JPH067054U - Bubble detector in automatic analyzer - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] Automatically detect whether or not air bubbles are attached to the inner wall surface of the reaction vessel set in the automatic analyzer. A bubble detecting device in an automatic analyzer is provided with a light source and a light receiving element that are provided in opposition to a transfer path of a reaction container, and a controller that detects the presence or absence of bubbles based on an optical signal input to the light receiving element. A plurality of the light sources and the light receiving elements are arranged in pairs along the longitudinal direction of the transfer path.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a bubble detecting device in an automatic analyzer that detects bubbles adhering to the inside of a reaction container.

[0002]

[Prior art and its problems]

 As is well known, in an automatic analyzer for biochemical or immunological analysis, a reagent corresponding to a measurement item is dispensed into a reaction container containing a serum sample to cause a color reaction. After that, the light of a predetermined wavelength is transmitted, and a quantitative analysis of the target substance contained in the blood is performed by its absorbance.

However, many of the above-mentioned automatic analyzers are of a type in which a once-used reaction vessel is washed and then reused, and if the washing is insufficient or the reaction vessel is used for a long time, the inner wall surface may be changed. When a serum sample or reagent is dispensed into a dirty reaction container, air bubbles often adhere to the inner wall surface of the reaction container.

By the way, in this kind of automatic analyzer, as described above, since the quantitative analysis of the target substance is generally performed by colorimetric measurement at a predetermined wavelength, bubbles adhere to the inner wall surface of the reaction vessel. In this case, there is a problem in that the measurement light is scattered by the bubbles, and accurate analysis cannot be performed.

The present invention was devised in view of such a current situation, and its purpose is to automatically determine whether bubbles are attached to the inner wall surface of a reaction container set in an automatic analyzer. The present invention intends to provide a bubble detection device in an automatic analysis device that can easily perform accuracy control on measurement data by performing automatic detection.

[0006]

[Configuration for solving the problem]

 In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, in the present invention, an air bubble detection device in an automatic analyzer is provided with a light source and a light receiving element which are installed in opposition to a transfer path of a reaction container, and an optical signal input to the light receiving element. A control device for detecting the presence or absence of bubbles based on the above, and a plurality of the light sources and the light receiving elements are arranged in pairs along the longitudinal direction of the transfer path.

[0007]

【Example】

 Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to an embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, the air bubble detection device of the automatic analyzer according to this embodiment is provided with a plurality of light sources 2 and light receiving elements 3 which are provided in opposition to the transfer path of the reaction vessel 1, and each of these light receiving elements. The control unit MPU includes a microprocessor or the like that detects the presence or absence of the bubble B based on the optical signal input to the child 3.

The transfer path of the reaction container 1 is formed by holding a plurality of reaction containers in a loop on a reaction container table (not shown) of an automatic analyzer for biochemical analysis or immunological analysis. By rotating the reaction container table stepwise, each reaction container is sequentially moved from the sampling position along the transfer path to the reagent dispensing position, bubble detection position, optical measurement position, and cleaning position. It is configured to be transferred intermittently.

Bubble detection light from the light source 2 is guided to the bubble detection position through a plurality of optical fiber cables 4, and each end portion 4 a of the optical fiber cable 4 is connected to the bubble detection position as shown in FIG. They are arranged vertically at the bubble detection position.

A plurality of photo-arrays, etc., which receive the light emitted from each end 4 a of the optical fiber cable 4 and transmitted through the liquid 5 such as a serum sample contained in the reaction container 1 The individual light receiving elements 3 are vertically arranged at positions facing the respective end portions 4a of the optical fiber cable 4 with the reaction container transfer path interposed therebetween.

The light receiving element 3 A / D-converts the received light amount of the bubble detection light, and the control unit MPU performs arithmetic processing on the received light data based on the A / D-converted optical data to determine whether or not the bubble B exists. Make a decision.

When the bubble B adheres to the inside of the reaction container 1, the bubble detection light is scattered by the bubble B, and therefore, as shown in FIG. Since the light quantity conversion voltage of the bubble detection light passing through the portion where the bubble exists is lower than the replacement voltage (the voltage value detected by the light receiving element number 6 in the illustrated embodiment), the control unit MPU is It is configured to detect the presence or absence of the bubble B by detecting the difference in the light quantity conversion voltage level.

In this case, the reaction container 1 is transferred while being step-rotated through the reaction container transfer path, while the optical measurement position is fixed, so that the reaction container 1 passing through the optical measurement position is entirely covered. Since the bubble detection is performed over a short time, the bubble B attached to the inner wall surface of the reaction container 1 can be reliably detected.

When the presence of the air bubble B is confirmed in this way, the measurement data by the air bubble B is compared with the measurement data for the serum sample contained in the reaction container 1 in which the presence of the air bubble B is confirmed. Add the possibility of error to the inspection request form or data table, and add the instruction for the re-inspection request.

Further, in order to prevent retesting positively, air bubbles are removed by applying vibration to the reaction container table at a midway part of the reaction container transfer path of the automatic analyzer, for example, at a stirring position after reagent addition. A device may be provided, and when the presence of the bubble B is confirmed, the reaction container table may be vibrated to remove the bubble B. In addition, since various known vibration mechanisms such as a mechanism for vibrating the reaction container table with a hammer mechanism or a mechanism for vibrating the reaction container table itself can be appropriately applied to this bubble removing device, its detailed description will be omitted. The description is omitted here.

[0017]

As described above, according to the bubble detecting device of the automatic analyzer of the present invention, it is possible to automatically determine whether or not bubbles are attached to the inner wall surface of the reaction container set in the automatic analyzer. If air bubbles are attached to the inner wall surface of the reaction vessel as a result, the measurement data for the serum sample contained in the vessel with the air bubbles attached is automatically detected. It is possible to improve the reliability of the measurement data by specifying a re-inspection or by taking measures such as operating the bubble removing device to remove bubbles as described in the above-mentioned embodiment. It has an excellent effect that quality control can be easily performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a main part of a bubble detection device in an automatic analyzer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a graph showing the difference between the voltage level of bubble detection light passing through a portion with bubbles and the voltage level of bubble detection light passing through a portion without bubbles.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Reaction container 2 Light source 3 Light receiving element 5 Liquid B Bubble MPU control device

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A light source and a light receiving element, which are provided opposite to the transfer path of the reaction vessel, and a control device for detecting the presence or absence of bubbles based on an optical signal input to the light receiving element. A plurality of the light sources and the light receiving elements are provided in pairs along the longitudinal direction of the transfer path, and a bubble detecting device in an automatic analyzer.