JPH07280816A - Automatic analyzer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an automatic analyzer constituted appropriately such that an analysis can be made at low cost without requiring any troublesome manual replacement of reaction container. CONSTITUTION:The automatic analyzer comprises a cleaning unit 3, a memory for storing the reference value of contamination of a cuvet, a colorimeter 26 for photometrically measuring the contamination of a cleaned cuvet 2, and a unit 27 for feeding a detergent solution to the cuvet 2. The colorimeter 26 compares the measured contamination with the reference level and when the reference level is exceeded, the detergent solution is fed from the unit 27 to the cuvet 2 and dispensation of sample and reagent to the cuvet 2 is interrupted. When the cuvet 2 is carried again to the position of the colorimeter 26, contamination of the cuvet 2 is measured again by means of the colorimeter 26.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic analyzer for carrying out an analysis while carrying a plurality of reaction vessels along an endless carrying line.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as such an automatic analyzer,
For example, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 56-154664, a disposable type in which the reaction container is replaced with a new one for each analysis of one item, and a reaction container is washed and repeated every analysis. There is a reuse method used.

[0003]

However, the former disposable method has a problem that the analysis cost increases because the reaction container is discarded for each analysis of one item. Also, in the latter reuse method, the reaction vessel becomes dirty due to repeated reuse, so it is necessary to perform separate cleaning and replacement on a regular basis, and depending on the analysis item or its combination, it may be new due to contamination. The use of a reaction vessel is required. As described above, when the reaction container is replaced, the automatic analyzer of this type does not have the automatic disposal means and the automatic supply means of the reaction container as in the former disposable method, and therefore the replacement and mounting thereof are performed manually. Therefore, there is a problem that the work is extremely troublesome.

The present invention has been made by paying attention to such a conventional problem, and is appropriately configured so that the analysis cost can be reduced without the need for manual replacement of the reaction vessel. An object is to provide an automatic analyzer.

[0005]

According to the invention of claim 1, a carrying line for holding and carrying a plurality of reaction vessels, a sample dispensing means, a reagent dispensing means, a reaction solution photometric means, and a reaction vessel. In the automatic analyzer having the cleaning means, a means for storing the reference value of the contamination of the reaction vessel, a reaction vessel photometric means for photometrically measuring the contamination of the reaction vessel after cleaning, and a detergent solution for supplying the detergent solution to the reaction vessel. And a supply means.

[0006]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the dirt of the reaction container measured by the reaction container photometric means is compared with a reference value. If the dirt is equal to or more than the reference value, the detergent solution supply means applies the detergent solution to the reaction container. While being supplied, the sample and the reagent are not dispensed into the reaction container, and the reaction container is conveyed to the position of the reaction container photometric means, and then the contamination of the reaction container is measured again by the reaction container photometric means.

[0007]

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention. The cuvette wheel 1 has a plurality of cuvette holding portions formed on the same circumference at equal intervals and rotates intermittently in the direction of the arrow. A cuvette 2 is detachably attached to each cuvette holder, and the cuvette 2 is conveyed along an endless conveying line by the rotation of the cuvette wheel 1. Each cuvette 2 mounted on the cuvette foil 1 is dispensed with a sample and a reagent at a predetermined position along the transfer line by the rotation of the cuvette foil 1.
The reaction solution is metered.

In this embodiment, a cleaning device 3, a cuvette discarding device 4 and a cuvette supplying device 5 are sequentially provided along the conveying line of the cuvette 2 which has passed through the photometric position of the reaction liquid, and the reaction liquid after the analysis is accommodated. After cleaning the cuvette 2 with the cleaning device 3, the cuvette discarding device 4 selectively discards the cuvette from the transport line according to the cuvette replacement condition, and the cuvette supplying device is provided in the cuvette holding portion of the cuvette foil 1 in which the cuvette 2 is discarded. 5, a new cuvette 2 is supplied.

FIG. 2 shows a detailed structure of the cleaning device 3 shown in FIG. In the sequential stop positions S _{1 to} S ₅ in the transport direction of the cuvette 2 for which analysis has been completed, the drainage nozzle 6 is provided at the stop position S ₁ and the stop position S _{2 is provided.}
The drainage nozzle 7, the liquid supply nozzle 8 and the overflow nozzle 9 at the stop position S _3, and similarly the drainage nozzle 10,
The liquid supply nozzle 11 and the overflow nozzle 12 are arranged, the liquid supply nozzle 13 and the overflow nozzle 14 are arranged at the stop position S ₄ , and the liquid discharge nozzle 15 is arranged at the stop position S ₅ , and these nozzles 6 to 15 are indicated by double-headed arrows. It is held in a holder 16 that can be raised and lowered in the direction and is raised and lowered integrally. The drainage nozzles 6, 7, 10, 15 and the overflow nozzles 9, 12, 14 are connected to a vacuum pump 18 via a drainage bottle 17, and the liquid supply nozzles 8, 11, 13 are provided with liquid feed pumps 19, 20, respectively. Cleaning solution tank 2 via 21
Connect to 2.

In this embodiment, each cuvette after analysis was
First, stop position S₁Drain nozzle at
The reaction solution is discharged by 6, and then the sequential stop positions S₂And
And S ₃Cleaning with liquid supply nozzles 8 and 11 respectively
Supply the liquid and drain it to the drain nozzles 7, 10 and over
Discharge with flow nozzles 9 and 12, then stop position S_FourTo
Liquid supply nozzle 13 and overflow nozzle 14
After filling the cleaning solution into the cuvette 2 by the action of
Stop the cleaning solution at position S_FiveAt the drainage nozzle 15
It is suctioned and discharged, and each cuvette 2 is sequentially washed.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control system of the embodiment shown in FIG. In this embodiment, an input key 23 for setting the replacement condition of the cuvette is provided, whereby the replacement condition is input and stored in the memory 25 via the control device 24. As the cuvette replacement condition, the number of times of analysis for one cuvette, that is, the number of times of repeated use and the analysis item are input. The number of times of repeated use can be arbitrarily set from 1 to ∞, and the analysis items need to be exchanged ZTT (Kunkel), TTT (thymol) or analysis items by agglutination reaction using a carrier on which an antigen or antibody is solid-phased, Or TP
(Total protein) and Cu (copper), Alb (albumin) and TP, Alb
And Fe (iron), IgG (immunoglobulin G) and Fe, IgG and T
P, IgA (immunoglobulin A) and Fe, IgA and TP, IgM
Enter as a combination of (immunoglobulin M) and Fe, and IgM and TP.

In this embodiment, for each cuvette 2 mounted on the cuvette wheel 1 in FIG. 1, when the number of times of repeated use reaches the number of times of repeated use set by the input key 23, the number of times of repeated use is reached again. Even if the analysis item or the combination thereof is the item input by the input key 23, the cuvette discarding device 4 is operated by the washing device 24 after the washing by the washing device 3, and the cuvette 2 is conveyed at the predetermined cuvette discarding position. At the same time, the control device 24 operates the cuvette supply device 5 to supply a new cuvette 2 to the cuvette holding portion of the cuvette foil 1 in which the cuvette is discarded at a predetermined cuvette supply position.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the dirt of the cuvette is also set as a condition for exchanging the cuvette. Therefore, in the cleaning device 3 shown in FIG. 2, the absorption position of the cleaning liquid by the drainage nozzle 15 is shifted to the downstream side, and photometry is performed between this absorption position and the injection position of the cleaning liquid by the liquid supply nozzle 13 and the overflow nozzle 14. A position is provided and the cuvette 2 filled with the cleaning liquid is colorimetrically measured by the colorimeter 26 at this photometric position.

The output of the colorimeter 26 is as shown in FIG.
It is supplied to the control device 24. Further, the replacement condition due to dirt compared with the output of the colorimeter 26 is stored in advance in the memory 25 via the controller 24 with the input key 23. In this way, in this embodiment, when the cuvette has reached a predetermined level of contamination before the set number of times of use is reached, the cuvette discarding device 4 discards the cuvette from the transport line, and the cuvette holding section Then, a new cuvette is supplied by the cuvette supply device 5. When the set number of uses is reached, or when the set item or the combination item is analyzed, the cuvette is replaced even if the cuvette is not contaminated by the colorimeter 26 to a predetermined level.

FIG. 6 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is structurally different from the second embodiment in that a detergent solution supply device 27 is provided between the cleaning device 3 and the cuvette discarding device 4. In this example,
When the colorimeter 26 detects stains of a predetermined level or higher, the discharge nozzle 15 for the cleaning liquid 3 in the cuvette
After being absorbed and discharged by (see FIG. 2), as shown in FIG. 7, the controller 24 operates the detergent solution supply device 27 to selectively wash the cuvette so as to fill the detergent solution. After that, the cuvette foil 1 is rotated while the analysis operation is not performed on the cuvette and the normal analysis sequence is performed on the other cuvette, and the cuvette filled with the detergent solution is again washed by the cleaning device 3. When the position is reached, it is washed and filled with the washing liquid, and the light is measured again by the colorimeter 26 to determine whether or not it can be reused.

Here, when the contamination is still above a predetermined level, the cleaning solution is sucked and discharged by the drainage nozzle 15 and then the cuvette is discarded without operating the cleaning solution supply device 27 as in the second embodiment. The device 4 discards the cuvette from the transport line, and then the cuvette supply device 5 supplies a new cuvette to the cuvette holding portion. Further, when the stain becomes a predetermined level or less in the photometry again, it is reused for the set number of repetitions while performing colorimetric photometry in the same manner.

In the second and third embodiments,
Only the output of the colorimeter 26 may be set as the cuvette replacement condition. Further, in the third embodiment, the action of the detergent solution supply device 27 can also be applied to the washing device 3. Further, the arrangement of the photometric means and the rotation operation of the cuvette foil are not particularly limited as long as the cuvette can be photometrically measured after the cleaning process with the cleaning liquid, and various known structures (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 52-40189). JP-A-56-30650, JP-A-58-99731
It is also easy to apply it to Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 59-135366.

[0018]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the reaction container is not always disposable for each analysis of one item, the analysis cost can be reduced. Also,
Whether or not the reaction container is reused repeatedly is automatically controlled according to the set conditions, so that it does not bother the user, and contamination can be effectively prevented. Therefore, biochemical analysis is possible. It is possible to perform a wide range of analyzes with high accuracy from to immunoassay.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of the cleaning device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control system shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of a second embodiment.

5 is a block diagram of the control system shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 shows a block diagram of a third embodiment.

7 is a block diagram of the control system of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 cuvette foil 2 cuvette 3 cleaning device 4 cuvette discarding device 5 cuvette supply device 6,7,10,15 drainage nozzle 8,11,13 liquid feed nozzle 9,12,14 overflow nozzle 16 holder 17 drainage bottle 18 vacuum pump 19, 20, 21 Liquid feed pump 22 Cleaning liquid tank 23 Input key 24 Control device 25 Memory 26 Colorimeter 27 Detergent solution supply device

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] April 18, 1995

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0004

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

The present invention has been made in view of such conventional problems, and is appropriately constructed so as to eliminate the trouble of periodical separate cleaning of the reaction vessel and to reduce the analysis cost. An object is to provide an automatic analyzer.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An automatic analyzer having a carrying line for holding and carrying a plurality of reaction vessels, a sample dispensing means, a reagent dispensing means, a reaction solution photometric means, and a reaction vessel cleaning means, Means for storing the reference value of the dirt of the reaction container,
Equipped with a reaction vessel photometric means for photometrically measuring the contamination of the reaction vessel after cleaning, and a detergent solution supply means for supplying a detergent solution to the reaction vessel, and compares the contamination of the reaction vessel measured by the reaction vessel photometric means with a reference value. However, if the contamination is equal to or higher than the reference value, the detergent solution is supplied to the reaction container by the detergent solution supply means, and the sample and the reagent are not dispensed into the reaction container, and the reaction container is replaced with the reaction container. An automatic analyzer characterized in that, after being conveyed to the position of the photometric means, the reaction vessel photometric means again photometers the contamination of the reaction vessel.