JPH1026626A - Automatic analyzer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate control and perform reaction processing in correspondence with the respective items of different kinds of analyses mixed on a reaction line by dividing many reaction containers on the single reaction line into a plurality of groups. SOLUTION: For example, respective groups on a reaction disk 4 are controlled with every four reaction containers 5 as the unit. A sample is sucked by one pippet nozzle of a sampling mechanism 3 from a sample cup 2 and injected into the reaction container 5. Movement and stopping are made to proceed with one group of the reaction container as the unit at every one cycle time. When the cycles are repeated, the suitable reagent on a reagent disc 7 is sucked by a reagent pipetting mechanism 6. The light of the reaction liquid in the reaction container 5 is measured by a multiple-wavelength photometer 9 at a measuring position through an agitating mechanism 8. In this case, the container, which is not used in the group, is discriminated, extracted and used. Therefore, e.g. three kinds of the reaction systems having the different reaction time can be analyzed at the same time.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic analyzer, and more particularly to an automatic analyzer suitable for performing a reaction process on a plurality of types of analysis items using a row of reaction vessels on a single reaction line.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A so-called single-line multi-item analyzer, in which a plurality of analysis items are caused to react on the same reaction line, various reaction solutions are sequentially positioned on a multi-wavelength photometer, and photometry is performed, and analysis is sequentially performed, Since the invention of Japanese Patent Publication No. 55-21303 was announced, it has spread rapidly. This technology has realized the miniaturization of a multi-item analyzer.

[0003]

In the prior art described above, the time from the start of the reaction to the photometric position is adjusted by changing the location of addition of the reagent according to the analysis item. However, a large number of reagent addition mechanisms are used. And the configuration was complicated. In order to solve such a problem, a reagent pipetting technique capable of adding various kinds of reagents with a simple configuration has been developed. This is shown in JP-B-59-22905.

However, when the reagent pipetting method is employed, all reagents must be added to the reaction vessel at the same place on the reaction line, and the analysis items having the same analysis time can be processed. It is difficult to execute analysis operations by mixing different analysis items.

An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic analyzer capable of easily managing a large number of reaction vessels and performing various reaction processes according to different types of analysis items.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided a reaction disk in which a row of reaction vessels is formed in a single reaction line, a sample dispensing apparatus for dispensing a sample into a reaction vessel on the reaction line,
In an automatic analyzer equipped with a reagent dispensing device that dispenses reagents corresponding to the analysis items into reaction vessels on the reaction line and a photometer that optically measures the reaction solution of the sample and the reagent, the reaction on the reaction line Equipped with a control unit that divides and manages the vessel row into a plurality of groups each composed of a plurality of reaction vessels, and operates and specifies the reaction disk so that the divided groups are positioned in the sample receiving area on the reaction line. When one group is positioned in the sample receiving area, one pipette nozzle of the sample dispenser dispenses the sample to only one of the reaction vessels in that particular group and the other reactions in that particular group The container is not dispensed by the pipette nozzle and the sample is then dispensed by the pipette nozzle into only one of the reaction vessels in the subsequent group when the subsequent group is positioned in the sample receiving area. I will do it Characterized by being configured to allowed to operate the sample dispensing apparatus.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The basic operation of an embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In FIG.
A number of reaction vessels are arranged in a loop along a single circle-shaped reaction line to form a reaction vessel row. In the example of FIG. 1, three adjacent reaction vessels form each group, and the entire reaction vessel row is divided into a plurality of groups. Now, focusing on one of these groups, let three reaction vessels be A, B, and C, respectively. Now, the analysis items having three different reaction times are indicated by oblique lines (45 minutes reaction), vertical lines (30 minutes reaction), and hit points (15 minutes reaction). In the figure, S indicates the addition of a sample to the reaction vessel, and when one cycle from one sample addition to the next sample addition is one apparatus cycle time, the reaction vessel rotates one group counterclockwise in one apparatus cycle time. I do.

In FIG. 1A, the analysis items of the 45-minute reaction are analyzed in the reaction vessel A.

After 15 minutes, the group goes around the circumference. At this time, since part A is used for 45 minutes reaction, it moves to vacant B and is used for the next analysis item (30 minutes reaction). ((B) in the figure). Similarly, after the next 15 minutes, since both A and B have been used for the reaction, they move to the empty C and are used for the next analysis item (15-minute reaction) ((c) in the figure). . 45 minutes after the start, 45 minutes reaction in A, 3 minutes in B
Since the 0-minute reaction and the 15-minute reaction in C are completed at the same time, all three reaction vessels are emptied, washed, and ready for the next analysis. In (d) in the figure, the reaction is started again in part A for 45 minutes. (E) in the figure is 60 minutes later, (f) is 75 minutes
This shows the sampling state after one minute.

[0010] As described above, the movement and the stop are advanced in units of one group (three) of the reaction vessels every unit cycle time of the apparatus. Is used by discriminating, extracting and using the three reaction systems having different reaction times as described above. Such a method in which a plurality of items are analyzed in series on a single reaction line for each sample is referred to as a single reaction line random access method.

FIG. 2 is a development of the analysis of FIG. 1 on a time chart, wherein S indicates addition of a sample, and W indicates discharge / reaction of a reaction solution.
Indicates washing. The sample is added every circumference (every 15 minutes) while selecting one vacant reaction vessel in the same group.
In an actual device, a plurality of groups are arranged on the circumference,
It moves on the circumference from group to group for each device cycle, and returns to its original position after one round (after 15 minutes).

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, adjacent reaction vessels are divided into a plurality of groups, and one of the unused reaction vessels in the group is discriminated and extracted for analysis in the analysis. The reaction container is a chamber for forming a reaction solution of the sample and the reagent. A sample receiving area is provided in a predetermined place on the reaction vessel row, and the reaction vessels are sequentially stopped in the sample receiving area in units of groups.

When one of the groups is positioned in the sample receiving area on the reaction line, the control unit determines an empty reaction container in the group and supplies a new sample. However, when positioning the group, the empty reaction vessel may be configured to stop at the sample discharge position of one predetermined sample pipette nozzle, and when positioning the group, After the group is temporarily stopped in the sample receiving area, the sample pipette nozzle may be moved to an empty reaction vessel.

Each group to be divided and managed has a plurality of reaction vessels, and the analysis time of each reaction vessel is determined according to the analysis item of the sample to be received, and the analysis operation is managed by a computer as a control unit. , Is controlled, but a specific reaction chamber is not fixed to a specific analysis time, but each reaction vessel is controlled to be set to any of a plurality of configurable analysis times. You. A combination of analysis times corresponding to a plurality of reaction vessels in the same group is easy to handle in managing that the longest analysis time is an integral multiple of the shortest analysis time.

An automatic analyzer according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, a total of 120 reaction vessels are arranged on the reaction disk 4 so as to form an annular shape. In FIG. 3, each group is managed in units of four reaction vessels, and a total of 30 groups are configured.

In the automatic analyzer shown in FIG. 3, a sample is accommodated and placed in a sample cup 2 on a sample disk 1. The sample is sucked by one pipette nozzle of the sample sampling mechanism 3 as a sample dispensing device, and then injected into the reaction vessels 5 arranged on the circumference of the reaction disk 4. The reaction container into which the sample has been dispensed moves counterclockwise after one cycle time of the apparatus (30 seconds in the embodiment), moves to the next group, and stops. Four cycles after the start, when a specific reaction container group moves to the reagent dispensing position, the appropriate reagent on the reagent disk 7 is aspirated by the reagent pipetting mechanism 6 as a reagent dispensing device, and the target on the reaction disk is removed. Is added to the reaction vessel.

After 5 cycles from the start, when the reaction vessel is moved to the stirring position, the contents of the reaction vessel are uniformly stirred by the stirring mechanism 8. After three cycles (eight cycles from the start), the stirred reaction vessel proceeds to the measurement position, and the reaction solution in the reaction vessel is measured by the multi-wavelength photometer 9. If the reaction has been completed, the reaction vessel is washed by the washing mechanism 10 and subjected to the next analysis. However, if the reaction is not completed within one rotation of the reaction disk (15 minutes) in this embodiment, The washing pump 12 is controlled via the interface 11 by the instruction of the microcomputer 30 storing the analysis conditions, and the reaction vessel is not washed. Multi-wavelength photometer 9 is
The same configuration as that described above can also be used.

The reaction vessel in which the reaction solution has been left moves to the sample receiving area again. In this case, when the sample sampled in the previous round remains in the reaction vessel, the reaction disk 4 is in the same group as the reaction vessel in which the sample remains through the interface by an instruction from the microcomputer 30 storing the reaction conditions. The empty reaction vessel inside is moved to the sample receiving area. Thereafter, the above operation is repeated to advance the analysis.

Through the above operation, the temperature of all the reaction vessels is controlled to 37 ° C. by the constant temperature circulating tank 13. The sample is dispensed quantitatively by a sample dispensing mechanism (pump) 14,
The reagent is dispensed by a reagent dispensing mechanism (pump) 15. The light amount signal read by the multi-wavelength photometer 9 is Log
After being converted into an absorbance scale by the converter / AD converter 16, it is digitized and taken into the microcomputer 30 via the interface. The absorbance signal taken into the microcomputer is converted into a density and printed out from the printer 17 as the density in the patient sample,
Output to the screen of T18. In addition, analysis results such as concentration can be stored in the micro disk 20 according to an instruction from the keyboard 19. According to the present embodiment,
Even if analysis items having different reaction times are mixed on the reaction vessel row, random access analysis can be performed efficiently.

Next, another embodiment will be described. In this example, instead of controlling the stop position of the reaction disk to move the empty reaction container to the sample sampling position in the same configuration as in FIG. 3, a group of reaction containers arranged on the circumference of the reaction disk (implemented) By controlling the stop position of the sampling mechanism by a microcomputer using a sample sampling mechanism movable over four openings in the example, one sample pipette nozzle can be positioned in an empty reaction vessel. According to the present embodiment, the stop position of the reaction disk is constant at the time of sample sampling, so that there is an effect that time for performing other operations (reagent dispensing, stirring, photometry, washing) during the stop time can be provided. . In another embodiment, a reaction disk operation similar to that shown in Japanese Patent Publication No. 59-24380 is performed, and after a plurality of groups continuously move, the reaction disk is stopped to complete the entire reaction process. Perform photometry. In this case, the structure is the same as that shown in FIG. 3, but when moving from a specific group to the next group within one apparatus cycle time, the reaction disk is always rotated one turn and added or sent for one group, or Perform rotation minus one group feed. In this case, since all the reaction vessels pass in front of the multi-wavelength photometer, the absorbance of all the reaction vessels can be taken in every one apparatus cycle time. According to the present embodiment, the change in absorbance in the reaction vessel can be tracked every moment, so that it is particularly suitable for determining the reaction rate of the enzyme, and the accuracy of the data can be improved.

[0021]

According to the present invention, a large number of reaction vessels on a single reaction line are divided into a plurality of groups to facilitate management, and various reaction vessels corresponding to each of different types of analysis items mixed on the reaction line. Enables reaction processing.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a basic operation of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a time chart illustrating an operation result example of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the entire configuration of an automatic analyzer as one embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... sample disk, 2 ... sampling mechanism, 4 ... reaction disk, 5 ... reaction container, 6 ... reagent pipetting mechanism, 9 ... multi-wavelength photometer, 30 ... microcomputer.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A reaction disk in which a row of reaction vessels is formed in a single reaction line, a sample dispensing apparatus for dispensing a sample into a reaction vessel on the reaction line, and an analysis on a reaction vessel on the reaction line. A reagent dispensing device for dispensing a reagent according to the item,
In an automatic analyzer provided with a photometer for optically measuring a reaction solution of a sample and a reagent, a control unit for dividing and managing a reaction vessel array on the reaction line into a plurality of groups each composed of a plurality of reaction vessels. The reaction disk is operated so as to be positioned in the sample receiving area on the reaction line in divided groups, and when a specific group is positioned in the sample receiving area, one of the sample dispensing apparatuses is operated. A pipette nozzle dispenses the sample to only one of the reaction vessels in the specific group, and does not dispens the sample to the other reaction vessels in the specific group by the pipette nozzle, and then follows Configured to cause the sample dispensing device to operate such that the pipette nozzle dispenses a sample to only one of the reaction vessels in the subsequent group when the group is positioned in the sample receiving area. Automatic analyzer, characterized in that the.