JPH06230015A - Automatic chemical analysis device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an automatic chemical analysis device of which the number of dispensation in one operation cycle can be optionally changed by the number of same cuvettes generating no fraction in dividing angles for receiving the cuvette, the occupied space of a washing mechanism can be restrained to the irreducible minimum, the general purpose adaptability is excellent, and the size is small and the price is cheap. CONSTITUTION:The number N of cuvettes held by a cuvette wheel 1 at equal intervals is set so that N/2 is an even number, and the cuvette wheel 1 is driven by a control means 3, in combined patterns containing therein different rotation angles in one operation cycle.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic chemical analyzer for automatically identifying and / or quantifying various components in blood.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a so-called single-line multi-test random access system having a small size and a high analysis efficiency has been widely used as an automatic chemical analysis device. In this type of random access type automatic chemical analysis device, while intermittently rotating a cuvette wheel that holds a plurality of reaction cuvettes in an endless manner, while the rotation of the cuvette wheel in one operation cycle is stopped, Dispensing samples, reaction reagents, reaction cuvettes,
Stirring, washing, etc. are performed, and during rotation, the absorbance of the solution in the reaction cuvette which crosses the stationary photometric luminous flux is measured. Here, in order to confirm the properties of the reagent or sample, photometry is performed with only the reagent or sample stored in the cuvette, or in order to know the reaction result after mixing the reagent and the sample, for example, the endpoint method. In the rate method, the measurement is performed once near the end of the reaction, and in the rate method, the measurement is performed multiple times in the course of the reaction. Further, in order to support high-speed processing, the rotation of the cuvette wheel in one operation cycle is not one rotation but about 1/2 rotation, 1/3 rotation.
Although it has been proposed to reduce the rotation and the like, the rotation angle of the cuvette wheel in one operation cycle is always constant in any automatic chemical analyzer.

On the other hand, as an automatic chemical analyzer of random access type, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 4-36659, the number of cuvettes stored in a cuvette wheel is appropriate in relation to the rotation angle of the cuvette wheel in one operation cycle. It has been proposed that the space occupied by the cleaning mechanism be kept to a necessary minimum and the size of the apparatus be reduced by setting the above.

[0004]

However, in the automatic chemical analyzer proposed in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-36659, the number N of cuvettes accommodated in the cuvette wheel is N = mn ± n. There is. Here, m is the number of cuvettes fed in one operation cycle, 1 /
n represents the approximate number of rotations in one operation cycle, and n represents the number of samples or reagents dispensed at the time of stop.

Therefore, when performing a plurality of analysis items, if the number of samples or reagents to be dispensed in one operation cycle is different, the number of reaction cuvettes will be different, and there will be a problem that the same apparatus cannot support. Further, there is a problem in that the cuvette wheel has a fractional cuvette storage indexing angle, which makes it difficult to process the wheel. For example,
As shown in FIG. 2, when the number of feeding cuvettes in one operation cycle is 8, the approximate number of rotations is ⅓, and the number of dispensing in one operation cycle is 1, the number of reaction cuvettes is 23 (or 25). ), And the indexing angle is 15.651 ・
.. Degrees (for 23 pieces) In the case of FIG. 2, the dispensing order to the cuvette is 1-16-8-23-15-
7-22 ... Further, as shown in FIG. 3, when the number of cuvettes fed in one operation cycle is 8, the approximate number of rotations is ⅓, and the number of dispenses in one operation cycle is 2, the number of reaction cuvettes is 22 ( Or 26), and the indexing angle is 16.363 ... Degree (in the case of 22 pieces). In addition, in the case of FIG. 3, the dispensing order to the cuvette is (1,2)-(15,16)-(7,8)-(2
1,22)-(13,14) ...

As described above, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-3665 mentioned above.
In the automatic chemical analyzer proposed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 9, the number of reaction cuvettes varies depending on the number of samples or reagents dispensed, and in any case, the indexing angle with respect to the cuvette wheel has a fraction. Become. Therefore, there is a problem that the versatility is lacking, and there is a problem that manufacturing is difficult.

The present invention has been made by paying attention to such a conventional problem, and the number of dispenses within one operation cycle can be arbitrarily set with the same number of cuvettes without any fraction in the indexing angle of the cuvette storage. It can be changed, and as in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-36659, the space occupied by the cleaning mechanism can be suppressed to a necessary minimum, therefore, it is excellent in versatility, and is appropriately configured to be small and inexpensive. It is an object of the present invention to provide an automated chemical analysis device.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a cuvette wheel for holding a plurality of reaction cuvettes in an endless manner is intermittently rotated while the rotation of the cuvette wheel is stopped. , Automatic chemistry that dispenses samples and reagents to the reaction cuvette, and during rotation, measures the solution in the reaction cuvette that crosses the stationary photometric luminous flux and automatically analyzes various components in the sample. In the analyzer, N cuvettes having an even number of N / 2 held by the cuvette wheel and control means for driving the cuvette wheel in a combination pattern including those having different rotation angles within one operation cycle are provided. Get

[0009]

In the above structure, if the number N of cuvettes held on the cuvette wheel is an even number N / 2, the indexing angle of the cuvette is divisible. Further, when the cuvette wheel is driven in a combination pattern including those having different rotation angles within one operation cycle, 1
Even if the number of dispenses in the operation cycle is different, it is possible to cope with the change without changing the number of cuvettes held on the cuvette wheel, and the space occupied by the cleaning mechanism can be minimized.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows the structure of the essential part of an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the number of cuvettes 2 held on the cuvette wheel 1 is 24, and the number of dispenses in one operation cycle of the cuvette wheel 1 is 1.
The cuvette wheel 1 is analyzed by the drive control device 3 while intermittently rotating in the direction of the arrow in a combination pattern including those having different rotation angles within one operation cycle. In FIG. 1, the numbers (1 to 24) displayed in each cuvette 2 indicate the cuvette number.

In the stopped state of the cuvette wheel 1, a sample is dispensed from the sample container 5 set in the sampler 4 by the sample dispenser 6 to the light-transmitting cuvette 2 in the position S1, and the sample is placed in the position S2. The cuvette 2 is stirred by the stirring mechanism 7 to stir the solution contained therein, and the two cuvettes 2 at the sequential positions S3 and S4 are cleaned by the cleaning mechanism 8 and then at the position S5. In the cuvette 2, a reagent corresponding to an analysis item is dispensed by a reagent dispenser 11 from a plurality of reagent containers 10 set in a reagent storage 9.

Further, between the position S2 and the position S3, the light source 12 and the light receiving element 13 are provided so that the cuvette 2 crosses the optical path while the cuvette wheel 1 is rotated, and the cuvette is provided by these light source 12 and the light receiving element 13. Each solution in 2 is photometrically measured one or more times to analyze the desired item.

In this structure, the drive controller 3 drives the cuvette wheel 1 so that one operation cycle is A; 1
/ 3 turn (8 cuvettes) and B; 1/3 turn +1
When a combination pattern of A-A-B including different rotation angles of the cuvette (9 cuvettes) is repeatedly rotated intermittently in the arrow direction, the reagent dispensing order to the cuvette 2 is shown in FIG. From the state by cuvette number 1-
17-9-24-14-16-8-23 ..., and the cuvette 2 shifts in the right rotation direction by one cuvette in three operation cycles, and the analysis operation proceeds. As a result,
The cuvette with the number 1 that started to move in the clockwise direction from the position S5 has the cuvette numbers 2, 3 and 4, at the stop times of the 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19 and 22nd times, respectively.
Stop at 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 and so on for subsequent cuvettes (17-9-24-16-8-23 ...).
Stop in sequence.

Further, one operating cycle includes different rotation angles of B; 1/3 rotation + 1 cuvette (9 cuvettes) and C; 1/3 rotation-1 cuvette (7 cuvettes), B-B-C. When the combination pattern is repeatedly rotated in the arrow direction, the reagent dispensing order to the cuvette 2 is 1-16-7-24-24-15-6-23 from the state shown in FIG. 1 by the cuvette number. ... becomes
In three operation cycles, the cuvette 2 shifts in the clockwise direction by one cuvette and the analysis operation proceeds. As a result, each cuvette is stopped in the same order as the combination pattern A-A-B. Therefore, these A-
According to the combination pattern of A-B and B-B-C, it is possible to concentrate the cuvettes at different time points in every three operation cycles within the range corresponding to one-third of the cuvette wheel. Each processing can be performed within this range.

In the above embodiment, the number of dispensed samples and reagents in one operation cycle was set to 1, respectively.
In the configuration shown in FIG. 2, when the number of samples and the number of reagents to be dispensed are two, for example, in the state shown in FIG. 1, the sample dispensing position is the cuvette numbers 3 and 4 and the reagent dispensing position is the cuvette number 1, When set to position 2, one operating cycle includes different rotation angles of A; 1/3 turn (8 cuvettes) and D; 1/3 turn + 2 cuvettes (10 cuvettes), A-A -Analysis is performed by repeating the combination pattern of D.

In this way, the reagent dispensing order to the cuvette 2 is (1, 2)-(17, 18)-(9, 10)-(23, cuvette number from the state shown in FIG.
24)-(15,16)-(7,8)-(21,22)
.., and the cuvette 2 shifts in the right rotation direction by 2 cuvettes each in three operation cycles, and the analysis operation proceeds.

As is clear from the above, the number of cuvettes can be the same 24 even if the number of dispenses in one operation cycle is different, and the indexing angle of the cuvette 2 is divisible by 15 °. It has excellent versatility and can be inexpensive. In addition, since the cleaning mechanism can also be integrated in the stop position of the cuvette 2 in sequence, the space occupied by the cleaning mechanism can be suppressed to a necessary minimum, and therefore the entire apparatus can be downsized.

In the above description of the embodiment, the combination pattern of operation cycles when the number of dispensing is 1 is A
-A-B or B-B-C, but A-B-A, B-
The above-described effects can be obtained also by the change such as A-A or B-D-B. Similarly, the combination pattern when the number of dispensing is 2 is A-D-A or D-A-
It can be A. Further, the rotation of the cuvette wheel can be controlled by various combination patterns other than the above.

For example, as described above, the number of cuvettes is 24
By setting the combination pattern so that the cuvette movement amount in one cycle of the combination pattern is 25 cuvettes when the number of dispensing is 1, the cuvette is shifted by one cuvette in one cycle of the combination pattern. Meanwhile, the analysis operation can proceed. Similarly, when the number of cuvettes is 24 and the number of dispensing is 2, the combination pattern is set so that the movement amount of the cuvettes in one cycle of the combination pattern is 26 cuvettes. Thus, the analysis operation can be advanced while shifting by two cuvettes. Thus, in the combination pattern, one operation cycle is 1/3 rotation or 1 / rotation.
Not limited to the combination of 3 rotations ± n cuvettes, one operation cycle may be 1/4 rotations, a combination of 1/4 rotations ± n cuvettes, or a combination pattern including various different rotation angles.

For example, as a modification when the number of dispensing is 2,
1 operation cycle is E; 1/4 rotation (6 cuvettes)
And B; E-E-E-B (or B-E-E-, including different rotation angles of 1/3 rotation (8 cuvettes).
E, E-B-E-E, or E-E-B-E) combination pattern is repeated to analyze the cuvette numbers 1, 7, 3, 5, and 6, respectively.
5, S1, S2, S3, and S4 are arranged, and an optical path for photometry is provided between cuvette numbers 4 and 5, thereby providing an analyzer which occupies a minimum space and has a high processing capacity. You can

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but various modifications and changes can be made. For example, the dispensing order can be performed in the order of sample and reagent. When the rotation direction is set counterclockwise and the analysis is performed by repeating the combination pattern,
By using an apparatus in which the above configuration is symmetrically arranged with the reagent dispensing position (S5) as the center, the same operational effects as described above can be obtained. Further, in the above-mentioned example, the cuvette is displaced in the rotation direction of the cuvette wheel,
For example, the rotation direction is counterclockwise and A-C-C
By repeating the analysis of the combination pattern (or any one of C-C-A and C-A-C), the direction of rotation is opposite to that of the rotation direction, that is, it is shifted clockwise by one cuvette. With the same configuration, similar operational effects can be obtained. Even if the number of cuvettes held at equal intervals on the cuvette wheel is appropriately changed to 30, 32, 36, 45, the same configuration can be achieved based on the above technical idea. . Also, if necessary,
It is also possible to arrange the same number of cuvettes on the cuvette wheel in a concentric manner in duplicate or more to increase the number of treatments to more than twice. Further, when sufficient stirring action is obtained by the ejection force of the dispenser or when the composition is such that sufficient mixing is achieved during transportation, the stirring mechanism 7 is omitted and more photometric data is obtained. You can also choose to do so.
In particular, when the stirring mechanism 7 is omitted, the light source 12, the light receiving element 13, and the cleaning mechanism 8 are all brought closer to the position S1 by two cuvettes, whereby the size can be further reduced.

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention, the number N of cuvettes held in the cuvette wheel is set to N / 2 even, so that the indexing angle of the cuvette is divisible and the workability of the cuvette wheel is greatly improved. Can be improved. Further, since the cuvette wheel is driven in the combination pattern including the ones having different rotation angles in one operation cycle, even if the dispensing number in one operation cycle is different, the cuvette wheel having the same number of cuvettes is used. Therefore, the space occupied by the cleaning mechanism can be minimized. Therefore, it is possible to obtain an automatic chemical analyzer which is excellent in versatility, small in size, and inexpensive.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a conventional technique.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for similarly explaining a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 cuvette wheel 2 cuvette 3 drive control device 4 sampler 5 sample container 6 sample dispenser 7 stirring mechanism 8 washing mechanism 9 reagent storage 10 reagent container 11 reagent dispenser 12 light source 13 light receiving element

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A sample and a reagent are dispensed to a reaction cuvette while the cuvette wheel that holds a plurality of reaction cuvettes in an endless manner at equal intervals is intermittently rotated and the rotation of the cuvette wheel is stopped. In an automatic chemical analyzer that performs a photometric measurement of a solution in a reaction cuvette that crosses a stationary photometric luminous flux during rotation and automatically analyzes various components in a sample, the N / C held on the cuvette wheel is used. 2. An automatic chemical analyzer comprising: N cuvettes, 2 being an even number; and control means for driving the cuvette wheel in a combination pattern including those having different rotation angles within one operation cycle.