JPH07239335A - Automatic analyzer - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] In an automatic analyzer that performs sample dispensing by the sample dispensing mechanism, the dead volume is kept constant regardless of the mechanism difference by performing the correction process during the process of determining whether the sample is insufficient. To improve the reliability of the device. [Configuration] Sample dispensing probe 10 in an empty sample container 101
5A is lowered, the difference between the number of remaining drive pulses at that time and the number of remaining drive pulses in the design in this case is obtained, and the value is determined whether the amount of the sample in the sample container is the dead volume or more. The correction value h is used for the reference value d used when making the determination. A correction of d ′ = d + h is performed on the reference value d using the correction value h, and the corrected reference value d ′ is stored in the storage device 122. After that, the sample shortage is determined using the corrected reference value d ′.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an automatic analyzer,
In particular, the present invention relates to an automatic analyzer that analyzes a component in a sample by dispensing a sample in the sample container into a reaction container by a sample dispensing mechanism.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the great automation of clinical biochemical tests in recent years, biochemical automatic analyzers have made great progress toward higher functionality and higher performance. Along with this progress, the needs of society are increasing, and in addition to high-speed processing, multi-item analysis, etc., there is an increasing demand for accurate analysis of a large number of minute sample specimens.

Against this background, for recent biochemical automatic analyzers, the realization of component analysis of a small amount of specimen sample, while considering dead volume, has become one of the major problems. .

When the amount of the sample is less than the dead volume, accurate component analysis cannot be guaranteed for the sample, and therefore it is necessary to add a data alarm of insufficient sample to the measurement data of the sample to issue a warning. .

Conventionally, in an automatic analyzer having a sample dispensing mechanism for dispensing a sample in a sample container into a reaction container, a sample dispensing probe is moved to an uppermost point position directly above the sample container,
By applying a specified pulse to the pulse motor that drives the sample dispensing probe, the sample dispensing probe is lowered toward the sample in the sample container, and the tip of the sample dispensing probe descends to the liquid surface of the sample, and a fixed amount of liquid is added. After plunging into the plane,
The descent was stopped. Then, at that time, the number of pulses left by the pulse motor without being used up (hereinafter referred to as the remaining number of pulses) is read out, and when the number of pulses is less than a predetermined reference value, the amount of the sample is It was judged that the volume was less than the dead volume, and a data alarm of insufficient sample was added to the measurement data of the sample.

[0006]

In the above prior art, the sample dispensing probe is moved from the uppermost position directly above the sample container based on the design distance from the uppermost position of the sample dispensing probe to the bottom of the sample container. The amount of the sample was determined to be equal to or more than the dead volume or less depending on how much it descended, and no consideration was given to the actual distance from the top position of the sample dispensing probe to the bottom of the sample container. Therefore, the actual distance from the top point of the sample dispensing probe to the bottom of the sample container may be affected by poor adjustment of the sample dispensing mechanism or subtle displacement of the sample dispensing mechanism during the long-term continuous operation of the automatic analyzer. In the case where is deviated from the design distance, the minimum amount of sample that does not cause a sample shortage, that is, the value of dead volume, deviates from the design value. In this case, the data alarm of insufficient sample does not occur even though the amount of sample is extremely small and the measured data is bad, or the sample amount is actually sufficient and the measured data is good, but the sample There will be problems such as insufficient data alarms. When such a problem arises, conventionally, there is a problem that the efficiency of the adjustment work is poor because there is no other way than to artificially adjust the sample dispensing mechanism again.

An object of the present invention is to perform a correction process on a reference value used when determining whether the amount of the sample in the sample container is the dead volume or more,
The dead volume is always maintained at a constant value without depending on the mechanical difference and adjustment difference of the sample dispensing mechanism.

Another object of the present invention is to improve the efficiency of adjustment work by enabling the correction processing to be executed via an external input / output device.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, a sample dispensing probe is moved to an uppermost point position directly above an empty sample container containing no sample, and the sample dispensing probe is driven. A specified pulse is applied to the pulse motor, and the sample dispensing probe is lowered into the empty sample container. When the tip of the sample dispensing probe hits the bottom of the sample container, the descent is stopped and the number of remaining pulses at that time is read. Then, the difference between the design remaining pulse number and the read remaining pulse number in the above case is obtained, and this value is set as a correction value,
In the actual analysis, the correction value is added to the reference value used when determining whether the amount of the sample in the sample container is the dead volume or more. .

Further, an external input / output device is provided with a screen for designating the execution of the correction processing for the reference value, and by designating the execution on this screen, the reference value can be immediately corrected at any time. It is a thing.

Further, by providing a column for designating one or more sample dispensing mechanisms in the screen for designating the execution of the correction processing with respect to the reference value, even when a plurality of sample dispensing mechanisms are provided, The correction processing of the reference value can be performed for each sample dispensing mechanism.

[0012]

[Function] Since the difference between the measured value and the design value is used as the correction value, the correction process is performed for the reference value used when determining whether the amount of the sample in the sample container is the dead volume or more. The dead volume is the difference in the mechanism of the sample dispensing mechanism,
It is possible to always maintain a constant value without depending on the adjustment difference and the like, and it is possible to improve the reliability as an automatic analyzer.

Furthermore, the correction process can be executed at any time via an external input / output device, and even if a plurality of sample dispensing mechanisms are provided, the correction process can be executed for each sample dispensing mechanism. Therefore, the efficiency of adjustment work can be improved.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the principle of the automatic analyzer. Reference numeral 109 is a reaction disk, and a plurality of reaction vessels 106 are installed on the concentric circumference thereof. The reaction disk 109 is rotatably attached and has a rotation drive mechanism (not shown). Reaction disk 1
09 is kept at a predetermined temperature by a heat retaining tank 126 connected to the constant temperature tank 108. Reference numeral 112A is a reagent disk, and a plurality of reagent bottles 112 containing various reagents are installed on the concentric circumference thereof. Reaction disk 109
A sample dispensing mechanism 1 is provided around the reagent disk 112A and
05, a reagent dispensing mechanism 110, a stirring device 113, a cleaning device 119, a light source 114, and a multi-wavelength photometer 115 are arranged. Further, a rack transport device 123 is installed on the rotation circumference of the sample dispensing mechanism 105 and along the tangential direction of the reaction disk 109. A rack number reading device 124 and a sample ID reading device are installed along the transport line. A device 125 is arranged. All of these mechanical operations are controlled by the computer 103 via the interface 104.

A plurality of sample containers 101 each containing a sample are set in a sample rack 102. Sample rack 102
Are carried on the carrying line by the rack carrying device 123. A serial number is assigned to each of the sample racks 102 one by one, and the serial number is first read by the rack number reading device 124 while being transported on the transport line. After that,
If an ID number is assigned to each of the sample containers held in the sample rack 102, the ID number is read for each sample by the sample ID reading device 125, and then the sample rack 102 is placed on the rack. The first sample container 101 held by is moved to a position directly below the sample dispensing probe 105A of the sample dispensing mechanism 105. Note that all the information read by the rack number reading device 124 and the sample ID reading device 125 is sent to the computer 103 via the interface 104.
Sent to. The sample dispensing mechanism 105 is the computer 10
Under the control of 3, using the sample dispensing probe 105A,
A predetermined amount of the sample contained in the sample container 101 is dispensed into the reaction container 106. When the dispensing is completed for one sample container 101, the sample rack 102 is moved so that the next sample container 101 is located directly below the sample dispensing probe 105A. Reaction container 106 into which sample is dispensed
Are rotationally moved on the reaction disk 109 by the rotation operation of the reaction disk 109. Meanwhile, the reaction vessel 106
The sample in the sample is dispensed with the reagent in the reagent bottle 112 by the reagent dispensing mechanism 110, the reaction solution is stirred by the stirrer 113, the absorbance is measured by the light source 114 and the multi-wavelength photometer 115, and then washed. The apparatus 119 cleans the reaction container 106 for which analysis has been completed. The measured absorbance signal enters the computer 103 via the A / D converter 116 and the interface 104, and is converted into the concentration of the measurement target component in the sample. The density converted data is sent to the CRT118 via the interface 104.
Is displayed on the screen or is printed out from the printer 117,
It is stored in the storage device 122.

FIG. 2 shows a sample dispensing method by the sample dispensing mechanism 105. FIG. 2A is a mechanical configuration diagram of the sample dispensing mechanism 105. Sample dispensing mechanism 10
A pulse motor 201A for vertical drive and a pulse motor 201B for rotary drive are attached to the motor 5, and the two motors can perform an ascending / descending operation and a lateral rotation operation. Vertical drive pulse motor 201A and rotary drive pulse motor 201B
Computer 10 via interface 104
The control is performed by giving a command to the pulse motor drive controller 202 from No. 3. A sample dispensing probe 105A is attached to one end of the sample dispensing mechanism 105,
A sample is dispensed by this probe. A liquid level sensor 203 and an impact sensor 204 are attached to the sample dispensing probe 105A, and the signal of each sensor is captured by the pulse motor drive controller 202. The pulse motor drive controller 202 can also control the vertical drive pulse motor 201A and the rotary drive pulse motor 201B by this signal. The sample dispensing mechanism 105 is rotated so that the sample dispensing probe 105A moves to the uppermost point position directly above the sample container 101. Here, the vertical drive pulse motor 20
The prescribed application drive pulse number x is given to 1A, and the sample dispensing probe 105A is lowered toward the sample in the sample container 101. The liquid level sensor 203 detects the sample liquid level when the tip of the sample dispensing probe 105A touches the sample liquid level, and the signal is captured by the pulse motor drive controller 202. If the sample is not contained in the sample container 101, the impact sensor 204 detects the impact at the time when the tip of the sample dispensing probe 105A hits the bottom of the sample container 101, and the signal is pulse motor drive. It is taken into the controller 202. Here, as shown in FIG. 2B, the pulse motor drive controller 202 waits for the sample dispensing probe 105A to further descend from the sample liquid surface to a certain depth, and then drives the vertical drive pulse motor 201.
A is stopped, and the descending of the sample dispensing probe 105A is stopped. When the signal from the impact sensor is captured, the vertical drive pulse motor 201A is immediately stopped and the descending of the sample dispensing probe 105A is stopped. Here, the computer 103 issues a command to the pulse motor drive controller 202 via the interface 104 to read out the number of remaining drive pulses left by the up / down drive pulse motor 201A at that point in time. The drive pulse number y is read out. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2C, when dispensing the same amount of sample as the dead volume, the drive pulse number z used by the vertical drive pulse motor 201A in this case is calculated from the design value, and this value is calculated. z and the value of the prescribed applied drive pulse number x given to the vertical drive pulse motor 201A before the lowering operation, in this case, the vertical drive pulse motor 2
The remaining drive pulse number d that 01A leaves without being used up is d = x
The value d is calculated as −z, and this value d is stored in the storage device 122 as a reference value used when determining whether the amount of the sample in the sample container is the dead volume or more. Then, during the actual analysis operation, the value of the residual drive pulse number y read for each dispensing operation of each sample is compared with the value of the reference value d stored in the storage device in advance, and y ≧ d If so, it is determined that the amount of the sample is greater than or equal to the dead volume, and if y <d, it is determined that the amount of the sample is less than the dead volume, and a data alarm of insufficient sample is issued for the measured data of the sample. Add. Figure 3
2 shows the relationship between the number y of remaining drive pulses and the amount of the sample when the sample is dispensed by the sample dispensing mechanism 105 described in FIG. Next, according to the present invention, by performing a correction process on the reference value used when determining whether the amount of the sample in the sample container is the amount of dead volume or more,
A method will be described in which the dead volume is always maintained at a constant value without depending on the mechanical difference and the adjustment difference of the sample dispensing mechanism.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of claim 1 of the present invention, which will be described in detail. First, the sample dispensing mechanism 10
5 is rotated to move the sample dispensing probe 105A to the uppermost point position directly above the empty sample container 101 containing no sample. Here, the prescribed application drive pulse number x is given to the vertical drive pulse motor 201A, and the sample dispensing probe 105A
Are lowered into the empty sample container 101. When the tip of the sample dispensing probe 105A hits the bottom of the sample container 101, the impact sensor 204 detects an impact, and the signal is captured by the pulse motor drive controller 202. Here, the pulse motor drive controller 202
Immediately stops the vertical drive pulse motor 201A,
The descending of the sample dispensing probe 105A is stopped. Here, the computer 103 issues a command to the pulse motor drive controller 202 via the interface 104 to read out the number of remaining drive pulses left by the up / down drive pulse motor 201A at that point in time. Read the number of drive pulses y ₁ (measured value). On the other hand, in this case, the drive pulse number z'used by the vertical drive pulse motor 201A is calculated from the design value, and this value z'and the specified drive pulse number x given to the vertical drive pulse motor 201A before the lowering operation are performed. In this case, the vertical drive pulse motor 20
Number of remaining drive pulses that 1A leaves without being used up y ₂ (design value)
Is calculated as y ₂ = x−z ′, and this value y ₂ is stored in the storage device 122. Then, when the remaining drive pulse number y ₁ (measured value) is read, the remaining drive pulse number y ₂ (design value) is read from the storage device 122, and the value of the remaining drive pulse number y _{1 and} the remaining drive pulse number y ₁ are read. From the value of the number of drive pulses y _2, the correction value h for the reference value d used when determining whether the amount of the sample in the sample container is equal to or more than the dead volume is h = y ₁ −y ₂ Calculate as Then, using this correction value h, with respect to the reference value d, d ′ =
A correction of d + h is performed, and the corrected reference value d ′ is
It is stored in the storage device 122. After that, the corrected reference value d ′ is used as a reference value used when determining whether the amount of the sample in the sample container is the dead volume or more. That is, during the actual analysis operation, the value of the residual drive pulse number y read for each dispensing operation of each sample is compared with the value of the corrected reference value d ′, and if y ≧ d ′, the sample is Is greater than or equal to the dead volume, and if y <d ', the amount of the sample is determined to be less than the dead volume, and a data alarm indicating that the sample is insufficient is added to the measurement data of the sample. FIG. 5 shows the relationship between the number y of remaining drive pulses and the amount of the sample when the correction process for the reference value described in FIG. 4 is performed. By performing such correction processing, the dead volume is
It is possible to maintain a constant value at all times, without depending on the mechanical difference and adjustment difference of the sample dispensing mechanism.

For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the actual uppermost point position of the sample dispensing mechanism 105 is deviated from the designed uppermost point position by a value of p in terms of the number of drive pulses required for movement. Think of if. In this case, when the prescribed application drive pulse number x is given to the vertical drive pulse motor 201A (not shown) and a sample of the same volume as the dead volume is dispensed, the vertical drive pulse motor 201A (not shown) However, the value of the remaining drive pulse number that remains without being used is deviated by a value of p from the remaining drive pulse number d when the uppermost point position of the sample dispensing mechanism 105 is at the design position.
That is, the number of remaining drive pulses in this case is d + p. As described above, when dispensing the sample, this remaining drive pulse number is used as the reference value used when determining whether the amount of the sample in the sample container is the dead volume or more. Therefore, d + p is the reference value. According to the present invention, the value p is the same as the correction value h calculated above, and p
Can be treated as = h. That is, the reference value in this case becomes d + h, and the design reference value d is corrected by d '= d + h. Therefore, by using this corrected reference value d ′, the number y of remaining drive pulses to be read for each dispensing operation of each sample during the actual analysis operation
If y ≧ d ′, it is determined that the amount of the sample is equal to or greater than the dead volume, and if y <d ′, the amount of the sample is determined to be less than the dead volume. Can be always maintained at a constant value without depending on the mechanical difference and adjustment difference of the sample dispensing mechanism.

FIG. 7 is an embodiment of claim 2 of the present invention and shows a screen for designating execution of correction processing for a reference value. By specifying the execution of the correction process for the reference value in the input field 701 on this screen, it is possible to immediately correct the reference value at any time.

FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of claim 3 of the present invention, and shows a screen for designating execution of a correction process for each reference value of one or more reagent dispensing mechanisms. On this screen, in the input field 801, by specifying the execution of the correction process for the reference value for each reagent dispensing mechanism, it is possible to set the reference value for each reagent dispensing mechanism one or more at any time. The value can be corrected immediately. According to this, for example, FIG.
Even in the automatic analyzer having a plurality of sample dispensing mechanisms as shown in (3), since the correction process of the reference value for each sample dispensing mechanism can be immediately performed, the efficiency of the adjustment work can be improved.

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the difference between the measured value and the design value is used as the correction value for the reference value used when determining whether the amount of the sample in the sample container is the dead volume or more, the correction process is performed.
The dead volume can always be maintained at a constant value without depending on the mechanical difference and adjustment difference of the sample dispensing mechanism.
The reliability as an automatic analyzer can be improved.

Furthermore, the correction process can be executed at any time via an external input / output device, and even if a plurality of sample dispensing mechanisms are provided, the correction process can be executed for each sample dispensing mechanism. Therefore, improvement in efficiency of adjustment work can be expected.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an automatic analyzer according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a principle diagram of a sample dispensing method by a sample dispensing mechanism.

FIG. 3 is a relational diagram before correction of the number y of remaining driving pulses at the time of dispensing a sample and the amount of the sample.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing principle 1 of a correction processing method for a reference value.

FIG. 5 is a relational diagram after correction of the residual drive pulse number y and the amount of the sample when dispensing the sample.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing principle 2 of a correction processing method for a reference value.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a screen for designating execution 1 of a correction process for a reference value.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an execution designation screen 2 of a correction process for a reference value.

FIG. 9 is a schematic structural diagram of an automatic analyzer having a plurality of sample dispensing mechanisms.

[Explanation of symbols]

101 ... Sample container, 102 ... Sample rack, 103 ... Computer, 104 ... Interface, 105 ... Sample dispensing mechanism, 105A ... Sample dispensing probe, 118 ... CR
T, 121 ... Keyboard, 122 ... Storage device.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An analysis unit having a sample dispensing mechanism for dispensing a sample in a sample container into a reaction container in order to measure concentrations of various components in a liquid sample, and a sample dispensing position for the sample container. A transport mechanism for transporting to and from, a storage device for storing analysis conditions and measurement data, an external input / output device for inputting and outputting analysis conditions and measurement data, the analysis unit, the transport mechanism, the storage device,
In an automatic analyzer that consists of a control unit that controls an external input / output device, the amount of sample in the sample container must be the minimum amount that can be dispensed by the sample dispensing mechanism and that reliable measurement data can be guaranteed. By correcting the reference value used when determining whether the amount is equal to or greater than the amount of the sample (hereinafter, referred to as dead volume), the dead volume is adjusted to the mechanical difference of the sample dispensing mechanism. An automatic analyzer characterized by being able to always maintain a constant value without depending on adjustment differences and the like. 2. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein
An automatic analyzer characterized in that a screen for designating execution of correction processing for the reference value is provided by the external input / output device, and execution is designated on this screen. 3. The automatic analyzer according to claim 2,
By providing a field for designating one or more sample dispensing mechanisms in the screen for designating the execution of the correction process for the reference value, each sample dispensing mechanism can be dispensed even when a plurality of sample dispensing mechanisms are provided. An automatic analyzer characterized by performing a correction process of the reference value for each mechanism.