JPS59180344A - Automatic analyzing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve remarkably an SN ratio in measurement and to reduce cost by arraying a prescribed number of photodetectors at prescribed intervals in the position to a light irradiating position thereby generating time lags in the outputs from the photodetectors. CONSTITUTION:An n<=l/(d+2a) piece (number of photometric group =1) of photodetectors 12 are arrayed at an interval of l+a(m=1) in the position opposite to a light irradiating position. Here, (l) is an arranging interval of reaction tubes 15, (d) is an effective photometric length in the tubes 15, (n) is an integer, and (a) is the margin at the edge of the photometric region in the tubes 15. While a reaction liquid A is measured with the photodetector 12-1 with such device, no photometry is performed with reaction liquids B, C, D... and when the array of the tubes 15 advances by (d+2a), the photometry of the liquid A is completed and the photometry with the liquid B is accomplished by the photodetector 12-2. The measurement is thus successively progressed time serially with the liquids C, D-until the timing when the photometry of the liquid A' with the photodetector 12-1 is performed is restored.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (a) Industrial Application Field This invention involves adding a reagent to a reaction tube containing a sample solution to cause a chemical reaction, and continuously performing spectrophotometric measurements on the reaction solution. Regarding automated analyzers, they are used particularly in clinical tests at hospitals, where multiple items of analysis are efficiently performed on a large number of samples.

(b) Prior Art Multi-detector type automatic analyzer 17 Conventionally, an apparatus as shown in FIG. 7 has been used. That is, the reaction tubes α5) containing the sample solution to which the reagents have been added are sequentially transferred at regular intervals by a reaction tube transfer device (details not shown) to multiple positions where monochromatic lights of different wavelengths are irradiated. While the reaction tubes 0υ are positioned at the same time, the intensity of transmitted light (in the case of absorbance measurement) passing through each reaction solution contained in the reaction tube Q5i is detected by a photodetector (b). Then, each signal is guided to each logarithmic converter Q [phase], the signals from these are selected by a selection switch, and necessary calculations are performed by an arithmetic circuit a. In such conventional devices, spectrophotometric measurements are performed at multiple locations simultaneously, and the electrical signals from each photodetector (a) over time are shown in Figure 8. . Therefore, the selection switch (
In step 4), the signal is input to the arithmetic circuit θ while being sequentially switched, and at a certain point, the signal from only one photodetector 0Q is taken out. Therefore, when a reaction solution 1 is irradiated with monochromatic light of a certain wavelength 1, the number of signals per unit time taken out from the photodetector 1 placed opposite to the light irradiation position is as follows: , the number of photodetectors decreases as the number of photodetectors increases.If the number of signals that can be extracted per unit time for the entire device is N, and the number of photodetectors is n, then the number becomes ``. Therefore, conventional devices using a multi-detector system had the disadvantage of a low signal-to-noise ratio for photometry.Also, since electrical signals are output from each photodetector at the same time, multiple logarithmic converters must be installed. There wasn't.

(c) Purpose This invention solves the above-mentioned problems in conventional devices,
The purpose of this invention is to provide a multi-detector type automatic analyzer that can improve the siv ratio of analysis and also reduce costs.

B) Structure In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in this invention, the relationship between the transfer interval of reaction tubes and the installation interval of photodetectors was studied, and electrical signals were emitted from each photodetector overlappingly in time. In other words, the apparatus was configured so that only one reaction tube could be positioned at the light irradiation position at a certain time. In other words, the automatic analyzer according to the present invention includes a spectroscope that separates light from a light source, and a reaction tube containing a sample solution to which a reagent is added at a position where each monochromatic light separated by the spectrometer is irradiated. a reaction tube transfer device that sequentially or intermittently transfers a reaction tube, a plurality of photodetectors arranged in a row at positions opposite to each light irradiation position for the reaction tubes that are sequentially transferred; In an automatic analyzer comprising a calculation circuit that performs necessary calculations corresponding to each analysis item based on photometric signals, the plurality of light irradiation positions are
Maximum number n <'knees (l: arrangement interval of reaction tubes, 2 d + 2α d: effective photometric length in reaction tubes, m, n: integer, α: edge of photometric area in reaction tubes) were arranged at an interval of x6 + d. It is characterized by having at least one photometry group.

(E) Embodiments Below, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the general configuration of an automatic analyzer that is an embodiment of the present invention. This device consists of a spectrometer (11
), reaction tube transfer device (details not shown), photodetector@,
It is composed of an arithmetic circuit (1:1, etc.), and the light from the light source (14) is separated by a spectrometer (11), and the reagent is delivered to the position where each separated monochromatic light is irradiated by a reaction tube transfer device. The reaction tubes 09 containing the added sample liquid (reaction liquid) are sequentially transferred at regular intervals, and the reaction liquid contained in the reaction tube α positioned at the light irradiation position is irradiated with monochromatic light.
Information on the transmitted light is detected by a photodetector (2), and the electrical signal thereof is guided to a logarithmic converter QI and an arithmetic circuit a4. In this device, the number of photodetectors is set at an interval of 1+6 (m = 1), n<l- pieces, (number of photometry groups = 1), = d+2
They were placed in a row opposite the α light irradiation position. Here, e is the transfer interval of reaction tube 0, and d is the effective photometry length in reaction tube 00, that is, effective and accurate photometry is possible when reaction tube Q9 of 1 passes in front of photodetector 0. n is an integer, α is the width of the light measurement between the end point of photometry in one reaction solution and the start point of photometry in another reaction solution. This is the width dimension of the chamber (see Fig. 2) that prevents electrical signals from the detector from being emitted in a temporally overlapping manner. In such an apparatus, as shown in FIG. 1, while the photodetector (12-1) is filling the reaction liquid (reaction liquid) and measuring the light,
No photometry is performed for the reaction solution (A), ψ), etc., and when the 60 rows of reaction tubes advance by d+2α, the photometry of the reaction solution (A) is completed, and the photodetector (12-2) detects the reaction solution (B). ) is in a state where photometry is being performed. In this way, the light of the reaction solution (C),
Return to the timing of photometry in A). Figure 3 shows photodetectors ('12-1), (12-2), (12-3), (1
2-4) shows the change in output over time. As shown in the figure, since there is a time lag in the output state of each photodetector 0''4, the signal that can be extracted per unit time from the photodetector 021 of 1 or when viewed from the device side or the entire device. The number is n of the conventional multi-detector type device.
(n is the number of photodetectors).

Note that the photodetector 0 in the automatic analyzer according to the present invention
The number 4 must be an integer equal to or less than 71 because the output of the photodetector Q-gong needs to deviate approximately in time. The outputs of each will overlap in time.

Furthermore, since there is no temporal overlap in the output from each photodetector within each photometry group, one logarithmic converter 09) can be used in a time-sharing manner as shown in Figure 1. becomes.

In FIG. 1, only monochromatic light with a preset wavelength l enters each photodetector (2), but as shown in FIG. 2-
In 1), monochromatic light with wavelengths λ1, λ2, and S3 may be incident on the photodetector (12-2), and monochromatic light with wavelengths λ4, λ5, and λ6 may be incident on the photodetector (12-2). In this case, the outputs of the photodetectors (12-1) and (12-2) become busy as shown in FIG.

Furthermore, although FIG. 1 shows the case where the reaction tube Q51 is transferred linearly, the gist of the present invention will not be changed even if the transfer path is made into a circular path as shown in FIG.

In the figure, QQId is a reflective concave mirror, αη is an optical fiber,
α8) indicates an amplifier, and (A) indicates a lens.

(f) Effects This invention has the configuration as described above, and has been able to significantly improve the SN ratio of the multi-detector and photometry according to the invention. Furthermore, since there is a time lag in the output of each photodetector, only one logarithmic converter needs to be installed, which reduces costs.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the general configuration of an automatic analyzer that is an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a diagram for explaining the effective photometric length in the reaction tube, etc., and Fig. 3 is a m1 diagram. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of another embodiment of the device of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing changes over time in the output from the photodetector in the device, and FIG.
It is a schematic diagram which shows the schematic structure of yet another Example apparatus. Further, FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a conventional device, and FIG. 8 is a diagram showing changes over time in the output from a photodetector in the conventional device. 11... Spectrometer 12... Photodetector 13...
- Arithmetic circuit 14...Light source 15...Reaction tube Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 Fig. 6 Fig. 7 Fig. 8 Deaf-15 17

Claims (1)

[Claims] A reaction in which a spectrometer that separates light from a light source and a reaction tube containing a sample solution containing a reagent are sequentially or intermittently transferred to the position where each monochromatic light separated by the spectrometer is irradiated. A tube transfer device, a plurality of photodetectors arranged in a row opposite each light irradiation position for the reaction tubes that are sequentially transferred, and a photodetector that corresponds to each analysis item based on the photometric signal from the photodetector. In an automatic analyzer that is fully equipped with an arithmetic circuit that performs necessary arithmetic operations, at least one photometry group is arranged (effective photometry length in the plurality of reaction tubes, m, n: integer, α: edge of photometry area at reaction positive). An automatic analyzer characterized by having: