JPH01250759A - Automatic apparatus for chemical analysis - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable the setting of sample tubes at random in a rotary table, by storing the time whereat the sample tubes are set in the rotary table, and by moving the sample tubes to a sampling position in the sequence wherein the tubes set earlier are moved earlier. CONSTITUTION:When a sample rack 4 holding sample tubes 5 is set at random in a time of stoppage of a rotary table 3, the time of the setting is stored in CPU 12 through a rack detecting sensor 11. When a driving element 2 is operated in this state, a control element 10 controls the driving element 2 so as to forward fast the table 3 so that the rack 4 set earliest be moved to a sampling position on the basis of the data stored in the CPU 12. The rack 4 which is moved to the sampling position and of which sampling is completed is moved to a position off the sampling position by an operation of forwarding fast a rack 4 set earliest secondly. Accordingly, it is possible to take the former rack 4 away from the table 4 at that position in the time of stoppage of the table and to set a rack 4 to be sampled subsequently in said vacant position.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Field of Application) The present invention relates to an automatic chemical valve folding device that reacts a sample with a reagent and measures the concentration of a specific component in the reaction solution.

(Prior art) Human serum or the like is used as a sample, a desired reagent is added to it to cause a chemical reaction, and the concentration of a specific component in this reaction solution is determined by, for example, a colorimetric method. Automated chemical analyzers that perform measurements for diagnosis are known. This analyzer is divided into two parts: a sampler section that holds the T sample to be analyzed and samples it externally at a predetermined timing, a sample dilution transfer section that dilutes the sampled sample and transfers it, and a diluted sample that transfers the diluted sample to the desired sample. It consists of a reaction section that performs chemical analysis by reacting reagents.

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view showing the configuration of the sampler section of this analyzer. A plurality of sample racks 4 can be set along.

The sample rack 4 is placed from the outside of the rotary table 3 at a predetermined position P with its loading direction substantially perpendicular to the circumferential surface 3a, and a sample tube 5 filled with a desired sample is placed in this rack. A plurality of books, for example five, are stored. In this case, a set number of sample racks 4 are prepared in advance, and the sample racks 4 are configured to be set in a sequential manner on the rotary table 3 in the order in which they are desired to be measured.

Recently, as the sample tube 5, a vacuum blood collection tube is used, which collects blood directly from the patient and then retains serum as a supernatant through centrifugation. It is stored in the storage section 4a of the rack 4. Each sample tube 5 (5a.

5b, 5c, . . .) are provided with a barcode label 6 indicating the ID of each sample, and a so-called sample ID method is adopted. Further, each sample rack 4 is also provided with a barcode label 7 indicating the rack ID. According to such a sample ID method, each sample tube can be managed reliably, and advantages such as prevention of sample handling errors and rationalization of measurements can be obtained.

The rotary table 3 performs intermittent motion in a constant cycle to move the sample rack 4 one after another in a constant direction by pitches, for example, in a clockwise direction as indicated by an arrow. The cycle time is determined depending on the number of sample tubes 5, etc. An ID reader 8 is provided at a predetermined position around the rotary table 3, and when approached by an ID reader 8, the sample rack 4 is temporarily taken out to the outside by a take-out mechanism (not shown), thereby reading the bar code of each sample tube 5. The barcode of the sample is read from the label 6. After reading, the sample rack 4 is returned to its original position on the rotary table 3.

The barcode of the sample rack 4 is also read. I
A sample dispensing nozzle 9 that is movable back and forth is provided adjacent to the D reader 8, and the amount of sample required for measurement is aspirated (sampled) from the sample tube 5 of the sample rack 4 and transferred to the sample dilution transfer section. be done.

The sample racks 4 that have been successively set from the predetermined position P on the rotary table 3 in the order in which they are desired to be measured are read by the ID reader 8 after the barcodes of the sample racks 4 and sample tubes 5 are read. A sample is sampled from the sample tube 5 by the sample dispensing nozzle 9 at a predetermined position, transferred to the sample dilution transfer section, and further transferred to the reaction section for chemical analysis. The setting of the sample rack 4 on the rotary table 3 and sampling by the sample dispensing nozzle 9 are performed during the period when the rotary table 3 is stopped in each cycle.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) In conventional analyzers, when sample racks are set on a rotary table, a set number of sample racks are prepared in advance, and the order in which they are desired to be measured is decided and set consecutively. However, the measurement efficiency is low. For example, if the number of sample racks does not reach a certain number, you will be forced to wait until this number is reached, and then the order will be decided and you can go!・Because of this, it is impossible to arbitrarily set items in Shun's order to earlier positions.

The present invention was made in response to the above circumstances.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a sample transfer device for an automatic chemical analyzer that allows samples to be randomly set on a rotary table to improve measurement efficiency.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a rotary table that can be rotated in a forward direction or a reverse direction, and adjusts the set time of each sample set on the rotary table. is stored, and the samples are moved to the sampling position by the shortest distance in the order of the earliest set time.

(Function) Cera 1-
The set time of all the samples to be sampled is stored, and each sample is sequentially rotated in the forward or reverse direction in the order of the earliest set time, thereby moving to the sampling position by the shortest distance. Therefore, even if a large number of samples are not prepared, those that need to be measured can be set randomly on the rotary table one after another, and numbering is performed in the order in which they are set, thereby improving measurement efficiency.

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the automatic chemical analyzer of the present invention, and particularly shows the configuration of the sampler section 1, in which a drive section 2 containing a motor moves the rotary table 3 in the forward direction or It is configured to be rotatable in opposite directions, and its operation is controlled by the control unit 10. A sample rack 4 accommodating a plurality of sample tubes 5, for example 5, is placed on the rotary table 3 from above, for example, and its set position can be randomly selected from an empty position. A rack detection sensor 1 is installed around the drive unit 2 to detect whether or not a sample rack 4 is set.
1 is provided, and a plurality of sample racks 4 corresponding to the number of sample racks 4 to be set are provided.

When the sample rack 4 is set at the position of the rotary table 3, the presence of the sample rack 4 is detected by the corresponding rack detection sensor 11, and this detection signal is sent to the central processing unit (CPU).
12, and the set time is stored in the storage section.

This setting time is stored each time a sample rack 4 is set, and the CPU 12 always organizes and stores a plurality of sample racks 4 in order of earliest set time.

The rotary table 3 is controlled by the drive section 2 and the control section 10 to sequentially move the sample rack 4 to the sampling position in units of one cycle consisting of fast forwarding (forward or reverse direction) and stopping.

An ID reader 8 is provided at a desired position around the rotary table 3, and a sample dispensing nozzle 9 is provided adjacent to the ID reader 8. The sample rack 4 moved to this desired position by fast forwarding in each cycle is temporarily taken out of the rotary table 3 by a take-out mechanism (not shown), and the bar code of the sample rack 4 along with each sample tube 5 is read by the ID reader 8. It will be done. Next, sampling is performed from each sample tube 5 by the sample dispensing nozzle 9, and the sample is dispensed into the dilution tube of the sample dilution transfer section.

After the barcode reading and sampling have been completed, the sample rack 4 is returned to its original position on the rotary table 3. The sampling takes, for example, 6 seconds per sample, and 30 seconds for 5 samples. This sampling is performed during the stop period of each cycle of the rotary table 3, and the stop time of the rotary table 3 is set to 30 seconds, for example.

When the sampling of the sample rack 4 is completed, the next sample rack 4 is fast-forwarded to the sampling position and similar sampling is performed.

The order in which the sample racks 4 are fast-forwarded to the sampling position is determined by the time set on the rotary table 3, and this is determined by the drive unit 2 moving the rotary table 3 in the forward or reverse direction under the control of the CPU 12. The sample rack 4 is rotated so as to be moved to the sampling position by the shortest distance.

For example, as shown in Figure 2, three sample racks 4a, 4b
, 4c are the earliest in time, d4b.

It is assumed that 4c and 4a are soldered in the order of 1 to 4. ■.

■ and ■ indicate the earliest order of time. In this state, the rotary table 3 rotates in the positive direction (clockwise as shown by the arrow) in order to first move the sample rack 4b, which is indicated by (2), by the shortest distance to the sampling position Sp. Figure 3 (
A) shows the arrangement in which the sample rack 4b has been moved to the sampling position Sp in this manner. Next, the rotary table 3 is rotated in the forward direction as shown by the arrow in order to move the sample rack 4C shown in (2) from the arrangement state shown in (a) by the shortest distance (C) with respect to the sampling position SP. Third
Figure (b) shows the arrangement in which the sample rack 4C is moved to the sampling position Sp in this manner. Subsequently, the rotary table 3 rotates in the opposite direction (counterclockwise) as shown by the arrow in order to move the sample rack 4a (■) from the arrangement state of (b) by the shortest distance with respect to the sampling position Sp. FIG. 3(C) shows the arrangement in which the sample rack 4a is moved to the sampling position Sp in this manner.

The sample rack 4, which has been guided to the sampling position Sp in this way and has completed sampling, is placed on the rotary table 3.
during the outage period.

Further, other sample racks 4 to be measured (to be sampled) are randomly set one after another in the vacant positions. The operation prediction lamp 15 is used to indicate when it is possible to operate the sample rack 4 when the sample rack 4 is removed or set. Of the 30 seconds, for example, 20 seconds excluding the preceding and succeeding 5 seconds is set.

Also, on the top of the drive unit 2 is a sampling and pre-sampling display lamp 1.
6 is provided to display whether or not sampling of the corresponding sample rack 4 has been completed, and for example, to light up when the sampling has been completed. This makes it possible to confirm whether the sample rack randomly set on the rotary table 3 is before or after sampling. A control switch 17 is also provided corresponding to the sample rack 4.
By operating this switch 17, the rotary table 3
operation can be stopped. This is used especially when there is a sample rack 47J to be set at that position. By setting the sample rack 4 at this position, this is detected by the rack detection sensor 11 and the rotary table 3 starts operating.

The sample sampled by the sample dispensing nozzle 9 is transferred to the dilution tube 14 ('14a, 14b) of the sample dilution transfer section 13, as shown in FIG.

14C2...) is moved in the direction of the arrow. The sample diluted to a desired ratio by the dilution mechanism 18 is transferred to a sample dispensing nozzle 19 that is movable back and forth.
5 samples necessary for measurement are taken from the desired dilution tube 14 and transferred to the reaction cell 21 of the reaction section 20. In the reaction section 20, a sample is reacted with a desired reagent, and the concentration of a specific component in the reaction solution is measured to perform chemical analysis.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

When the sample racks 4 are randomly set while the rotary table 3 is stopped, the set time of each sample rack 4 is stored in the CPU 12. When the rotary table 3 is rotated by the drive unit 2 in this state, the control unit 10
Based on the data stored in U12, the drive unit 2 is rotated in the forward or reverse direction to fast-forward the rotary table 3 so that the sample rack 4 with the earliest set time is moved to the sampling position by the shortest distance. Control. The sample rack that has been moved to the sampling position and has completed sampling is moved to a position deviated from the one non-pull position by fast-forwarding the sample rack 4 at the second earliest set time in the next cycle. Therefore, at this position, this sample rack 4 is taken out from the rotary table 3 during this stop time, and the sample rack 4 to be sampled next is removed.
can be set in this empty position. Further, if there are empty positions on the rotary table 3 from the beginning, it can be set at these positions. In this way, taking out the sample rack 4 after sampling or setting a new sample rack 4 for sampling can be performed safely by confirming that the operation prediction lamp 15 is lit while the rotary table 3 is stopped. .

Thereafter, such an operation is repeated, and the set sample racks 4 are sampled in the order of the set time.

As described above, according to this embodiment, since the samples can be moved to the sampling position in the shortest distance in the order of the earliest set time, the sample racks that should be set on the rotary table 3 can be set on the rotary table 3 at random. can. Therefore, even if a large quantity is not prepared in advance and the quantity is small as in the past, it is possible to carry out measurements sequentially from 1 to 1.Also, it is possible to set the units in any position discontinuously, so it is possible to set the order in which you want to measure. There is no need to go through the trouble of deciding and setting the settings continuously. Therefore, since sampling is performed in the set order, measurement efficiency can be improved.

Although the embodiment has been described as an example in which υ samples are stored in a lean pull rack and set on the rotary table, the sample rack is not necessarily necessary and the sample can be set alone.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, since sampling is performed one after another in the order in which the samples are placed in the rotating daple, the measurement efficiency can be improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 and 4 are perspective views showing an embodiment of the automatic chemical analyzer of the present invention, FIGS. The figure is a schematic plan view showing a conventional example, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a sample rack and sample tube used in the sampler section. 1... Sampler section, 2... Drive section, 3...
Rotary table, 4...sample rack, 5...
1 non-pull tube, 8...ID reader, 10...
Control unit, 12... Central processing unit (CPU), 15...
・Operation prediction lamp, 16...Sample front/back indicator lamp. Agent Patent Attorney Nori Ken Ken Toshu Kon Fuji Full right 2 Figure 4

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) Automated chemical analysis in which multiple samples are set on a circular rotary table, the samples are transferred to the reaction section at the desired rotation stop position, the reagents are reacted, and the concentration of specific components in the reaction solution is measured. The apparatus includes a driving means capable of rotating the rotary table in the forward or reverse direction, a storage means for storing each setting time of the samples sequentially set on the rotary table, and a sampling position for storing the samples at the shortest distance in the order of the earliest set time. and control means for controlling the driving means to move the driving means. (2) The automatic chemical analyzer according to claim 1, wherein a sample tube is filled with a sample and the sample tube is set on a rotating table while being stored in a sample rack.