JPH04120466A - Automatic apparatus for chemical analysis - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable reduction of the quantity of a washing liquid used and shortening of a time for treatment by providing an agitating mechanism and a control means in addition to a washing mechanism. CONSTITUTION:A washing element 13 is provided with an agitating mechanism 11, together with a nozzle which discharges a washing liquid and sucks in a diluted reaction liquid. The agitating mechanism 11 is constructed of a bimorph vibrator S and an agitator L driven by vibration of this vibrator, and the amount of vibration can be controlled by controlling the voltage of an alternating power source impressed on the vibrator S and the frequency thereof. A system controller 18 is constructed of CPU 18a controlling operations of a whole apparatus, a memory 18b storing test item information inputted to an operating element and reagent information corresponding thereto and a program memory 18c storing programs for executing analysis. The number of times of washing and the number of times of agitation are set beforehand and the CPU 18a judges the concentration and the quantity of a residual reaction liquid, selects the optimum number of times of washing and agitation and controls each mechanism on the basis of the selected number of times thereof.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Purpose of the Invention (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to an automatic chemical analyzer that performs chemical analysis of samples collected from living organisms.

(Prior art) For example, serum or the like collected from a human body is used as a sample, a desired reagent is added thereto, and the concentration of a specific component in the reaction solution is measured by, for example, a colorimetric method. An automatic chemical analyzer is known that analyzes total protein (TP), uric acid (UA), neutral fat (TG), etc. as examples of measurement items.

Before or after such treatment, a cleaning device is used to clean the reaction liquid remaining in the reaction tube during the previous treatment.

The conventional cleaning device has a reaction vessel (
Reaction tube) Place the suction and discharge nozzle N on top of U, discharge the cleaning liquid, dilute the reaction liquid, and suction it. Repeat the process several times (A to F), and finally wipe it off with the wiping member T. (G) method was adopted.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the conventional cleaning device of this type, a large amount of cleaning solution is required, the number of cleanings is increased, and the residual rate of the remaining reaction solution is kept as low as possible. There was a problem in that it caused a decrease in speed.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and provides an automatic chemical analyzer that can perform high-speed processing by using a cleaning device that uses a small amount of cleaning liquid and reduces the number of times of cleaning. The purpose is to

[Structure of the Invention (Means for Solving the Problems)] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides an automated system having a cleaning means for diluting and cleaning the reaction solution after reaction treatment multiple times using a cleaning solution. In the chemical analysis apparatus, the cleaning means includes a stirring mechanism in addition to the cleaning mechanism, and a control means is provided for controlling each of the mechanisms so as to perform cleaning a predetermined number of times and stirring at least once during the dilution cleaning process. It is characterized by:

(Function) Since a stirring step is inserted into the washing step, the washing dilution effect can be improved, and the amount of washing liquid and the number of washings can be reduced, so that the processing speed of the apparatus can be improved.

Furthermore, the effect can be further increased by using a stirring step that causes cavitation.

(Example) Examples of the present invention will be described in detail below.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of an automatic chemical analyzer 10 using a colorimetric method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The device 10 of this embodiment includes a sample section 7 in which a plurality of sample tubes 6a are arranged to receive samples 6 such as serum collected from a human body, and a reagent 4 containing reagents 4 corresponding to test items for each type. Reagent part 8 having tube 4C and sample 6
and a reaction section 9 having a plurality of reaction tubes 5 in which the sample 6 is mixed with the reagent 4 and reacted with the sample 6.

The device 10 of this embodiment also includes an operation section 15 for inputting information such as test items, and a CRT 16 for displaying measurement results measured by the photometry section 12. It has a printer 17 and a system controller 18 that controls the entire device 10.

The sample section 7 has a sample suction and dispensing mechanism 7a that suctions and dispenses the sample 6 in the sample tube 6a,
This sample suction and dispensing mechanism 7a selects a desired sample tube 6a under the control of the system controller 18,
After a predetermined amount of sample 6 is aspirated from the sample tube 6a, it is configured to be dispensed into a predetermined reaction tube 5 of the reaction section 9.

The reagent section 8 has a reagent suction and dispensing mechanism 8a as a suction and dispensing means for suctioning and dispensing the reagent 4 corresponding to the test item in the reagent tube 4C from the nozzle 1. 8a is under the control of the system controller 18,
After selecting a desired reagent tube 4C and aspirating a predetermined amount of reagent 4 from the reagent tube 4C, it can be dispensed into a predetermined reaction tube 5 of the reaction section 9.

The reaction section 9 includes a stirring section 11 that stirs the mixed solution of the sample 6 and the reagent 4 dispensed into the reaction tube 5, a photometric section 12 that analyzes the stirred mixed solution, and a photometric section 12 that stirs the mixed solution of the sample 6 and the reagent 4 dispensed into the reaction tube 5. It has a cleaning section 13 that cleans the inside of the reaction tube 5, and a constant temperature section 14 that keeps the mixed liquid inside the reaction tube 5 at a constant temperature so as to perform stable measurements.

The photometry section 12 includes a light source 12a, a diffraction grating 12b that transmits the light from the light source 12a through a mixed solution of the sample 6 and the reagent 4 in the reaction tube 5, and disperses the transmitted light for each wavelength. It has a detection system including a detector 12c that receives the dispersed light and detects the absorbance for each wavelength, and detects the reaction state of the mixed liquid, that is, the absorbance. Before measuring the absorbance of this mixed solution, the absorbance when pure water is poured into the reaction tube 5 is measured (hereinafter referred to as water blank measurement), and this measurement data is used as reference data for calibration. Since the contamination of the reaction tube 5 differs each time a measurement is performed, this reference data for calibration is obtained each time before measuring the absorbance of the mixed liquid.

Here, the configuration of the cleaning section 13 will be explained.

The cleaning section 13 discharges cleaning liquid as in the conventional device,
It is equipped with a nozzle for sucking the diluted reaction solution, and a third
It is also equipped with a stirring mechanism (means) as shown in the figure. This stirring mechanism is composed of a bimorph vibrating body S and a stirring bar driven by the bimorph vibrating body S, and the amount of vibration can be controlled by controlling the voltage and frequency of the alternating power supply applied to the bimorph vibrating body S. It's getting better.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic block diagram of the apparatus 10 of this embodiment.

The system controller 18 includes a CPU 18a serving as a control means for controlling the overall operation of the apparatus 10, and a memory 18b for storing test item information input to the operation section 15 and reagent information corresponding to this test item information. It is configured to include a program memory 18c that stores a series of operation command information as a program for executing analysis based on this test item information. The system controller 18 includes the operation section 15°CRT1.
6. Printer 17. The reagent suction and dispensing mechanism 8a, the sample suction and dispensing mechanism 7a, and the reaction section 9 are electrically connected. electrically connected.

Here, control of the cleaning mechanism by the system controller 18 will be explained.

First, the setting of the number of times of washing and the number of times of stirring will be explained with reference to FIG. Figure 4 is a graph showing the relationship between the number of washings (and stirring) and the dilution rate of the reaction solution, where P3 is based on calculations, P□ is when only conventional washing was performed multiple times, and P2 is when washing and This is a combination of stirring. Here, the amounts of the reaction solution and the cleaning solution were kept constant, and the stirring was done by increasing the voltage applied to the vibration stirring mechanism to cause cavitation. It can be seen that P2 smoothly increases the dilution rate in a short time.

Based on such experimental data, the number of times of washing and stirring is set in advance and stored as a table in the memory within the system controller 18, and the CPU 18a determines the concentration and amount of the remaining reaction liquid and determines the optimum number of times of washing and stirring. It is designed to control each of the above-mentioned mechanisms by selecting one.

For example, as shown in FIG. 6(b), immediately after the first cleaning (A), stirring is performed (B), then cleaning is performed again (C), and then only the cleaning liquid is discharged. It is assumed that the following control is selected: (E), suction of the reaction solution (F), and finally wiping (G).

Next, the overall operation of the device 10 of this embodiment will be explained using FIG. 5 as well.

Although the order in which reagent 4 and sample 6 are dispensed into reaction tube 5 is the same regardless of which order is dispensed first, the case where reagent 4 is dispensed first will be explained as an example.

Moreover, not only one type of reagent 4 but also two or more types of reagents 4 may be used for one test item as necessary, and in the following operation description, a case where two types are used will be explained.

First, when the start key (not shown) on the operation unit 15 is pressed to turn on the power, a start signal is sent to the CPU 18a, the CPU 18a reads out the program stored in the program memory 18C, and indicates that preparation is complete. Become (STI).

Next, when information such as test items is input to this operation section 15, the CPU 18a stores this test item information in the memory 18b, and then controls the cleaning section 13 to clean the inside of the reaction tube 5 (Sr1 ). Here, as mentioned above, Figure 6 (
Control based on the step b) is performed to dilute and wash the reaction solution.

Then, the CPU 18a controls the cleaning unit 13 to dispense pure water into the reaction tube, causes the photometry unit 12 to perform a water blank measurement, and after this measurement is completed, discharges the pure water used for this measurement (Sr1 ).

The CPU 18a searches the test item information stored in the memory 18b, controls the reagent suction/dispensing mechanism 8a, and uses the reagent 4 corresponding to the test item information input to the operation unit 15 as the suction/dispensing medium. The pure water is sucked into the nozzle 1 by suctioning the pure water.

(Sr4).

The reagent suction and dispensing mechanism 8a is based on the control of the CPU 8a.
The reagent 4 aspirated earlier is dispensed as a first reagent into the reaction tube 5 of the reaction section 9 (Sr5).

Next, the CPU 18a causes the sample suction and dispensing machine 7a to aspirate the sample 6 in the sample section 7, and dispenses the aspirated sample 6 into the same reaction tube 5 into which it was dispensed in step ST5 (Sr6).

Subsequently, the CPU 18a causes the stirring unit 11 to stir the mixed liquid of the reagent 4 and the sample 6 dispensed into the reaction tube 5 (S
r1).

Similarly to step ST7, the CPU 18a controls the reagent suction mechanism 8a to dispense reagent 4 as the second reagent into the mixed liquid obtained in step ST7 (Sr1).

Stirring is performed in the same manner as in step ST7 (Sr9)
.

Then, the CPU 18a sends the photometric section 12 the first reagent and the second reagent.
The mixed liquid into which the reagent has been dispensed is subjected to photometry, and information on the photometry results is received (STIO).

The CPU 18a transfers the received photometry result information to the CRT.
16 for image display, and also sends this photometry result information to the printer 17 for printing processing (STII
).

Under the control of the CPU 18a, the cleaning section 13 discharges the mixed liquid in the reaction tube 5 after the analysis, cleans the reaction tube 5 (ST12), and ends the measurement (ST13).

The cleaning in step 5T12 is also similar to step ST2.

[Effect of the invention] According to the device as described above, for example, (a) and (
As can be seen from the comparison with b), the conventional method ((a) in the same figure) is 4
A total of 7 steps were required, including washing twice, discharging the washing liquid each time, suctioning the reaction liquid, and wiping each time, but according to the present invention, washing twice, stirring once, and washing the washing liquid every time. There are a total of 6 steps: ejection, suction of reaction liquid, and wiping.
By reducing the number of times of cleaning by two, the amount of cleaning liquid used can be reduced and the processing time can be shortened.

Therefore, the processing time of the automatic chemical analyzer itself can be increased.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an automatic chemical analyzer showing one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the same device, and FIG.
The figure is a schematic front view showing an example of the configuration of the stirring means, FIG. 4 is a graph showing experimental values for setting cleaning conditions, FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the entire device, and FIG. ) is an explanatory diagram of the conventional cleaning step, and FIG. 6(b) is an explanatory diagram of the cleaning step used in the present invention. 10...Automatic chemical analyzer, 13...Cleaning section, 18
... System controller (control means), S ... Bimorph vibrator, L ... Stirrer. Figure Figure

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) In an automatic chemical analyzer having a cleaning means for diluting and cleaning the reaction solution after reaction treatment multiple times using a cleaning liquid, the cleaning means is constituted by a stirring mechanism in addition to the cleaning mechanism, and An automatic chemical analyzer characterized in that it is provided with a control means for controlling each of the above mechanisms so as to perform washing a predetermined number of times and stirring at least once during a dilution washing process. (2) The automatic chemical analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the stirring mechanism is a vibration stirring mechanism that can adjust the amount of vibration. (3) The automatic chemical analyzer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the vibration stirring mechanism has as a main structure a bimorph vibrator whose vibration amount can be controlled by an alternating power supply. (4) The automatic chemical analyzer according to claim 3, wherein the control means performs control to cause cavitation in the stirring mechanism by controlling the voltage of the alternating power supply.