JPS6396540A - Automatic chemical analyzer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily and with high accuracy correct an offset error in the course of an arithmetic operation by a control/arithmetic unit, by obtaining an analytical data containing an offset error of spectrometer and a signal converting means by executing an analytical operation program. CONSTITUTION:An analytical operation program P1 of a CPU executes a rotational operation of a reaction line 1, a moving operation of an arm 5 and a moving block 6, a moving operation of a tray 2 and 3, a control of a mechanism part of an operation, etc. of a partial injection device 7, a control of a spectrometer 8, a control a pre-amplifier 9a, an A/D converter 9b, etc., and original analytical operation. As for an offset program P2, a command is issued to a shutter driving circuit and a shutter is closed, a detection in a light shielding state is executed, an output from a photodiode array is stored in a memory 10a of the CPU 10 through the pre-amplifier 9a and the A/D converter 9b, and an offset error is corrected.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to an automatic chemical device for chemically analyzing test samples (liquids) such as serum and urine using a spectrometer, and in particular, The present invention relates to an automatic chemical analyzer that automatically corrects offset errors in a spectrometer and a subsequent signal processing system.

(Prior Art) Generally, this type of automatic chemical analyzer has a configuration as shown in FIG. That is, in FIG. 3, a turntable-type reaction line 1 that moves intermittently by a predetermined angle
A plurality of reaction tubes (cells) la are arranged in a ring. On one side of this reaction line 1, there are a plurality of reagent containers 2.
a reagent tray 2 in which a plurality of test sample containers 3a are arranged;
A test sample tray 3 and a probe cleaning section 4 are arranged side by side.

These reaction lines 1. Reagent tray 2 and test sample tray 3. An arm 5 is mounted above the probe cleaning section 4, and a moving block 6 is provided on the arm 5 and is moved in the longitudinal direction by a drive mechanism (not shown). Further, the moving block 6 is provided with a sample probe 7a of the dispensing device 7.

Further, on the other side of the reaction line 1, a light source 8a is provided.

A spectrometer 8 consisting of a spectroscopic section 8b and the like equipped with a detector is provided to optically analyze the degree of reaction progress of the reaction liquid in the reaction tube 1a and output it as an analog signal. The output of this spectrometer 8 is amplified through a preamplifier 9a as a signal conversion system, converted to a digital signal by an A/D converter 9b, and taken into a CPU (computer) 10, where analysis data is calculated using a predetermined calculation method. It is now possible to do so.

The CPU 10 has a display 11. A printer 12 and an operation panel 13 are connected. This automatic chemical analyzer also includes a constant temperature bath 149 for hot water to maintain the reaction tube 1a at a predetermined temperature;
It is equipped with a drying unit 15, a reagent pump 16, and the like.

The details of the spectrometer 8 are constructed as shown in FIG.

That is, the light source 8a is the lamp 8a1. The window 1 of the reaction line 1 consists of a lens 3a2 that condenses the light.
The reaction liquid in the reaction tube 1a is transmitted through the spectroscopic section 8b.
leading to. The spectroscopic section 8b includes a lens 8b1 for condensing the light transmitted through the reaction solution, a mirror 8b22 for reflection, and a grating 8b3 for spectroscopy. A photodiode array 8 serves as a detector for the light separated by the grating 8b3.
b4, etc., the light transmitted through the reaction solution is separated, each spectrum is detected by a photodiode array 8b4, the detection signal is amplified through a preamplifier 9a, and an A/D converter equipped with a preamplifier, a switch, etc. 9b, digitizes it, and provides it to the CPU 10. Here, a volume 9c for drift adjustment is connected to the A/D converter 9b.

Further, the CPU 10 rotates the reaction line 1.

The movement of the arm 5 and the moving block 6, the movement of the trays 2 and 3, the operation of the dispensing device 7, etc. are controlled by executing an analysis operation program stored in the storage section.

The operation of the automatic chemical analyzer shown in FIG. 3 is as follows. That is, by executing the analysis operation program of the CPU 10, the arm 5. By operating the moving block 6° dispensing device 7, the test sample in one test sample container 3a in the test sample tray 3 is dispensed into the reaction tube 1a, and then the reagent in the reagent container 2a is dispensed. Same reaction! A reaction solution is obtained by discharging into la. The reaction tube 1a containing this reaction solution is moved to a spectrometer 8 where spectroscopic analysis is performed, and the CPU
10, the analysis results are obtained.

In the above, due to environmental changes such as aging and temperature rise, the photodiode array 8b4 of the spectrometer 8
dark current is generated, and the preamplifier 9a and A/D converter 9b
etc., an offset may occur and its characteristics may vary. For example, FIG. 5 shows that an offset error E occurs at the initial stage when it should originally be zero, and this offset error E is a factor that reduces analysis accuracy. In order to remove this offset error, the A/D converter 9
Volume 9C for drift adjustment is connected to b, and volume 9G for each signal channel (usually 16
) was adjusted and set to -E8, and the initial E was offset by this -E.

However, with such a method, it is necessary to adjust the volume 9C of 16 g for the signals of 16 channels, which is very time-consuming and seriously impedes the original analysis function, which is problematic. Ta.

Also, since all channels are adjusted manually,
There were variations in adjustment, and the accuracy of error correction was low.

(Problem to be solved by the invention) In this way, in the conventional technology, offset errors that occur in spectrometers and signal processing systems due to changes over time or environmental changes are
Since the correction was made by adjusting the volume for each signal channel, it was very time-consuming, and since the correction adjustment was done manually, not all channels were accurately adjusted, which caused accuracy problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic chemical analyzer that can easily and accurately correct offset errors that occur in a spectrometer or signal processing system due to changes over time or environmental changes.

[Structure of the Invention (Means for Solving Problems) The present invention is characterized by taking the following measures in order to solve the above problems and achieve the object. That is, the present invention provides a mechanism section for dispensing a test sample from a test sample i to ray and a reagent from a reagent tray into a reaction tube of a reaction line to obtain a reaction liquid, and A spectrometer consisting of a light source, a detector, etc. that optically analyzes the degree of reaction of a reaction solution, a signal conversion means that amplifies and digitizes the analysis detection signal from this spectrometer, and a signal conversion means that converts the signal from this signal conversion means into a predetermined signal. A control/arithmetic device that performs chemical analysis of a test sample by analyzing it using a calculation method, has an analysis operation program, and controls the operation of the spectrometer and the signal conversion means by executing the analysis operation program. In the automatic chemical analyzer, the offset correction operation program, which is executed before the analysis operation program and is for detecting a signal at the time of light interruption as an offset error of the spectrometer and signal conversion means, is controlled and executed. The control/arithmetic unit is provided with a storage means for storing a signal at the time of light interruption due to execution of the offset correction operation program, and the data resulting from execution of the analysis operation program is stored in the storage means. The correction is made based on the signal when light is cut off.

(Function) According to the present invention which takes such measures, analysis data including offset errors of the spectrometer and signal conversion means can be obtained by executing the analysis operation program, but this is due to the offset error executed in advance. It is possible to perform correction during calculation in the control and calculation device using a signal at the time of light interruption corresponding to the offset error obtained by the correction operation program and stored in the storage means of the control and calculation device. .

(Example) An example of an automatic chemical analyzer according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the structure of this embodiment, with the same parts as in FIGS. 3 and 4 being given the same reference numerals.

That is, in this embodiment, the CPU 10 is provided with an analysis operation program P1 and an offset correction operation program P2, and the offset correction operation program P2 is executed before the analysis operation program P1 is executed. Further, a shutter 8c for passing or cutting off light is provided between the light source 8a and the reaction line 1, and this is controlled by a shutter drive circuit Bci under the control of the CPU 10.
It is designed to be driven by.

The analysis operation program P1 is based on the reaction line 1 shown in FIG.
rotational movement, movement movement of arm 5 and moving block 6,
Movement of trays 2 and 3 1 Control of mechanical parts such as operation of dispensing device @ 7, control of spectrometer 8, control of signal conversion systems such as preamplifier 9a and A/D converter 9b, etc., and original analysis operations This is a program that allows you to do this.

The offset correction operation program P2 only controls the spectrometer 8 and signal conversion systems such as the preamplifier 9a and A/D converter 9b, and is a program for detecting offset errors. During the spectroscopic operation associated with the execution of this program P2, a command is given to the shutter drive circuit 8CI to close the shutter 8C, detection is performed in a light-shielded state, and the output from the photodiode array 8b4 is transmitted to the preamplifier 9a, A/ Through the D converter 9b, cpulo
The operation is controlled so that the data is stored in the memory 10a normally provided in the computer.

Next, the operation of this embodiment configured as described above will be explained with reference to FIG. That is, in step S1, the ii source is turned on, and here, for example, the display 1 is turned on.
1 on the reaction line 1. Reagent tray2. Test sample tray 3
status etc. are displayed and comments are given to the operator. When preparations are complete, the start switch is turned on in step $2, and a determination is made as to whether offset correction is to be performed or not in step S3. When offset correction is to be performed, an offset correction operation program S2 is executed in the CPUIO in step S5. When this offset correction operation program S2 is executed, a command is given to the shutter drive circuit 8C1 to close the shutter 8C. In this light-shielded state, the output from the photodiode array 8b4 passes through the preamplifier 9a and the A/D converter 9b to the CP
U 10f,: Stored in the normally provided memory 10a.

Next, in step S6, the analysis operation program P1 is executed. That is, arm 5. By operating the moving block 6 and the dispensing device 7, the test sample in one test sample container 3a in the test sample tray 3 is dispensed into the reaction tube 1a, and then the reagent in the reagent container 2a is dispensed. A reaction solution is obtained by being discharged into the reaction tube 1a. The reaction tube 1a containing this reaction solution is moved to a spectrometer 8, where spectroscopic analysis is performed. In other words, the spectrum is the photodiode array 8b.
4, this photodiode array 3b4
The output from is the preamplifier 9a.

is taken into CPtJlo through the A/D converter 9b,
This data includes an offset error, and the data indicating the offset error stored in the memory 10a is subtracted, so that correct analysis data that does not include the offset error can be obtained.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S4 that offset correction is not to be performed, step S2 is skipped and the process proceeds to step S6.

After the program is executed, post-processing such as cleaning is performed in step S7, and the series of analysis operations is completed in step S8.

The above correction process, that is, execution of the offset correction program P2, may be performed periodically regardless of whether the analysis operation program P1 is executed.

As described above, according to this embodiment, by providing the shutter 8C, the offset error can be determined in advance before performing the analysis operation, so that the offset error can be corrected computationally during the analysis operation. Automatic correction will be realized through pure data processing without manual operations. Therefore, accurate analysis data can be obtained, and the operation is automatic, which is advantageous.

[Effects of the Invention] As described in detail above, according to the present invention, analysis data including offset errors of the spectrometer and signal conversion means is obtained by executing the analysis operation program, and this is based on the offset error executed in advance. The signal at the time of light interruption corresponding to the offset error obtained by the correction operation program and stored in the storage means of the control/arithmetic unit is used to perform correction during calculation in the control/arithmetic unit. It is possible to provide a practical automatic chemical analyzer that can easily and accurately correct offset errors that occur in spectrometers and signal processing systems due to changes over time or environmental changes.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a processing flowchart of the same embodiment, Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an automatic chemical analyzer, and Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of an automatic chemical analyzer. FIG. 5 is a detailed diagram of the configuration of the spectrometer and signal conversion system in FIG. 5, and is a diagram explaining offset errors in the spectrometer and signal conversion system. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Reaction line, 1a... Reaction tube, 2... Reagent tray, 2a... Reagent container, 3... Test reagent tray, 3a... Test reagent container, 4... probe cleaning section,
5... Arm, 6... Moving block, 7... Dispensing device, 7a... Sumble probe, 8... Spectrometer,
8a...Light source, 3al...Lamp, 8b...Spectroscopy unit, 8b4...Photodiode array, 8C...
Shutter, 8c1... Shutter drive circuit, 9a...
...Preamplifier, 9b...A/D converter, i o
c p u, 10 a ... Memo 1. J, 11...
Display, 12...Printer, 13...Operation panel, 14...Thermostatic chamber, 15...Washing/drying unit 1-116...Reagent pump, Pl...Analysis operation program, P2...・Offset correction operation program. Applicant's agent Patent attorney Takehiko Suzue Figure 2

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) Mechanism for dispensing the test sample from the test sample tray and reagent from the reagent tray into the reaction tube of the reaction line to obtain a reaction solution, and a mechanism for dispensing the reaction solution of the reaction solution obtained by this mechanism. A spectrometer consisting of a light source, a detector, etc. that optically analyzes the degree of oxidation, a signal conversion means that amplifies and digitizes the analysis detection signal from this spectrometer, and a signal from this signal conversion means that analyzes the signal using a predetermined calculation method. An automatic chemical analyzer comprising: a control/arithmetic device that performs chemical analysis of a test sample, has an analysis operation program, and controls the operation of the mechanical section, spectrometer, and signal conversion means by executing the analysis operation program; In addition, an offset correction operation program, which is executed before the analysis operation program and is for detecting a signal at the time of light interruption as an offset error of the spectrometer and the signal forming means, is provided in the control/arithmetic device; , controls and controls the storage means for storing the signal when the light is cut off by executing this offset correction operation program.
An automatic chemical analyzer, characterized in that it is provided in a calculation device and corrects data obtained by executing the analysis operation program based on a signal at the time of light interruption stored in the storage means. (2) The automatic chemical analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the offset correction operation program is executed periodically.