JPS6041739B2 - Multi-item automatic analyzer - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an automatic analyzer, and more particularly to an automatic analyzer having flexibility in the number of analysis items and the number of samples processed per time during multi-item analysis.

Conventional multi-item automatic analyzers mainly have reaction lines corresponding to each item, and as the number of analysis items increases or decreases, reaction lines can be added or reduced, or the number of samples processed per hour can be increased. It was necessary to change the speed at which the mechanism moved.

Also known are automatic analyzers that perform analysis by assigning two or more analysis items to one reaction line, and automatic analyzers that perform analysis by assigning one analysis item to two or more reaction lines. However, in these methods, the number of analysis items and the number of samples processed per hour are fixed in advance by the hardware of the device. The overall processing capacity of an automatic analyzer, that is, the number of analysis items x the number of samples processed per hour, is determined by the number of reaction lines and the time required for sample collection and measurement.

Therefore, unless the hardware of the device is changed, the processing capacity of the device as a whole remains constant. However, multiple items/
In the one-channel method, the number of analysis items increases compared to the one-item, one-channel method, but the number of samples processed per time decreases. Conversely, in the 1-item/multi-channel method, the number of samples processed per hour increases, but the number of analysis items decreases compared to the 1-item/1-channel method.
Here, if the number of reaction lines of the device is expressed as N (books) and the processing capacity per unit time of one reaction line is expressed as M (sample/hour), then the processing capacity of the entire device per unit time is NXM. It is. Suppose that N and M are made up of the products of i and j prime numbers, respectively, and are expressed by the following equations. For ease of explanation, if i=2 and j=2, then the following seven combinations of the number of analysis items and the number of samples processed per time can be considered. Similarly, if N and M are products of many prime numbers, many more combinations of the number of analysis items and the number of samples processed per time are possible.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a measurement mode in which the number of analysis items per sample is large but the number of samples processed per hour is small, and a measurement mode in which the number of analysis items per sample is small but the number of samples processed per time is large, using the same analyzer. To provide a multi-item automatic analyzer that does not confuse measurement results for each specimen even though the mode may be changed. The present invention is a multi-item automatic analyzer in which the product of analysis items per sample and number of samples processed per time is constant. (a) a sampler section capable of transporting multiple types of sample rows in stages; (b) a plurality of reaction lines in which rows of reaction containers that move intermittently are arranged in parallel; (c)
Equipped with sample suction/exhaust nozzles that are an integral multiple of the number of reaction lines, and a nozzle movement that simultaneously sucks the sample from the sampler section into each of the nozzles and simultaneously discharges each sample sucked into the reaction vessels of each of the reaction lines. (d) A device that supplies reagents according to each analysis item to each reaction line; (e) A device that controls the number of specimens to be moved from stop to stop in the sampler section per specimen as instructed by the operator. (f) a control unit that changes the operation of the nozzle movement mechanism according to the number of analysis items and the number of samples processed per time; and (f) a measurement unit that optically measures the reaction liquid of the sample and reagent in each of the reaction lines. , and (g) accept the measurement data from the measurement unit, organize the measurement data of each analysis item for each sample according to the sampler movement information from the control unit, and collect the measurement data of all analysis items. It is characterized by comprising a data processing unit that outputs measurement results for each specimen after the data are collected.

A method for realizing changes in the combination of the number of analysis items and the number of processed samples in an analyzer equipped with a fixed number of N reaction lines with a fixed throughput of M samples/hour as described above will be described. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overview of the present invention. When analyzing multiple items for one reaction line or using multiple reaction lines for one item, the sampler unit 2 transfers the specimen to reaction line 1 according to each case. The dispensing sequence must be changed.

The sampler control section 4 outputs a control signal to the sampler section 2 in accordance with the number of analysis items per sample A and the number of samples processed per time B instructed by the operator. A reaction reagent is added to the sample dispensed into the reaction line section 1, and after a certain period of time, the sample is sent to the measurement section 3 where its concentration is optically measured. This measured value is sent to the data processing section 5. However, these measured values are in the order of the arrangement of the specimens that have passed through the reaction line section 1, and the arrangement order depends on how the sampler section 2 is moved. Therefore, the sampler control unit 4 sends information on how the sampler was moved to the data processing unit 5, and the data processing unit 5 determines which analysis item of which sample the measured value corresponds to. to decide. Further, the measurement data is subjected to processing such as concentration calculation correction according to the analysis item, and is outputted as analysis result D from the output device. FIG. 2 shows an overall schematic diagram of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and the following operation will be described in detail.

A sample 7, for example, placed in a sample container 6 is placed in the sampler section 2.
After being set in a flexible chain 8, the sample is guided directly below a sample suction/discharge nozzle 9, then quantitatively sampled by a nozzle 9 held by a nozzle moving mechanism 10, and transferred to a reaction vessel 11.

That is, in this step, the nozzle 9 is pipe-connected to the sample suction pump 12 (pipette), and as the nozzle moving mechanism 10 descends directly above the sample container 6, the nozzle 9 is immersed and inserted into the sample, and the pipette 12 is inserted into the sample. A certain amount of the specimen 7 is inhaled and sampled by the inhalation operation. The nozzle moving mechanism 10 can rotate and move up and down, and after the sample 7 is sucked into the nozzle 9, it rises, rotates in the direction of the arrow, stops on the reaction vessel row 13, and moves again. The specimen 7 is lowered and discharged into the reaction container 11, and at the same time, the reagent 14 is subsequently discharged to perform a reaction. The reaction container array 13 advances in the direction of the arrow and induces a reaction between the specimen 7 and the reagent 14 under constant temperature heating conditions, causing the test component of the specimen 7 to develop a specific color. The reaction solution of the specimen 7 and the reagent 14 is sucked up into a flow cell 16 at a suction mechanism 15 and measured by a photometer 17. The measurement results are stored, processed and printed out in a data processing device. In this case, the sampler control device 4 has a function of specifying whether the sampler operation is to be carried out by one step, two steps, or more in the basic one-cycle operation, and is specified by the counter circuit. control to send the sampler as many times as specified.

FIG. 3 and FIG. 5 are functional explanatory diagrams of a conventional device shown in comparison with the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, showing a measurement mode changed from the mode in FIG. 3. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of another embodiment of the present invention, showing a measurement mode changed from the mode in FIG. 5. In these figures, the reaction line section consists of four reaction vessel rows 13 in which a plurality of reaction vessels are connected in series, and the four reaction vessels are simultaneously shifted one step at a time during one cycle of the analyzer. It is composed of The sample chain 8 has a plurality of sample cups serially connected, and in the case of Fig. 3, it feeds one step in one cycle, in the case of Fig. 4, it feeds two steps in one cycle, and in the case of Fig. 5, it feeds one step in one cycle. In the case shown in FIG. 6, one step is fed every two cycles, and in the case of FIG. 6, two steps are fed every two cycles. In FIGS. 3 and 4, the sampler nozzle 9 is composed of four nozzles corresponding to reaction chains, sucks in the specimen 7 in the sample cup, and discharges it into the reaction container 11.

The sampler nozzle 9 moves back and forth between the reaction cup and the sampler cup once during one cycle. 1 per cycle
In the case of FIG. 3, in which the sample chain is fed and sampled in just one step, the same specimen (for example, specimen C) is dispensed diagonally onto the reaction line into four reaction cups.

In the case of Figure 4, where the sample chain is sent only two steps per cycle, for example, the sample I is sent to the first and third reaction chains, and the sample J is sent alternately to the cups on the second and fourth reaction chains. is dispensed.

In this case, the first and second, third and fourth reaction chains measure the same analysis item, so the number of processed samples is doubled compared to the case in Figure 3, but the number of analysis items is halved. becomes. Sample chain 8 for only 1 step every 2 cycles
In the case of Figure 5, there are 8 nozzles and 2 items are analyzed per line.For example, sample A is dispensed diagonally into 8 reaction cups, 2 each on the reaction line. .

In this case, each reactor row 13 alternately measures two analytical items. Here, two nozzles 9 are immersed and inserted into the sample container 6 at the same time as the nozzle moving mechanism 10 operates directly above the sample container 6 to aspirate the sample 7, and are opened directly above the reaction container, respectively. The specimen can be discharged into the reaction container. FIG. 6 shows a speed change measurement method under the same sample movement conditions as those shown in the embodiment of FIG.

Compared to FIG. 5, the number of processed samples is doubled, but the number of analysis items is halved. By controlling the number of feeds of the sample chain 8 with the sampler control section 4 in this way, the arrangement of the samples dispensed to the reaction line section 1 can be changed, while the sample chain 8 is sent from the sampler control section 4. By transmitting information on how many steps have been sent during one cycle to the data processing unit 5, the data processing unit can analyze which analysis item of which sample the sequentially measured data corresponds to, and can analyze all the analyzes of the same sample. Output when the item data is complete.

According to the embodiments described above, the reaction line section, the sampler section,
The mechanical systems such as the measurement section are the same, and the operator can easily change the combination of the number of analysis items and the number of samples to be processed by instructing the electrical system such as the sampler control section with a changeover switch, etc., as necessary. This has the effect of allowing the most efficient measurement mode to be selected. As explained above,
According to the present invention, the sampler section, the plurality of reaction lines, and the data processing section are operated in association with each other, so that even if the processing mode for the number of analysis items is changed, an appropriate analysis result can be obtained for each sample.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram explaining the operating principle of the present invention;
The figure is a schematic configuration diagram of a device based on the present invention, FIG. 3 is a functional explanatory diagram of a conventional device, FIG. 4 is a functional explanatory diagram of an embodiment based on the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a functional explanatory diagram of a conventional device. , FIG. 6 is a functional explanatory diagram of another embodiment based on the present invention. Explanation of symbols, 1... Reaction line section, 2...
...Sampler section, 3...Measurement section, 4...
・Sampler control section, 5...Data processing section, 6.
...Sample container, 7...Specimen, 8...
...Chain, 9...Nozzle, 10...
・Nozzle moving mechanism, 11... Reaction container, 13.
...Reaction vessel row, 16...Flow cell,
17...Photometer.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a multi-item automatic analyzer in which the product of the number of analysis items per sample and the number of samples processed per time is constant, (a) a sampler section that can feed multiple types of samples in stages, (b) a reaction that moves intermittently It is equipped with a plurality of reaction lines in which rows of containers are arranged in parallel, and (c) nozzles for sucking and discharging a sample in an integral multiple of the number of the reaction lines, and the sample is simultaneously sucked from the sampler section into each of the nozzles. a nozzle moving mechanism that simultaneously discharges each sample into the reaction vessels of each reaction line; (d) a device that supplies reagents according to each analysis item to each reaction line;
(e) The number of specimens moved from one stop to the next in the sample row in the sampler section is changed according to the number of analysis items per specimen and the number of specimens processed per time as instructed by the operator, and the nozzle movement mechanism A control unit that does not change the operation,
(f) A measurement unit that optically measures the reaction solution of the specimen and reagent in each of the reaction lines, and (g) receives measurement data from the measurement unit and performs each analysis according to sampler movement information from the control unit. A multi-item automatic analyzer characterized by comprising a data processing unit that organizes measurement data of the number of items for each sample and outputs measurement results for each sample after the measurement data of all analysis items is collected.