JPH05307043A - Dispensing device with selectable service mode of partial sampling tip - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent carrying over and contamination by providing a device capable of working in two modes, the wash mode and disposable mode, according to the analyzing item. CONSTITUTION:A sample vessel 1 accommodating a sample is mounted on any of the sample racks 2a, 2b, 2c... and transported by a transporting means 3 to the sample suction position. The racks 2a, 2b, 2c are equipped with particular ID marks 4 to indicate the analyzing item, and a checking sensor 5 reads the mark 4, and the signal generated is taken in a CPU 6, and the service mode of a tip for partial sampling is selected. Through an operation controller 7 the disposable mode is selected for the analyzing items which require a high clear level, The washing mode is selected for those items which do not require high clear level, and the tip for partial sampling is washed each time used and is reused.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a dispensing device, and in particular, the mode of use of a dispensing tip suitable for use in an analyzing device for analyzing various body fluid components such as urine, serum and plasma is selected. It concerns a possible analyzer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Various types of analyzers have been proposed for analyzing various body fluid components such as urine, serum and plasma. The analysis method used for analysis of these components is not limited to biochemical methods, but includes immunological analysis methods utilizing antigen-antibody reaction, methods using DNA probes, electrophoresis methods, and the like.
There is a wide variety. In recent years, the problem of carryover has been emphasized along with the demand for highly sensitive analysis and expansion of the measurement range. In particular, carryover is a problem in a portion that directly contacts the body fluid component, such as a sample dispensing nozzle for the body fluid component. In order to respond to the need to prevent this carry-over, the dispensing device has been changed from a conventional washing method device that cleans and reuses the dispensing nozzle every time it is used. A disposable chip is attached to the tip, and the disposable type device is thrown away after each use.

[0003]

However, although the cleaning type dispensing device can relatively reduce the running cost, the carryover is not sufficiently prevented, and the disposable type device prevents the carryover. Has an absolute effect, but there is a problem that the running cost becomes expensive. Further, since the disposable type device throws away the dispensing tip every time it is used once, the amount of waste increases, which is not preferable from the viewpoint of environmental protection, which has been increasingly discussed in recent years.

As described above, it has been difficult with the conventional technique to realize non-carry-over and non-contamination and reduce the amount of waste and waste. In general, in order to prevent carry-over, the idea is shifting to disposable equipment to raise running costs and wastes. That is, in recent years, there has been a remarkable change in the measurement range, the improvement of the measurement sensitivity, and the like, and the contamination that is not a problem in the conventional cleaning type device has become a problem, and about 1 / 1,000,000 to 1/1 /
A clear level of about 5 million has come to be required. However, depending on the analysis item, 1/100
There are some cases where there is no problem with a clear level of about 0 to 1/10000, and in this way, among the analysis items performed by one analyzer, there are mixed analysis items having significantly different clear levels. Despite the extremely different levels of clearing contaminants, analyzers tend to focus on higher clearing levels and generally employ disposable methods. Even if some pollution is allowed,
The use of disposable type dispensing tips causes a great amount of waste and increases the amount of waste, which causes environmental pollution.

The present invention focuses on such problems,
A dispenser that can selectively use a cleaning method and a disposable method according to the analysis item is provided to prevent carryover and contamination, and to reduce waste as much as possible to contribute to environmental protection. Is.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the dispensing apparatus of the first invention of the present application uses a dispensing tip in which a sample contained in a sample container is disposed in a disposable manner. In a dispensing device that dispenses and discharges a sample into a reaction container to dispense a sample, the device includes a cleaning system for cleaning the dispensing tip, and the timing of discarding the dispensing tip Is configured so that it can be set arbitrarily, and the usage mode of the sorting tip can be selected from either a washing mode or a disposable mode.

As described above, in the dispensing apparatus of the first invention of the present application, the disposable type dispensing apparatus is provided with the cleaning system for the dispensing tip so that the disposal timing of the dispensing tip can be arbitrarily set. For analysis items that require a high clear level, select the disposable mode for analysis items that do not require a high clear level. Regarding the items, by selecting the washing mode and washing and reusing the preparative tip each time it is used, the tip is not unnecessarily disposable and the running cost of the analysis is reduced. , Can contribute to environmental protection.

The second invention of the present application is, in a dispensing apparatus capable of selecting a usage mode of a dispensing tip, in a case where the usage mode of the dispensing tip is set to a washing mode, according to an analysis item of the sample. It is characterized in that the number of times of use of the sorting tip is set.

As described above, when the cleaning mode is selected, the number of times of use of the chip is changed each time according to the analysis item information or the predetermined sequence to minimize the number of times of use of the disposable type preparative separation chip. By holding down, carryover and contamination can be efficiently prevented.

Furthermore, the third invention of the present application is, in a dispensing apparatus capable of selecting a usage mode of a dispensing tip, so that the cleaning system can selectively feed cleaning water or detergent liquid to the dispensing tip. It is characterized by being configured in.

As described above, since the cleaning water or the detergent liquid can be selectively fed to the preparative tip, the preparative tip needs to be washed depending on the analysis item if the detergent liquid is not used. According to the above, it is possible to carry out the washing with only the washing water, and to carry out the washing with the washing water and the detergent liquid only when necessary, which can further contribute to the prevention of environmental pollution.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a selection system for performing dispensing by a disposable system or a cleaning system of an embodiment of a dispensing apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a cleaning system for a dispensing tip in the dispensing device shown in FIG. 1. An ordinary disposable type dispensing device is provided with a washing system as shown in FIG. 2 so that disposable dispensing tips can be washed.

A sample container 1 containing a sample of blood, plasma, etc. is provided with sample racks 2a, 2b, 2c. ． ． It is mounted on and is transported to the sample suction position by the transporting means 3 such as a belt conveyor. Each rack 2a, 2b,
A special recognition mark 4 indicating an analysis item is attached to 2c, and the recognition mark 4 is read by a confirmation sensor 5 provided near the conveying means. The signal generated by the combination of the recognition mark 4 and the confirmation sensor 5 is taken into the CPU 6,
From this signal, the number of times the sorting chip is used is determined. The signal indicating the number of times the preparative chip is used is the operation controller 7
Then, the operation information according to the number of times of use is transmitted to each function of the dispensing device via the operation controller 7. For example, in the case where the sample mounted on the rack 2a has a low required clear level and the preparative chip can be used a plurality of times, operation information according to the number of times of use is sent from the operation controller 7 to each function. The sent tip is used for the number of times it is used, and then discarded. Further, when a very high clear level is required for the samples mounted on the rack 2b, the sensor 4 detects that and a preparative chip for these samples is sent via the CPU 6. The use mode of is set to the disposable mode, and the preparative tip is discarded after each use.

As another method for determining the number of times the preparative chip is used, is it possible to attach a serial number to each sample container 1 using an input means 8 such as a keyboard and use a cleaning method for the CPU 6 for each serial number. Alternatively, whether to use the disposable method may be input. At the time of operation, each function is controlled according to a command from the CPU 6 to select a usage mode of the sorting chip.

Further, the sample container 1 or the rack 2
a, 2b, 2c. ． ． Can be recognized using the ID number, and similar control can be performed.

The cleaning system shown in FIG. 2 operates as follows in response to a command from the operation controller 7 shown in the drawing.

To dispense a sample, the dispensing tip 20 is moved to a sample suction position (not shown) on the sample container 1, the tip of the dispensing tip 20 is dipped into the sample by a certain amount, and a syringe is used. 21 is driven to suck a predetermined amount of sample, and the sorting tip 20 is moved onto a reaction container (not shown) to discharge the sample. In the reaction container, the reagent dispensed in advance and the sample are mixed and the reaction state is entered.

From the operation controller 7 to the sorting chip 20
If a command is issued to use the dispenser in the disposable mode, each time the dispensing operation described above is performed once, the dispensing tip 2 is dispensed.
0 is moved to above the sorting tip disposal port 22, and the sorting tip 20 is discarded here by using the stopper 23. A new dispensing tip is attached to the tip base 20a, and the next dispensing operation is started.

From the operation controller 7 to the sorting chip 20
When a command to use in the cleaning mode is issued, the dispensing tip 20 is moved to the cleaning position after the above-described dispensing operation is completed, and after the cleaning, the dispensing operation is performed again. CPU
This operation is repeated the number of times set in 6 to use the preparative tip 20, and then the preparative tip is discarded from the disposal port 22.

The sorting tip 20 is washed as follows. From the ion exchange water tank 11 and the detergent tank 12,
Ion-exchanged water and detergent are supplied to the tip washing position by the pressure feed pumps 13 and 14, and the tip 20 is washed. Switching valves 15, 16, 17, and 18 are provided in the ion-exchanged water and detergent supply paths, respectively.
By switching these valves, the cleaning liquid is washed by the cleaning tank 1.
9 or the liquid is sent to the syringe 21. That is, by switching the switching valves 15 and 17, the cleaning liquid is sent to the cleaning tank 19 to clean the outside of the sorting tip 20. In addition, the switching valves 15, 16, 17, 18 are switched so that the syringe 2
After switching the flow path to 1 and sending the washing liquid to the syringe 21, the switching valves 16 and 18 are closed and the syringe 21 is operated, and the washing liquid is sent to the inside of the preparative chip 20 to wash it. The used drainage liquid is discharged to the outside of the device by a drainage pump (not shown).

If only the ion-exchanged water needs to be washed depending on the analysis item, the preparative tip 20 is cleaned by closing the detergent supply passage from the detergent tank 12 and washing with only the ion-exchanged water. ..

[0022]

As described above, in the dispensing device of the present invention, the dispensing tip is used in the disposable system, but since it is configured to be used in the cleaning system, it can be selected.
The number of dispensing tips used can be suppressed to a necessary minimum, the amount of waste that causes environmental pollution can be reduced, and the running cost of sample dispensing can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a cleaning system in the dispensing apparatus of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 sample container 2 rack 3 mark 4 recognition mark 5 confirmation sensor 6 CPU 7 operation controller 8 input keyboard 11 ion exchange water tank 12 cleaning solution tank 13, 14 pressure feed pump 15, 16, 17, 18 switching valve 19 cleaning container 20 dispensing tip 21 Syringe 22 Waste port 23 Stopper

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A sample stored in a sample container,
Use the sorting tip that is attached so that it can be discarded,
In a dispensing device for discharging a sample into a reaction container to dispense a sample, the device includes a cleaning system for cleaning the dispensing chip, and the timing for discarding the dispensing chip can be arbitrarily set. The dispensing device having the above-described configuration, wherein the usage mode of the dispensing tip can be selected from either a washing mode or a disposable mode. 2. The dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein the usage mode of the dispensing tip is selectable, when the usage mode of the dispensing tip is set to a washing mode, the analysis item of the sample is A dispensing device capable of selecting a usage mode of the dispensing tip, which is configured to set the number of times of use of the dispensing tip according to the above. 3. A dispensing device according to claim 2, wherein the mode of use of the dispensing tip is selectable, wherein washing water or detergent liquid is selectively sent to a cleaning means for washing the dispensing tip. A dispensing device capable of selecting a usage mode of the dispensing tip, characterized in that the dispensing tip is configured to be washed.