JPH10104240A - Probe washing mechanism of automatic biochemical analyzer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform washing by using detergent during one cycle of dispensation operation. SOLUTION: Detergent is filled between ECDs together with the dispensation of a reagent at the same time. A probe 2 moves to a washing pot after the reagent is discharged into a cell, and a solenoid valve SV1 is opened to start washing by using water. A solenoid valve SV2 is opened in this condition, a solenoid valve SV4 is changed over to a solenoid valve SV1 side, and detergent between ECs flows in at point A and is diluted by washing water so that the inside of a pipe and the probe 2 is washed by using the detergent. This washing by means of the detergent is done by one cycle.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a mechanism for washing a probe for dispensing a reagent or a sample in an automatic biochemical analyzer for measuring the concentration or activity value of a target component of a sample containing multiple components such as serum and urine. Things.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 1 shows a conventional cleaning mechanism. 2 is a probe for dispensing a reagent or a sample. Hereinafter, the probe 2 will be described as a reagent probe, but the same applies to a sample probe. A syringe pump 4 is connected to the probe 2 in order to suck the reagent into the probe 2 and discharge the sucked reagent to the reaction cell, and the operation of the syringe pump 4 causes the suction and discharge of the reagent. As a washing mechanism, a pressurizing pump 8 is connected as a washing water supply unit for supplying washing water to the syringe pump 4 via an electromagnetic valve SV1 as an on-off valve. Although not shown in the figure, a washing pot is separately provided, and the washing water for washing the inner surface of the probe 2 is discharged to the washing pot, and the outer washing water is flowed through the washing pot and the probe 2 is washed. The outer surface of the is also cleaned.

Dispensing and washing of a reagent by the probe of FIG. 1 are performed as shown in a time chart of FIG. When the dispensing operation is started, the probe 2 moves to the position of the reagent bottle and descends into the reagent bottle, and the syringe pump 4 sucks the reagent into the probe 2. Thereafter, the probe 2 moves to the position of the cell, and the reagent is discharged to the cell by the syringe pump 4. Then, the probe 2 moves to the washing pot,
The electromagnetic valve SV1 is opened to wash water from the syringe pump 4 via the probe 2, and the reagent remaining in the syringe pump 4 is also discharged to clean the inner surface of the probe 2. Then, cleaning water for cleaning the outer surface is flowed into the cleaning pot, and the outer surface of the probe 2 is also cleaned. Thus, the dispensing of the reagent and the washing of the probe are performed during one cycle.

[0004]

Among the analysis items, there are reagents that are difficult to remove only by washing with water, and the following items cause contamination. As a countermeasure, after the item using the reagent that does not easily fall off, the probe moves once or more times to the detergent position, sucks the detergent, moves to the washing pot, discharges the detergent, and then performs water washing. ing. However, in this case, in addition to one cycle from analysis to water washing, a cycle of detergent washing is added, which causes a problem that the actual analysis capacity (the number of tests / hour) is reduced. A first object of the present invention is to prevent the actual analysis ability from being lowered even in the case where detergent washing is performed so that the washing can be performed during one cycle of the dispensing operation. .

[0005] In a reagent dispensing apparatus, various liquid reagents are dispensed by the same dispensing apparatus, so that one type of detergent may not be easily removed. In addition, the detergent itself may cause contamination when the next reagent is dispensed. Therefore, a second object of the present invention is to make it possible to perform detergent washing within one cycle of a dispensing operation and to select an optimal detergent depending on a reagent.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a syringe pump for dispensing a probe for dispensing a reagent or a sample, comprising a washing water supply unit for supplying washing water through an on-off valve. In the probe cleaning mechanism for cleaning
In order to be able to perform detergent washing during one cycle of the dispensing operation, a detergent supply mechanism for intermittently supplying the detergent between the syringe pump and the probe is provided, and the probe or the reagent is sucked and discharged by the probe. And a control unit for controlling the operation of the probe as one cycle and controlling the cleaning operation by supplying a detergent from a detergent supply mechanism during the water washing.

[0007] Further, in order to be able to select an optimum detergent depending on the reagent, the detergent supply mechanism is provided with a plurality of detergents selectively supplied through a switching valve. An input unit for inputting the type of detergent, and a storage unit for storing the input information are provided, and the control unit controls the detergent according to the necessity and type of the detergent stored in the storage unit when washing the detergent. The selection of the type by the supply and switching valve shall be controlled.

[0008]

FIG. 3 shows a first embodiment. Here, the probe 2 will be described as a reagent probe, but the same can be applied to a sample probe. The same parts as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals. A bypass flow path is provided between the syringe pump 4 and the probe 2 from between the two-way solenoid valve SV1, which is an on-off valve for washing water, and the syringe pump 4, and a detergent for intermittently supplying a detergent to the bypass flow path. A supply mechanism 10 is provided. As a specific example of the detergent supply mechanism 10, as shown in the figure, a flow path connected to a branch point A between the probe 2 and the syringe pump 4 is connected via a two-way solenoid valve SV2 for opening and closing. Three-way solenoid valve SV
4, the on-side port of the solenoid valve SV4 is connected between the syringe pump 4 and the solenoid valve SV1, and the off-side port of the solenoid valve SV4 is connected to the detergent bottle 18 via the check valve 16. . The check valve 16 allows the liquid to flow only from the detergent bottle 18 in the direction of the solenoid valve SV4, and prevents the flow in the opposite direction.

The flow path connected between the solenoid valves SV2 and SV4 is connected to the vacuum system 20 via a two-way solenoid valve SV3. The vacuum system 20 can be used in combination with a vacuum pot of a washing unit of the automatic analyzer. Each solenoid valve SV1, S
A control unit 22 is provided to control opening / closing or switching of V2, SV3, and SV4. Here, the pressurizing pump 8 is used as the cleaning water supply unit as in FIG. 1, but a cleaning water supply unit that supplies cleaning water by a syringe pump is also used. In the present invention, the washing water supply section may be of any type.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to the time chart of FIG. Description will be given for each section of the symbol 〜 written at the lower end of FIG. After the probe 2 moves to the position of the reagent bottle and descends into the reagent bottle to suck the reagent, the probe 2 rises and moves to the position of the cell.

When the solenoid valve SV3 is turned on (open), SV1,
SV2 is turned off (closed). After the solenoid valve SV4 is turned off (detergent side) and the detergent is drawn to the vacuum side by the vacuum system 20, the solenoid valve SV3 is turned off (closed). This allows
The detergent is filled between the ECDs in FIG. At the same time, the syringe of the syringe pump 4 is pushed up, and the reagent is discharged to the cell.

The probe moves to the washing pot. The solenoid valve SV1 is turned on (open), and the syringe is pushed up to discharge an extra reagent for preventing thinning. Excess reagent is washed away with water. When the solenoid valve SV1 is on, the solenoid valve SV2 is on (open), the solenoid valve SV4 is on (the solenoid valve SV1 side),
The detergent between C flows in at point A, and the washing water is mixed (diluted).
Then, the piping and the inside of the probe 2 are cleaned with a detergent. At the same time, a valve (not shown) for cleaning the outer surface of the probe 2 is turned on (open), and the outer surface of the probe is also cleaned.

In this state, the solenoid valve SV4 is turned off (cleaning side), the solenoid valve SV3 is turned on (open), and the detergent between ABCD is washed out to the vacuum system 20. At this time, backflow to the detergent bottle 18 does not occur due to the check valve 16. As a result, the space between the ABs is washed with water, and it is possible to prevent the detergent remaining between the ABs from flowing into the probe due to diffusion.

From the state, the solenoid valves SV2 and SV3
Is turned off (closed), and the pipe between the probes 2 is cleaned from the point A only by the pressurized water from the pressurizing pump 8. The solenoid valve SV1 is turned off (closed), and the cleaning is completed. Further, the outer surface cleaning water valve is turned off (closed), and the outer surface cleaning is terminated. This completes one cycle. Less than,~
repeat. In the embodiment of FIG.
6 may be replaced by a solenoid valve, and the valve may be closed for the above-mentioned period.

FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment. Compared to the embodiment of FIG. 3, the three-way solenoid valve SV4 is different from the four-way solenoid valve S
V4a, and the common ports COM are a, b,
The port can be switched to any one of the three ports c. The port c is connected to the flow path between the syringe pump 4 and the solenoid valve SV1 as in FIG. 3, the port a is connected to the acidic detergent bottle 18a via the check valve 16a, and the port b is connected to the check valve 16b. The alkaline detergent bottle 18b is connected via the. The check valves 16a and 16b are both switched from the detergent bottle to the switching valve S.
This is for flowing the liquid only in the V4a direction.

The operation sequence of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 is the same as that shown in FIG.
The solenoid valve SV4a is switched so that one of the detergents 8a and 18b is selected. Other operations are the same as those shown in FIG. In the structure of the embodiment, since the detergent supply mechanism can be constituted by a plurality of solenoid valves and check valves, the structure is compact and can be realized at low cost.

[0017]

According to the present invention, a detergent supply mechanism for intermittently supplying a detergent between the syringe pump and the probe is provided. In the cleaning operation, the detergent is supplied from the detergent supply mechanism during the water cleaning to perform the detergent cleaning. , The detergent can be washed during one cycle of the dispensing operation of the reagent or the sample, and the probe contamination can be suppressed without lowering the analysis ability. Also, if the detergent supply mechanism can select the type of detergent according to the reagent, it becomes possible to use a detergent suitable for the reagent, and furthermore, it is possible to suppress probe contamination between reagents and the detergent. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing a conventional probe cleaning mechanism.

FIG. 2 is a time chart showing the operation of the probe cleaning mechanism of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a probe cleaning mechanism according to one embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a time chart showing the operation of the probe cleaning mechanism of the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating a probe cleaning mechanism according to a second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 Probe 4 Syringe pump 8 Pressure pump 10 Detergent supply mechanism 18, 18a, 18b Detergent bottle 20 Vacuum system 22 Controller SV1, SV2, SV3, SV4, SV4a Solenoid valve

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A probe washing mechanism for washing a probe flow path by providing a syringe pump performing a dispensing operation of a probe for dispensing a reagent or a sample with a washing water supply unit for supplying washing water through an on-off valve, A detergent supply mechanism for intermittently supplying a detergent between the syringe pump and the probe is provided. The operation is controlled as one cycle of suction and discharge of a reagent or a sample by the probe and washing of the probe, and water is used in the washing operation. A probe cleaning mechanism for an automatic biochemical analyzer, comprising: a control unit that controls the supply of detergent from the detergent supply mechanism during cleaning to perform detergent cleaning. 2. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the detergent supply mechanism is provided in a bypass flow path connected between the cleaning water supply unit and the syringe pump and between the syringe pump and the probe, and includes a solenoid valve, a check valve, and a vacuum system. The probe washing mechanism of the automatic biochemical analyzer according to claim 1, wherein 3. The detergent supply mechanism includes a plurality of detergents selectively supplied through a switching valve, an input unit for inputting the necessity of a detergent for each item and a type of the detergent, and an input unit for inputting the input. The control unit controls the supply of the detergent and the selection of the type by the switching valve according to the necessity and the type of the detergent stored in the storage unit when the detergent is washed. Claim 1 or 2
The probe washing mechanism of the automatic biochemical analyzer according to 1.