 and detects the need to respond to this output value (ambient temperature). The driving time is determined by referring to the i21!1 data, and this determined data is sent to the driving section 7.

This causes the drive unit 7 to control the pump 2 in response to the required drive time.
．． 2. Drive the external heating means 3 and cooling fan 4. As a result, the biochemical analysis section 5 uniformly and quickly reaches the predetermined temperature (
37° C.), and at this point temperature control is performed to maintain this temperature.

Therefore, heating control at startup can be performed efficiently and in the shortest time in accordance with the ambient temperature of the biochemical analysis section.

The driving unit 8 may be configured to drive all of the pumps 2, 2, external heating means 3, and cooling fan 4 in accordance with the required driving time, or may be configured to selectively drive these as appropriate depending on the ambient temperature. It may be configured such that it is possible to do so.

For example, the program may be configured to temporarily stop driving only the cooling fan when the ambient temperature at startup is 15° C. or lower, and to drive all the cooling fans when the ambient temperature exceeds 15° C. Alternatively, it may be configured such that only the external heating means 3 is driven when the temperature is below 15°C, and only the cooling fan 4 and the pumps 2 are driven when the temperature exceeds 15°C.

(g) Effects of the Invention According to the biochemical analyzer of the present invention, since heating is performed at startup in accordance with the ambient temperature, the usage efficiency of the heating means etc. is improved and energy saving can be achieved. In addition to this effect, it is possible to minimize the occurrence of errors in analysis values due to erroneous operations or erroneous judgments during startup.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration explanatory diagram showing an automatic biochemical analyzer according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a graph diagram similarly illustrating storage data of a control section. 1... Biochemical automatic analyzer, 2... Pump, 3... External heating means, 4... Cooling fan, 5... Biochemical analysis section, 6...Temperature monitoring means, 7...Drive section, 8...#Setting section, 9. Biochemical analysis control section. ;--12J kidney-;

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. (a) A biochemical analysis section equipped with heating means and a cooling fan and configured to continuously perform chemical analysis of a biochemical sample under a predetermined steady temperature; (b) the above-mentioned temperature monitoring means capable of detecting the ambient temperature of the biochemical analysis section; (c) driving the heating means and/or cooling fan upon input of a start-of-use signal to maintain the temperature of the biochemical analysis section at the predetermined steady temperature; (d) Upon input of a start-of-use signal, the output of the temperature monitoring means is monitored at that time, and the biochemical analysis section is raised to the steady temperature based on this output value. determining the shortest driving time of the heating means and/or cooling fan necessary for
A biochemical analyzer comprising a control section that controls the driving section.