JPS5812549B2 - Mitsupei Gata Day Screeto Hoshikiji Doubun Sekisouchi - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an automatic chemical analyzer in which a reaction solution reacted in each reaction tube is sequentially introduced into a single flow cell to measure the reaction solution.

In recent years, with the rapid progress of clinical chemical analysis, various types of automatic chemical analyzers have been proposed and put into practice.

The present invention particularly belongs to a closed-type discrete system, in which all flow systems such as sample and reagent introduction systems, reaction, detection, and cleaning systems are connected by thin tubes, and a so-called completely closed system is adopted. Appropriate air pressure is applied within the flow system to ensure easy and reliable liquid transfer.

Some conventional closed-type discrete systems use a reaction tube as an immediate measurement tube.

That is, the reaction and colorimetric measurement are performed in the same container, but this method has its advantages and disadvantages.

The advantage is that the reaction and colorimetric measurements are carried out in the same container, so there is no need to transfer the liquid, but on the other hand,
The disadvantage is that since each reaction tube becomes an immediate measurement tube, it is necessary to mutually correct the reagent blank for all reactions and measurement tubes. (f value) must be stored in advance in the storage device of the data processing system, and therefore the data processing system tends to be more complex than the single measuring tube system.

In addition, it is necessary to measure reagent blanks for all reactions and measurement tubes immediately before starting analysis, which is a very laborious and time-consuming operation, which goes against the concept of an automatic analysis system whose motto is speed. Let's say.

Furthermore, since the entire curved glass surface of the measuring section of the reaction/measuring tube moves as the analysis step progresses in an air constant temperature chamber with forced stirring and circulation, there is a possibility that foreign matter may adhere to the glass wall surface for some reason. Even if an abnormality occurs, it will directly affect the data as an error that cannot be ignored.
This can easily cause problems in data accuracy control.

Furthermore, in conventional closed-type, discrete-type automatic analyzers, each reaction tube is used as it is as a measurement tube, so the reproducibility of physical measurement positions must be extremely high.

The reason for this is that the reaction/measuring tube is cylindrical in shape, and the light entrance/exit part forms a curved surface, so compared to a normal cubic flow cell, even a small deviation in the measurement stop position cannot be ignored optically. This is because it appears as a large error.

Therefore, greater attention must be paid to the accuracy of machining.

The present invention was created in view of the current situation, and
The aim is to eliminate the electrical complexity and mechanical difficulties of closed-type, discrete-type automatic analyzers, and to enable reliable colorimetric measurements for each sample in automated chemical analysis. One flow cell for colorimetric measurement is installed in each channel, and the reaction to the flow cell is controlled by switching the upper and lower reaction tube selection valves, which are integrated with the block that fixes the reaction tubes. A series of measurement operations such as introducing and stopping the completed liquid, discharging the measured liquid, and cleaning the reaction tube can be performed continuously.
A suitable resistance tube is placed on the flow line on the discharge side of the flow cell to ensure that the tip of the reaction-completed liquid passes through the flow cell to some extent and then stops at an appropriate position during colorimetric measurements.

The present invention will be explained in detail below based on the drawings.

In FIG. 1, the sample system includes a sampler SL consisting of a turntable TT equipped with a large number of sample tubes ST on two concentric circles, and a pipette washing pot LT to which washing water is supplied through a valve V1. , two pipettes AP1 and AP2 configured to be able to reciprocate between the sample tube ST and the washing pot LT, a sampling valve and SV for weighing the sample amount by a valve cut method, and a sampling pump sp. ,,sp2 and
Cleaning pumps LP1 and LP2 are provided.

The reagent system is equipped with a reagent reservoir RR, a reagent pump RP for feeding the reagent in the reservoir RR through a sampling valve, and preheating coils PC1 and PC2.

The reaction system includes reaction assemblies A and B consisting of a rotor section that holds a plurality of reaction tubes in an annular shape, a stator section that is connected to the rotor section so as to be able to switch channels, and a liquid flowing in the channel. resistance tubes R1a and R2 for controlling the flow rate of
a, R1b-R2b, etc. are provided.

The detection system includes a flow cell FC1 for passing the reaction solution reacted in each reaction assembly A and B for colorimetric measurement.
FC2, filter assemblies F1 and F2 whose wavelengths can be switched depending on the object to be measured, and light sources L1 and L.
2, is emitted from the light sources L1 and L2, and is emitted from the flow cell F.
Cl, F C2 and filter assembly F,,F2
Sensing elements SE1, SE2 for detecting light that has passed through
are in place.

The cleaning system includes a cleaning pump L for delivering cleaning liquid LF.
P3 and preheating coils PC3 and PC4 for controlling the temperature with a temperature controller TC are provided.

The pressurization system is equipped with a pressure control unit PCU and piping connected thereto.

The temperature control system is equipped with a forced stirring circulation type air bath thermostat, a preheating tank, and their electrical control units.The former air bath thermostat is equipped with a sampling valve SV, a reaction assembly A, B, resistance tube RIB,, R2a+
Rtb J R2b s Flow cell FC1, FC2
and sensing elements SE1, sE2 are housed to prevent their characteristics from changing due to temperature changes, and a preheating coil PCo...PC4 is housed in the preheating tank, and the reagents to be introduced are housed in the preheating tank. It is designed to prevent the temperature inside the reaction tube from being disturbed by cleaning liquid, air, etc.

The control system and data processing system include sensing elements sE1SE2.
Selector S, amplifier AM that samples the signal from
P, A/D converter C, calculator CPU printer P, etc. are provided.

Next, the configurations of reaction assemblies A and B, which are the main parts of the present invention, will be explained.

In FIGS. 2 and 3, the reaction tube RT is made of hard glass or fused silica, and the reaction tube fixing block R
It is arranged on the peripheral wall of B.

The appropriate number of reaction tubes is 10 to 12 in order to obtain sufficient processing capacity, and the figure shows a case of 12 reaction tubes.

The reaction tube fixing block RB is pivotally supported by a shaft P by a bearing BE, and an upper rotor RU and a lower rotor RL constituting a reaction tube flow switching valve are arranged above and below it, and an upper stator SU is arranged above and below it. and a lower stator SL are arranged.

The upper rotor RU and the lower rotor RL are integrated with the reaction tube fixing block RB, and are intermittently driven by a drive body having a drive roller MR rotated by a drive motor M through a Geneva passive member section.

The shaft P is fixed to the frame F with positioning keys K1 and K2.

The upper stator SU and the lower stator SL are held by an upper stator holder HU and a lower stator holder HL, which are respectively locked to the shaft by rotation stop keys K3 and K4.

The rotating part consisting of the reaction tube fixing block RB, rotors RU, RL, etc. is pressed against the upper and lower stators SU, SL by a fixing nut N0, a tightening nut N2, and a tightening spring SP.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory plan view showing the flow path system of the reaction tube assembly according to the embodiment of the present invention, in which 12 reaction tubes, the Dobe rotor RU, and the lower rotor RL are integrally arranged at 15° (24
It rotates intermittently by 360°).

Upper rotor SU and lower rotor RL are connected to external flow paths at appropriate locations as shown in the figure.

The position where the small circle portions of the rotor and stator face each other indicates that the rotor's through hole and the stator's through hole are in communication.

Next, the operation of the apparatus of the present invention will be explained.

The sample sucked up by the dual pipettes AP1 and AP2 from the turntable TT of the sampler SL passes through the sample suction system switching valve SS■, then enters the sample hole provided in the rotor of the sampling valve SV and is weighed. .

Due to the rotation of the sampling rotor, the sample hole enters the reagent system and enters the reaction tube RT at position 1 of the reaction assembly together with a certain amount of reagent sent by the reagent pump RP.
, (see Figure 3).

When the reaction tube RT1 moves to the next position 1', the reaction liquid is stirred by the compressed air bubbles introduced from the base of the reaction tube.

(See Figure 4). When the stirring by bubbles is completed, the reaction tube R
T, enters the reaction leaving section and is left there moving at a constant speed to a position 7 steps from there.

When the reaction is completed and reaches position 9/, the reaction liquid in the reaction tube is fed into the flow cells FC, FC2 by air pressure.

At this time, a resistance tube R2a s R21) of an optimal size is provided on the flow path of the flow cell so that the reaction liquid does not entirely pass through the flow cell.

Since the rotating part rotates at predetermined time intervals, the resistance value of the resistance tube is determined so that the reaction liquid fills the flow cell exactly during the stop time of the rotation.

That is, when introducing the reaction liquid into the flow cells FC1 and FC2, close the valves provided below the resistance tubes R2a+R2b and connect the flow cells FC, FC2 and the resistance tube R.
2a and R2b are sealed.

When the reaction liquid is introduced into the flow cells FC, FC2 in this state, the reaction liquid is maintained at a predetermined height within the flow cells FC, FC2.

While the reaction liquid stored in the flow cell is being colorimetrically measured in this way, the reaction tube RT1 moves to the next 10 positions, and all the reaction liquid remaining in it is removed by the air pressure from the resistance tube. It is discharged via R2a and R2b.

Next, when the reaction tube RT1 moves to position 11, the cleaning liquid enters from its base and exits to the top.

In this case, air bubbles are fed at the same time in order to perform sufficient stirring and cleaning.

When the reaction tube RT1 moves to the next position 11', air pressure is applied from the top of the reaction tube and at the same time the base is communicated with the discharge passage, so all the cleaning liquid remaining in the tube is discharged from the base. Ru.

Furthermore, when the reaction tube RT1 moves to the next 12 positions, the washing liquid enters from the base again and the same washing operation is performed, and the next 12
When the tube moves to position 1, the remaining washing liquid is discharged from the base, and the reaction tube R T 1 returns to the initial position 1 in a completely empty state, and the reaction, measurement, and washing are repeated again.

The above operations are similarly performed simultaneously for the other reaction tubes RT2, RT3, . . . .

As explained above, according to the present invention, when the reaction liquid is transferred to the flow cell, the resistance tube adjusted to the required resistance value is placed on the flow path, so that the closed type discrete system is not used. The electrical complexity and mechanical difficulties of highly accurate positioning of reaction tubes, which are said to be difficult in automatic analyzers, can be easily solved, and the reliability of measurement accuracy can be greatly improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram showing the flow path system of the device according to the present invention, Fig. 2
The figure is a longitudinal sectional view showing the configuration of the reaction tube assembly according to the present invention, FIG. is an explanatory diagram corresponding to FIG. 3 showing a different state. RT...Reaction tube, RB...Reaction tube fixing block, RU...Upper rotor, RL...
・・Lower rotor, SU・・・・Upper stator, SL
...Lower stator, R2a, R2b...
・Resistance tube, FCI, FC2...flow cell.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Samples and reagents are sequentially introduced into each of a plurality of closed reaction tubes whose upper and lower ends can be opened and closed via flow path switching valves, and the reaction between the sample and reagent is carried out in each reaction tube. After the reaction has been carried out for a predetermined period of time, the reaction liquid in each reaction tube is passed through a flow rate control resistor into a flow path including a flow cell for a predetermined period of time to fill the flow cell with the reaction liquid, and the reaction liquid filled in the flow cell is The reaction tube is configured so that the liquid is successively measured and the reaction liquid is discharged from the reaction tube, which is then cleaned and used for the introduction of the next sample and reagent, and the flow rate control resistor is located on the discharge channel side of the flow cell. An automatic analyzer characterized in that the automatic analyzer is configured to maintain a reaction liquid introduced into a flow cell at a predetermined height.