JPH01212362A - Automatic chemical analyzer - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to an automatic chemical analyzer that measures the concentration of a specific component in a reaction solution containing a sample.

(Prior art) A sample of a living body, such as human serum, etc.
Desired items such as total protein (TP), uric acid (UA,
, neutral fat (TG), and the like are known. In carrying out such chemical analysis, as the number of measurement items has increased recently, there has been a desire for a high-speed multi-item analysis device that has a processing capacity corresponding to the increase in the number of measurement items.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the configuration of a conventional analyzer. The analyzer is roughly divided into a sampler section 1 that holds a sample to be measured, a sample transport section 2 that supplies the sample to a reaction measurement section 3, which will be described later. The reaction measuring section 3 reacts the supplied sample with a reagent and measures the concentration of a specific component in the reaction solution. The sampler section 1 has a rectangular rack carrier 4, in which a plurality of sample racks 6 storing a plurality of sample containers 5 are arranged in the X direction, and the sample rack 6 at the top position in the figure is sequentially transferred in the Y direction. It has become so. For example, a vacuum blood collection tube is used as the sample container 5, and it is filled with a sample such as serum taken directly from a patient, and each sample container 5 (5
A sample ID method is adopted in which a barcode label 7 indicating the sample ID is provided on each of the samples (a, 5b, 5c, . . . ).

According to this, advantages such as prevention of specimen (sample) handling errors and rationalization of measurements can be obtained. These sample containers 5 are stored in the storage section 6a of the sample rack 6, and the barcode of the barcode label 7 is read optically, for example, through the side opening 6b. A sample ID reader 8 is provided at the end 4a of the rack carrier 4, and the bar code of each sample container 5 on the sample rack 6 transferred to the end 4a is sequentially read by the sample ID reader 8.

The sample transport section 2 has, for example, a belt conveyor 9, and receives the sample racks 6 transferred to the end portion 4a of the rack carrier 4 one after another and transports them first. The sample rack 6 has been transferred to a desired position by the belt conveyor 9, and a desired sample is sucked from the sample container 5 by the sample dispensing nozzle 10 and supplied to the reaction measurement section 3 located around the sample rack 6.

The reaction measuring section 3 has, for example, a circular constant temperature bath 11, and a plurality of reaction cells 12 (12a) are arranged along the circumference of the bath.

12b, 12c, . . . ) are arranged, and these reaction cells 12 are rotated in a constant cycle and sequentially moved to the light.

The sample sucked (sampled) by the sample dispensing nozzle 10 is dispensed into the reaction cell 12 at the Pl position, and the desired reagent is dispensed into the reaction cell 12 by the reagent dispensing nozzle 13 at the P2 position. The reaction solution is stirred by the stirring bar 14 at the roughly advanced position P3.

A photometric system 15 for measuring the concentration of a specific component in the reaction solution of the reaction cell 12 by, for example, a colorimetric method is provided at the P4 position, and the optical path 15c from the light source 15a to the detector 15b is connected to the reaction cell. The absorbance of this reaction solution is measured photometrically at the moment it is crossed by 12 to obtain analytical data. The reaction cell 12 in which analysis has been completed in this way
is cleaned by the cleaning nozzle 16 at the P5 position, advances to the P1 position, and the same operation is repeated.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) In the conventional automatic chemical analyzer, the samples held in the sampler section 1 are sequentially transferred to the sample transfer section 2, so the samples cannot be used in the sampler section 1. The problem is that it can't be done. In other words, original samples prepared for measurement are stored in sample racks 6 with sample containers 5 filled with each sample, and these sample racks 6 are sequentially transported to sample transport section 2. This means that there is no sample left. For this reason, if you want to use this sample for measurement with another device, or if you want to use another measurement method such as the electrode method in another reaction measurement section, it will be impossible to immediately measure the sample. It is necessary to wait and take out the sample that has been transported to the measurement position after the transport section 2. This requires a non-negligible waiting time, so if urgent measurement is required, there is a risk that the measurement will not be completed in time, and measurement efficiency will also decrease.

The present invention has been made in response to the above-mentioned problems.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic chemical analyzer that can take out samples whenever necessary without waiting time.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problem) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention transports only the amount of sample necessary for measurement from the sampler section holding the sample to the sample transport section. It is designed to be supplied to the reaction measurement section.

(Function) Only the amount of sample necessary for measurement is taken out from the sampler section that holds the original sample and supplied to the reaction measurement section, so the original sample remains in the sampler section. Therefore, a desired sample can be taken out from the sampler section whenever necessary.

(Example) FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an example of the automatic chemical analyzer of the present invention, in which 1 is a sampler section, 2 is a sample transport section, and 3 is a reaction measurement section. A plurality of sample racks 6 arranged in the X direction of the rack carrier 4 of the sampler section 1 are sequentially transferred in the Y direction, and the barcode on the barcode label 7 of each sample container 5 is read by the sample ID reader 8 at the end 4. After being transferred from the end portion 4a in the direction opposite to the Y direction, the rack carrier 4 is configured to be placed in the stacker portion 4b. End 4 of rack carrier 4
A is provided with a sample dispensing nozzle 17 that is movable in the front-rear direction, and this nozzle 17 sucks only O necessary for measuring a desired sample from each sample container 5 on the sample rack 6 that has reached the end 4a. Then, the sample is dispensed into the sample transport section 2.

As a result, only the amount of sample in the sample rack 6 and sample container 5 necessary for measurement is taken out, and the rest is left in the rack carrier 4.

The sample sucked by the sample dispensing nozzle 17 is dispensed into the test tube 18 of the sample transport section 2. The test tubes 18 are conveyed independently by the belt conveyor 9 at regular intervals. A sample dispensing nozzle 10 that is movable in the front and back direction is provided around the belt conveyor 9, and this nozzle 10 sucks a desired sample from each test tube 18 on the belt conveyor 9 and supplies it to the reaction measurement section 3. .

The reaction measuring section 3 is configured in the same manner as shown in FIG. 4, and the sample sucked by the sample dispensing nozzle 10 is dispensed into the reaction cell 12 at the P1 position. In this reaction cell 12, a desired reagent is dispensed at the P2 position, stirring is performed at the P3 position, and analysis is performed, for example, by a colorimetric method at the P4 position. After the analysis is completed, the reaction cell 12 is cleaned at the P5 position, and then the same operation is repeated from the P1 position.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

A sample rack 6 containing a plurality of sample containers 5 is placed in the rack carrier 4 of the sampler section 1, transferred to the end 4a of the rack carrier 4, and the barcode of each sample container 5 is read by the sample ID reader 8. It will be done. After reading the barcode, a sample dispensing nozzle 17 aspirates only the amount of desired sample required for measurement from each sample container 5 and dispenses it into a test tube 18 of the sample transport section 2. The sample rack 6 holding each sample container 5 after sample dispensing is again transferred in the opposite direction and placed in the stacker part 4b of the rack carrier 4. The sample container 5 on the sample rack 6 disposed in the stacker part 4b is filled with the remaining amount after being sucked out by sample dispensing. Therefore, since the original sample remains in the sampler section 1, a desired sample can be taken out from the sampler section 1 whenever necessary.

The sample dispensed into the test tube 18 of the sample transport section 2 is sucked by the sample dispensing nozzle 10 at a desired position and dispensed into the reaction cell 12 of the reaction measurement section 3. This reaction cell 12 is then used for reagent dispensing.

After stirring, the photometric system 10 performs analysis by, for example, a colorimetric method to obtain analytical data.

According to this embodiment, the entire original sample held in the sampler section 1 is not transferred to the sample transport section 2, but only the amount necessary for measurement is transferred, and the rest is left as is. . Therefore, if necessary, for example, if you want to perform a measurement using this original sample with another device, or if you want to perform a measurement using another measurement method, such as an electrode method, in another reaction measurement section, the sampler section 1 always contains the sample. By taking out the original sample, measurements can be taken immediately without waiting time. This makes it possible to handle urgent measurements and improve measurement efficiency.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the present invention, in which two reaction foot measuring sections 3, A and B, are provided adjacent to the sample transport section 2. In this case, a 2 g sample dispensing nozzle 10.19 is provided corresponding to each reaction measurement section 3, so that the sample is supplied from the sample transport section 2 to each reaction measurement section 3. This embodiment also has the same configuration as the previous embodiment except that the number of reaction measurement units 3 is increased, and the same effects can be obtained.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the present invention, in which the sampler section is constructed with a circular rotary table. That is, the sampler section 1 has a circular rotary table 20 driven by a motor section 21, and a plurality of sample racks 6 are arranged on the rotary table 20 along the circumference.
is placed.

The sample rack 6 is arranged, for example, at a desired position P from the outside of the rotary table 20 so that its length direction is substantially orthogonal to the circumferential surface 20a. At the position where the rotary table 20 is moved to the sample tD reader 8, this sample rack 6 is temporarily taken out to the outside of the rotary table 20, and the barcode on the barcode label of each sample container 5 is sequentially read by the sample tD reader 8. It will be done. The sample rack 6 that has been read is returned to its original position on the rotary table 20. Subsequently, the sample dispensing nozzle 17, which is movable back and forth, aspirates only the sample required for measurement and dispenses it into the test tube 18 of the sample transport section 2. This embodiment also has the same configuration as the previous embodiment except that the sampler section 1 is constituted by a circular rotary table 20, and the same effects can be obtained.

Various other modifications are possible; for example, two reaction measuring sections 3 can be provided in the embodiment shown in FIG. Further, the number of reaction measurement units 3 may be three or more as required.

As shown in each example, in the present invention,
Sampler part 1. The specific configuration of the sample transport section 21 and the reaction measurement section 3 can be arbitrarily selected, and the selected sections can be combined.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, only the amount of sample necessary for measurement is taken out from the sampler section and supplied to the reaction measurement section, so it is possible to leave the original sample in the sampler section. When necessary, it can be taken out immediately without any waiting time.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the automatic chemical analyzer of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a plan view showing another embodiment of the invention, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the invention. 4 is a plan view showing a conventional example, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a sample rack and a sample container used in the sampler section of the apparatus of the present invention. 1... Sampler section, 2... Sample transport section, 3...
- Reaction measurement section, 5 (5a, 5b, 5c, -...,)...sample container, 6...sample rack, 10.17.19...sample dispensing nozzle, 20...
・Rotating table. 3ρ Garden 11 Fixed Arc Figure 4

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) In an automatic chemical analyzer that measures the concentration of a specific component in a reaction solution containing a sample, there is a sampler section that holds a predetermined amount of sample, and a reaction solution that reacts with a part of the sampler section and a reagent. a reaction measurement section that measures the concentration of a specific component; a sample transport section that takes out an amount of sample necessary for measurement and less than the predetermined amount from the sampler section and transports it to the reaction measurement section; An automatic chemical analysis device comprising a dispensing mechanism provided between the sections, a sample transport section, and a reaction measurement section. (2) The automatic chemical analyzer according to claim 1, wherein a sample holder containing a plurality of sample containers filled with samples is set in the sampler section. (3) The automatic chemical analyzer according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of reaction measurement sections.