JPS60207061A - Automatic chemical analysis apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform the control of a reagent in low cost without imposing load to an operator, by calculating and displaying the residual amount of a successively reduced reagent on the basis of preliminarily inputted parameters and the number of operations of a reagent pump. CONSTITUTION:Prior to starting measurement, the initial amounts VF5 of reagents in reagent containers 7a, 7b, the emitting amounts V of reagent pumps 6a, 6b and a limit value VA requiring the replacement or replenishment of the reagents are inputted to an operation/control part 12 through an operation panel 15. Whereupon, the number K of succeedingly measurable specimens are calculated from the present residual amounts VN of the reagents by the operation/control part 12 and displayed by CRT display 14. An operator judges whether values K during the display of the CRT displsy 14 are larger than the number K0 of specimens to be measured from now on and, when K>K0, starts measurement and when judges K<K0, replaces related reagent bottles or replenishes said reagents before starting measurement.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to an automatic chemical analyzer that automatically analyzes large and small samples using one or more reagents.

[Technical Background of the Invention and Problems Therewith] Conventionally, automatic chemical analyzers sequentially sample one or more reagents and inject them into a sample moving at a predetermined cycle along a reaction line. It automatically performs a large number of analytical measurements. In analytical measurements,
A reagent corresponding to the analysis item is selected and stored in the reagent storage in the automatic chemical analyzer. In addition, reagent dispensing M (dispensing same)
For example, the stroke of the syringe is set in advance so that a predetermined stroke is performed.

By the way, information regarding the remaining amount of reagents stored in a reagent storage is extremely important in an automatic chemical analyzer. This is because the amount of reagent decreases in proportion to the line operating time, and if a predetermined sample jW ffi is not dispensed, the measurement results will vary.

Therefore, conventionally, each reagent bottle 1rJ in the reagent storage is provided with a reagent level detector such as a float switch to detect the amount of reagent using hardware, and based on this detection result,
Reliability of measurement results depending on reagent excess/deficiency [4f! It displayed the time when l would run out.

However, since the above-mentioned detector needs to be provided for each reagent bottle, the device becomes expensive.

Additionally, depending on the amount of reagent remaining during line operation, the number of samples that could be continuously measured was left to the operator's visual confirmation.

However, since the lIl output of the reagent differs depending on each analytical item [+], it is extremely difficult to change the number of samples that can be continuously measured based on visual confirmation of the remaining amount of the reagent. , the burden on operators during line operation was heavy.

[Object of the Invention 1] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic chemical power 4JI device that can have a low cost and greatly reduce the burden on the operator.

[Summary of the Invention 1] A summary of the present invention for achieving the above-mentioned object is an automatic chemical analyzer in which reagents stored in a reagent container are sequentially delivered in IU to a reaction line for analysis and measurement by the operation of a reagent pump. Initial amount of reagent in the reagent container (VF)
, an input section for inputting as parameters the discharge m (V) of reagent per discharge, the limit value (VA) at which reagent replacement or replenishment is required, and the initial reagent input by this input section. The number of specimens that can be continuously measured is limited by the residual W of the reagent, which gradually decreases based on the discharge amount (V) of the drug per discharge (V) and the number of operations of the reagent pump. , an arithmetic/control unit that compares the limit value (VA) with a sequentially decreasing amount of the remaining reagent, and a display unit that can display the calculation results of the arithmetic/control unit;
The present invention is characterized by comprising a warning means for issuing a warning depending on the comparison result of the controller.

[Embodiment of the Invention] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to drawing C.

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an automatic chemical force 411 device which is an embodiment of the present invention. 1 shows a lean pull case for storing a sample, 2a a limp ring nozzle, 2b a limp ring arm that holds the lean pull twirl 2a and is movable in the direction of the arrow y, 3a a sampling pump, 3b is a diluent container for storing a diluent; 4 is a reaction line consisting of a plurality of reactions ↑3 arranged in the direction of arrow yh, and intermittently moving nJ rlh in the direction of arrow X; The specimen in the sample case 1 and the diluent in the diluent container 3b are sequentially dispensed into the tube. Further, 5a and 5b are respectively numbered 1. The second reagent nozzles, 6a and 6b, are respectively the first-,! '! 2 is the reagent pump, 7 is the reagent storage, 7a and 7b are the first and f respectively.
A plurality of reagent containers for storing reagents f12, e.g.
υ, and the reagents in the reagent bottles 7a and 7b are the same as those in the first reagent bottles 7a and 7b. The second pumps 6a, 6b are connected to the first pump. The reagent is dispensed into each reaction tube of the reaction line 4 via the second reagent nozzles 5a, 5b. Reference numeral 8 indicates a Zakujo nozzle, 9 indicates a Zakujo pump, and 10 indicates a photometry unit including a light source 10a, 70-cell 10b, and a photodetector 10c. is measured. 111 is a Δ/D (analog-digital) converter that converts the output of the photodetector 10c into a digital signal, and 12 is a converter that performs quantitative analysis of the sample based on the output of the Δ/D converter 11. 13 is a calculation/control unit (comprised of, for example, a CPU) that calculates the remaining amount of reagent and the number of samples that can be continuously measured based on parameters for each reagent, which will be described later; A printer 14 prints the analysis results of the control unit 12, and a display unit 14 displays the analysis results of the calculation/control unit 12 or the parameters as necessary, such as a CR-r display (with a warning function as described later). 15 is an input unit including a keyboard, such as an operation panel. The parameters inputted to the arithmetic/control unit 12 via the operation panel 15 include, for example, the initial reagent IMF in the reagent columns lυ7a and 7b, the discharge rate per time for each reagent, and the The reagent machine VA (
limit value) and reagent ff1 when the amount of reagent in the reagent bottles 7a, 7L is further reduced and it becomes impossible to measure any more.
Examples include Vs.

Note that the sampling pumps 3a, f41. The operations of the second reagent pumps 6a, 5b and the suction pump 9 are as follows:
It is controlled by the calculation/control means 12. Further, the reaction line 4 into which the reagent is dispensed and the 70-cell 10b in the photometry section 10 are maintained at a predetermined temperature under the control of the constant temperature control section 16.

Next, the operation of the apparatus of this embodiment configured as described above will be explained.

First, before starting measurement using the device of this embodiment, the operator first sets the parameters already mentioned, namely VF, V, and V.
A, VS, etc., are operated by the calculation/control unit 1 via the operation panel 15.
2 (Step 1) When the parameters in Step 1 are input, the calculation/control unit 12 displays these parameters on the CRT display 14 (Step 2), and calculates the current reagent remaining amount based on the parameters. From I V N and this VN, calculate the number of specimens K that can be continuously measured (Step 3). The remaining amount of reagent VN is calculated as follows: VN=VF-N-V (1). Here, N is the first . Second reagent pump 6a.

6b is the number of times the operation is performed, and in step 3, which is before the start of measurement, N=O. Further, the number of specimens that can be continuously measured is calculated by K=(VN-VA)/V (2).

The VN and K calculated in step 3 are CR
It is displayed on the T display 14 (step 4). Here, the display contents of the CRT display 14 are as shown in the table, for example.

〇1 Note that NO in the table is the number of a system consisting of a reagent bottle, a reagent pump, and a reagent nozzle, and in the case of the device of this embodiment, it is 2 silk, so it is ``11'' and ``2''. In addition, 1 tem in the table indicates the usage item (or amount of reagent) of each reagent.

The operator determines whether the content displayed on the CRI-display 14, particularly the value of K, is greater than the number of specimens KO to be measured (step 5).

In the determination of step 5, if it is determined that K > K O, measurement by the apparatus of this embodiment is started, and
If it is determined that K<KO, it is preferable to start measurement after replacing the reagent bottle or replenishing the reagent.

The operator operates the calculation/control unit 1 via the operation panel 15.
When the device 2 is instructed to start measurement, measurement by the apparatus of this embodiment is started (step 6). That is, the calculation/control unit 1
2, the drive means (not shown) starts driving,
As the reaction line 4 moves intermittently in the direction of arrow X, the sampling arm 2b moves in the direction of arrow A predetermined sample in the reaction line 4 is aspirated, and then the sample is aliquoted into each reaction tube of the reaction line 4 together with a diluent. When the reaction line 4 into which the sample has been dispensed moves intermittently and reaches the position of the first or second reagent nozzle 5a, '5b, the first and second reagent pumps 6a, 6b operate, respectively. The reagent is discharged into a predetermined reaction tube through the reagent nozzles 5a and 5b. Here, the above 1. As already mentioned, the discharge mv per operation of the second reagent pumps 6F1 and 6b is determined by d in step 1.
'3 and the operator inputs J and W.

The reaction line 4 in which a predetermined reagent was discharged moves intermittently,
When reaching the position of the number nozzle 8 (during this time, the sample in the reaction tube reacts with the reagent), the reaction liquid in each reaction tube is transferred to the flow cell via the linkage nozzle 8 due to the operation of the reaction bomb 9. It is sucked up to 10b and subjected to absorbance measurement in photometry section 1o. This photometry section 1
o measurement result, that is, the output of the photodetector 10c is A/
The signal is input to the calculation/control section 12 as a digital signal s8 through the D conversion section 11, and is used for quantitative analysis of the sample. The analysis results by the calculation/control unit 12 are printed by the printer 13 or displayed on the CR display 14 as necessary.

Further, the calculation/control unit 12 includes the first. second pump 6
In addition to controlling the operations of a and 6b, the number of operations N
Calculate the number of samples K that can be continuously measured based on the current reagent remaining ff1VN for each reagent lυ and this VN each time N increases, This calculation result is displayed on the CRT display 14 in real time.

Here, the display contents J of the CRT display 14, that is,
The values of VN and K in the previous table are 1. Second reagent pump 6
It will be updated according to the number of operations N of a and 6b (
The values of VN and K both decrease).

At the same time, the calculation/control unit 12 compares the VN and VA of each reagent bottle each time N increases (Step 7). In this step 7 comparison, if it is determined that VN≦VA, a warning is issued by, for example, blinking the display content of the CRT display 14, that is, the value of the VA in the previous table (functioning as a warning means). The operator is prompted to replace the reagent bottle or replenish the reagent bottle (step 8). Here, if the operator replaces the reagent bottle or refills the reagent bottle, the operator can calculate and
Input to the control unit 12 (step 9>. In other words, the initial reagent ff1Vp is newly input.

Furthermore, if the new V" in step 9 of 111J is not input despite issuing the warning in step 80, the speaker/control unit 12
and Vs are compared each time N increases (Step 1
0). In the comparison in step 10, if it is determined that VN<VS, the quantitative analysis of the item using the reagent is stopped, and the sample is not dispensed into the reaction tube for that item. is controlled (step 11). This is because there is no point in performing a measurement even though sufficient reagent for the measurement is not discharged.

This will improve the reliability of the analysis results.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and may be modified and implemented as appropriate within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

For example, in the above embodiment, the warning in step 8 is
The display on RT display 1/I (for example, the flashing value of VA) causes
4 was also used as a warning means), but the warning means is not limited to this, and the warning means may be configured to generate a warning sound by a buzzer or an alarm, or make a voice announcement, for example.

A control signal for making an alarm sound or audio announcement can be easily output from the calculation/control unit 12.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the above-mentioned theory, the following effects can be achieved.

Based on the pre-input parameters (VF, V) and the number of operations of the reagent pump (N>), the calculation/control unit can calculate the remaining amount of the reagent, which decreases sequentially, for example, for each reagent container. There is no need to provide a detector or the like to detect reagent scratches.

In addition, the calculation/control unit determines the number of specimens that can be continuously measured based on the gradually decreasing amount of the remaining reagent, and compares the remaining amount of the reagent with the limit 1111 (VA). Since the comparison results can be made known to the operator through the display section and the warning means, the operator's negative 1 [1] is greatly reduced.

Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an automatic chemical analysis HE that is low in cost and can greatly reduce the burden on the operator.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawing is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the Automatic Chemistry Society 41i system, which is an embodiment of the present invention. 4...Reaction line, 6a, 6b...
Reagent pump, 7a, 7b...Reagent container, 12...Calculation/control means, 14...CRT display (display section and one warning stage)
15... Operation panel (3 puffs).

Claims (1)

[Claims] The reagent stored in the reagent container is pumped by the operation of the reagent pump.
In an automatic chemical analyzer that sequentially discharges the reagents into a reaction line for analysis and measurement, the initial reagent fli in the reagent container is
(VF), 1 discharge per reagent (V), limit value at which the reagent needs to be replaced or refilled (VA)
an input section for inputting the parameters as parameters, and an input section for inputting the initial reagent amount (VF) and 1
Based on the number of operations of the reagent pump per operation (Vl) and the remaining amount of reagent that gradually decreases, the number of specimens corresponding to continuous measurement times OL is determined, and the limit value (
'VA) and the remaining amount of reagent which decreases sequentially; a display unit that can display the stoppage result of this calculation and control unit; An automatic chemical analyzer characterized by comprising: warning means for issuing a warning.