JPH05180850A - Automatic chemical analyzer - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] Take sufficient time to wash the sample probe and reagent probe to prevent carryover and cross-contamination, and shorten the absorbance measurement interval to improve measurement accuracy. [Configuration] An absorptiometer 27 is also arranged along the reaction line 5. The absorptiometer 27 is fixed, and the reaction line 5 rotates to measure the absorbance of the reaction solution in the reaction container 4. The reaction line 5 rotates in the first half and the latter half of one step, respectively, and the absorptiometer 27 during the rotation.
The absorbance reading is performed once for each.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic chemical analyzer for measuring the concentration or activity value of a target component in a sample containing multiple components such as blood and urine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A sample sampling mechanism for dispensing a sample into a reaction vessel along an annular reaction line in which the reaction vessels are arranged and conveyed in a line in an analysis section of an automatic chemical analyzer.
A reagent injection mechanism that dispenses a reagent into a reaction container in which a sample has been injected, a stirring mechanism that agitates the reaction liquid in the reaction container, an absorptiometer that measures the absorbance of the reaction liquid in the reaction container, and a cleaning process that cleans the reaction container. There is a single-multi type automatic chemical analyzer equipped with at least a mechanism. The following relationships are established in the single-multi system automatic chemical analyzer. (Time required for the reaction vessel to complete one round of the reaction line (seconds)) = (Total number of reaction vessels) × (Time required for one step (seconds)) (Process number / hour) = 3600 / (Time required for one step) (Second) Among these, (time (second) required for the reaction container to complete one round of the reaction line) relates to the maximum reaction time.

In the conventional single-multi type automatic analyzer, the reaction line moves (1 round + 1 reaction vessel), (half round + 1 reaction vessel) or (round / 4 + 1 reaction vessel) in one step. Sample dispensing, reagent dispensing, stirring, reaction vessel washing and absorbance measurement are performed in one step, or absorbance measurement is performed once after multiple steps of sample dispensing, reagent dispensing, stirring, etc. It is controlled to

[0004]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Sample dispensing, reagent dispensing,
Since the stirring and the washing of the reaction vessel and the absorbance measurement are performed in the same time, if the sample dispensing and the reagent dispensing are time-consuming, the absorbance measuring interval becomes long. For example, in rate measurement, the shorter the measurement interval, the better the measurement accuracy.
If the measurement interval becomes long, there will be a problem in measurement accuracy. If the time for sample dispensing or reagent dispensing is shortened, the absorbance measurement interval will be shortened and the measurement accuracy will be improved, but it can be used for washing the sample probe after sample dispensing and reagent probe washing after reagent dispensing. Since sufficient time cannot be taken, there is a problem that carryover or cross contamination occurs. Currently, an apparatus that performs sample dispensing to absorbance measurement within one step, the fastest one is 600 tests / hour, and the time required for reagent dispensing is approaching the limit.

It is an object of the present invention to prevent carryover and cross contamination by taking a sufficient time for washing a sample probe and a reagent probe and shortening the interval of absorbance measurement to improve the measurement accuracy. is there.

[0006]

In the present invention, sample dispensing,
The absorbance is read multiple times at the same position while the reaction line moves the reaction vessel one step for reagent dispensing, stirring and washing.

[0007]

Function: The time for one step is set so that sample dispensing, reagent dispensing, stirring, washing of the reaction vessel, etc. can be performed sufficiently, but since the absorbance reading is performed multiple times within that step, the absorbance measurement The interval becomes shorter.

[0008]

FIG. 1 shows an example of an analysis unit of an automatic chemical analysis apparatus to which the present invention is applied. Reference numeral 2 denotes a reaction disk, which is intermittently rotated in the direction of arrow 15 by a rotation drive mechanism. A ring-shaped reaction line 5 is formed by arranging the reaction vessels 4 also serving as cuvettes in one row along the circumference of the cuvette roller 3 of the reaction disk 2. The reaction vessel 4 is immersed in a constant temperature water tank and kept at a constant temperature. Reaction container 4
A sample sampling mechanism 6 is arranged along the reaction line 5 for injecting a sample analyte into the. In the sample sampling mechanism 6, sample cups 7 are arranged along the circumference of the sampling table 8, and the sample suction / collection position 1
Sample dispenser 9 for dispensing sample from 3 sample cups
Are arranged. A sampling probe 10 is provided at the tip of the sample dispenser 9, and the probe 10 moves along the movement path 11 between the reaction container at the sample dispensing position 14 and the sample cup at the sample suction / collection position 13. A cleaning pot 12 is provided on the moving path 11, and the probe 1
0 can be washed.

A reagent injection mechanism 16 is arranged along the reaction line 5 in order to inject the reagent into the reaction container into which the sample has been dispensed. In the reagent injection mechanism 16, a reagent container 17 is arranged along the circumference of the reagent tray 18, and a reagent dispenser 19 is arranged to dispense the reagent from the reagent container at the reagent suction and collection position 23. A reagent probe 20 is provided at the tip of the reagent dispenser 19, and the probe 20 moves along the movement path 21 between the reaction container at the reagent dispensing position 24 and the reagent container at the reagent aspirating and sampling position 23. A cleaning pot 22 is arranged on the moving path 21 so that the probe 20 can be cleaned.

A washing and dehydrating device 26 is further arranged along the reaction line 5, and a stirring mechanism (not shown) for stirring the reaction liquid in the reaction vessel 4 is also arranged. Further, an absorptiometer 27 is also arranged along the reaction line 5. The absorptiometer 27 is fixed, and the reaction line 5 rotates to measure the absorbance of the reaction solution in the reaction container 4.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to the time chart of FIG. As an example, it is assumed that the number of processes is 300 tests / hour. In this case, 1 step = 12
Seconds, and during these 12 seconds, sample dispensing, reagent dispensing, stirring,
The reaction vessel is washed and the absorbance is measured. Since it is better to take a sufficient amount of time except for measuring the absorbance, 12 steps are required for each operation other than measuring the absorbance, including washing of each probe and reaction container
Take seconds.

12 seconds of one step is divided into 6 seconds,
The reaction lines rotate in the first half and the second half respectively. Regarding the rotation of the reaction line, the reaction vessel is rotated exactly one turn in 6 seconds in the first half of one step, and is rotated by (1 turn + 1 reaction vessel) in 6 seconds in the second half.

The reaction line does not rotate while the probes and the stirring rod of the stirring mechanism are descending into the reaction vessel, and the reaction line rotates while the probes and stirring rod are rising.
In the first half and the latter half of one step, the absorbance is read once by the absorptiometer. The sample probe is washed for 6 seconds in the first half of one step, and during the latter 6 seconds, the sample is sucked from the sample container to the sample probe while the reaction line is rotating, and the sample is put in the reaction container when the reaction line is stopped. The sample is dispensed. The reagent is sucked into the reagent probe during the absorbance reading during the rotation of the reaction line during the first 6 seconds, and the reagent is dispensed into the reaction container when the reaction line is stopped. The stirring rod moves to a position above the reaction container during the rotation of the reaction line for 6 seconds in the latter half of one step, and when the rotation stops, the stirring rod descends into the reaction container to stir the reaction liquid.

In order to measure the absorbance of all reaction vessels by the reaction vessel direct photometry method, the reaction vessel is moved to pass in front of the fixed optical system (Example), and the reaction vessel is stopped and the optical system is turned on. The method of moving is performed. In the method of moving the reaction vessel as in the example, sample dispensing, reagent dispensing, stirring and washing of the reaction vessel cannot be performed in parallel while the absorbance is being read. The present invention can be applied to any photometric method. Assuming that the time taken for one absorbance reading is 6 seconds, the reaction container advances one step after two absorbance readings are performed.

In the case of the photometric method in which the optical system rotates, sample dispensing, reagent dispensing, stirring, and reaction vessel washing can be performed even while reading the absorbance, so that the operation is performed by the reaction vessel in the next step. It may be carried out at any time before being transferred. The reaction vessel can be washed for 12 seconds. In the operation of the example, if the interval between the absorbance measurements is set to 12 seconds, the number of treatments will be reduced to half if the reaction container is sent one step after performing the absorbance measurement twice. If the maximum reaction time is the same, the total number of reaction vessels will be half, so the analyzer can be downsized.

[0016]

According to the present invention, since the absorbance is read twice or more during one step, it is considered that the processing capacity is fixed. Carryover and cross contamination can be prevented by taking sufficient time to wash the reagent probe, and the measurement accuracy can be improved by shortening the absorbance measurement interval. Particularly, in rate measurement, the accuracy is greatly improved due to the shorter measurement interval.
If the maximum reaction time is fixed in the present invention, the total number of reaction vessels can be reduced, so that the analyzer can be downsized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing an analysis unit of an automatic chemical analysis device to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a time chart showing the operation of one embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Reaction Disc 4 Reaction Container 5 Reaction Line 6 Sample Sampling Mechanism 10 Sample Probe 16 Reagent Injection Mechanism 20 Reagent Probe 26 Washing and Dehydrating Unit 27 Absorptiometer

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A ring-shaped reaction line in which reaction vessels are arranged and conveyed in a line, a sample sampling mechanism for dispensing a sample into the reaction vessel, a reagent injection mechanism for dispensing a reagent into the reaction vessel into which the sample has been injected, An analysis unit having at least a stirring mechanism for stirring the reaction liquid in the reaction container, an absorptiometer for measuring the absorbance of the reaction liquid in the reaction container, and a cleaning mechanism for cleaning the reaction container, and the operation of each unit of the analysis unit. And a control unit for calculating the concentration or activity value of the sample based on the absorbance from the spectrophotometer, the control unit having a reaction line for the sample dispensing, reagent dispensing and stirring. An automatic chemical analyzer characterized in that absorbance is read a plurality of times at the same position during step transfer.