JPH059731B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an automatic dispensing device that automatically aspirates and dispenses a specimen such as blood or serum from a sample container to a reaction container. In particular, the present invention relates to an automatic dispensing device that speeds up the aspirating and dispensing work of a sample using a pipette and prevents omissions.

[Conventional technology and its issues]

In the case of large hospitals, in order to quickly test blood samples requested by each department, it is necessary to quickly and accurately separate the samples for each test.

In particular, in blood tests, etc., for one specimen, for example, in biochemical tests,
There are three or more testing methods, including testing using an automatic analyzer and manual testing.

However, the test items required for each test subject are not necessarily all of the above test methods, and the items to be tested differ depending on the individual test subject, so it is difficult to receive and process a large number of specimens by test method. , it is necessary to write patient information such as the name of the person collecting the sample and index number (hereinafter referred to as the reception number), test items, etc. on the label attached to the sample container, and this work is extremely complicated. Additionally, there is a problem in that entry errors are likely to occur.

In addition, although a small number of various devices have been proposed in the past for automatically dispensing samples, etc.,
Most of these systems are configured so that the reaction vessels are arranged in accordance with the arrangement of sample vessels, and only the required amount of the sample required for analysis is dispensed into the corresponding reaction vessel, resulting in the so-called "missing phenomenon". (This refers to a phenomenon in which reaction vessels with and without a sample dispensed are lined up together.), the facility area expands, the equipment becomes larger, and moreover, the sample is not dispensed. The efficiency of automatic analysis is greatly reduced because empty reaction vessels are placed directly into automatic analyzers, etc. In order to improve this, it is necessary to manually extract empty reaction vessels and dispense samples. Since it is necessary to line up only the reaction vessels that are present, there is a problem in that this work is complicated.

This invention has been devised in view of the current situation, and its purpose is to automatically analyze the sample for the automatic analyzer and every second sample for the manual, depending on the item to be analyzed. We provide an automatic dispensing device that can dispense samples and automatically prevent the "toothless phenomenon" of reaction vessels, resulting in high-speed automatic dispensing of specimens and efficient analysis. This is what I am trying to do.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve this object, the automatic dispensing device according to the present invention has a pair of pipettes, and by selectively driving both pipettes simultaneously,
Simultaneously aspirate and dispense the two samples, and attach a receipt number to the container containing each of the samples, and
A new sequence number different from the above reception number is given to each other container into which the sample aspirated into the pipette is dispensed, and these reception numbers and sequence numbers are read through a reading device. The feature is that it is configured to automatically read and correspond.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on an embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, the automatic dispensing device A according to this embodiment includes an endless belt 1 and pipette devices 2A, 2A' suspended from the endless belt 1 in pairs at required intervals. ~2H,
2H', belt pulleys 3, 3 for intermittently transporting each of these pipetting devices 2A, 2A' to 2H, 2H' from a sample suction position to a sample dispensing position to a washing position, and a sample container containing a sample. a sample container transfer device 10 that sequentially and intermittently transfers samples 11 to a sample suction position, and this sample container transfer device 10
first to third arranged at predetermined intervals on the downstream side of
The third reaction vessel apparatus 40 is composed of three reaction vessel apparatuses 20, 30, 40, and cleaning apparatuses 50', 50'' and drying apparatuses 60', 60'' disposed downstream of the third reaction vessel apparatus 40.

Said pipetting device 2A, 2A' to 2H, 2
Each pipette H' is connected to a sample container 11, 1 located at the sample suction position of the sample container transfer device 10.
After aspirating the required amount of specimens from inside 1', these specimens are transferred to each of the reaction container devices 20, 30, 40.
Each reaction container 21 is set at the sample dispensing position of
After dispensing to 21', 31, 31', 41, 41',
Washed and dried.

Further, each of the above devices includes the sample container 11,
11' transfer timing, switching timing of the rotation switching valve 70, sample aspiration/dispensing timing, and washing water supply timing,
The operation of the pipetting devices 2A, 2A' to 2H, 2H' is controlled via the control device CPU so that the intermittent transfer timing is synchronized with that of the pipetting devices 2A, 2A' to 2H, 2H'.

The endless belt 1 is suspended between a pair of belt pulleys 3, 3, and drives each of the pipetting devices 2A, 2A' to 2H, 2H' via a belt drive device 4.
Sample suction position a, sample dispensing position b, c, d, washing water supply/drainage position e, f, and drying ventilation position g, h
The control unit CPU controls the drive so that the specimen is sequentially and intermittently transferred to the specimen suction position a again through the specimen suction position a. As shown in FIG. 2, this belt drive device 4 drives a rack formed by placing a required number of sample containers 11, 11' in series on an endless belt 1.
Rack feed device 13 that feeds in synchronization with intermittent movement
and a drive circuit 18 for the rack feeding device 13, and a control circuit 5 for synchronously controlling the drive of the endless belt 1 and the rotation switching valve 70.

As shown in FIG.
2, 12' and each pipetting device 2A, 2A' to 2
A vertical movement operation mechanism 14, 14' for raising and lowering each pipette H, 2H', and a sample remaining amount confirmation device 15, 1 for detecting the amount of sample in the sample container 11, 11'.
5', and reception number reading devices 16 and 1 for reading the patient reception number attached to each of the sample containers 11 and 11' by optical or electrical means.
6', a pump drive circuit 17 that controls the sample suction/dispensing operation of the pumps 12, 12', and a control circuit 19 that controls the driving of the vertical movement operation mechanisms 14, 14' of each pipette 2. It is configured.

The control circuit 19 controls the pipetting devices 2A, 2A' to 2H, 2 based on the sample amount data measured by the sample remaining amount confirmation devices 15, 15'.
It is configured to automatically adjust the vertical movement of H'.

First to third reaction container devices 20, 30, 40
The pumps 12, 12' and the pumps 12, 12',
12', a circuit 17 for driving and controlling the reaction vessel 21,
21', 31, 31', 41, 41' are mounted in series, and the rack feeding device 24, 34, 44 feeds the rack by one or two steps by the intermittent movement of the endless belt 1; Drive control circuits 25, 35 for rack feeding devices 24, 34, 44,
45, devices 26, 36, 46 for selectively moving one or both of the pipettes of the pipette devices 2A, 2A' to 2H, 2H' up and down at the sample dispensing positions b, c, d; Drive control circuits 27, 37, 47 for each pipette vertical movement operating device 26, 36, 46, and each reaction vessel 21, 21',
Sequence number reading devices 28, 28', 38, which identify the sequence numbers attached to 31, 31', 41, 41', respectively, by optical or electrical means;
38', 48, 48'.

The cleaning devices 50', 50'' include cleaning water pumps 51', 51'a, 51'', and
51″a, and the cleaning water supply pumps 51′, 51′a,
51'', 51''a drive control circuits 52', 52'';
The pipetting device 2 has arrived at the cleaning positions e and f.
Operating devices 53', 53'a, 53'', 5 for controlling the vertical movement of pipettes A, 2A' to 2H, 2H'
3″a, and the operating devices 53′, 53′a, 53″, 5
3''a drive control circuits 54' and 54'', which are connected to a cleaning section control circuit 55 and are each driven and controlled in response to commands from a control device CPU.

The drying devices 60', 60'', as shown in FIG.
1′a, 61″, 61″a, and the solenoid valves 61′, 6
The control circuits 62', 62'' drive and control the pipettes 1'a, 61'', 61''a, and the vertical movements of the pipettes of the pipette devices 2A, 2A' to 2H, 2H' that have arrived at the air blowing positions g, h. Controlling operating devices 63', 6
3′a, 63″, 63″a, and the operating devices 63′, 6
3′a, 63″, 63″a drive control device 64′, 6
4'', and the drying device 60',
Similarly to the cleaning devices 50' and 50'', the cleaning device 60'' is also connected to the cleaning section control circuit 55, and is driven and controlled in response to instructions from the control device CPU.

Note that each of these devices 10, 20, 30, 40,
As can be understood from FIG. 1, the pair of aspiration sample lines 50 and 60, the sample dispensing guideline of each dispensing device 20, 30, and 40, the washing water supply line, and one end of the compressed air blowing line are rotatably switched. The other end is connected to the valve 70, and the other end is connected to each device 10, 2.
0, 30, 40, 50, and 60, and is configured to open each line and perform each required operation in response to the switching operation of the rotary switching valve 70.

That is, the rotary switching valve 70 is configured so that when each pipette of the pipette devices 2A and 2A' is located at the sample suction position a, each pipette of the pipette devices 2B and 2B' is located at the sample dispensing position b, and when the pipettes of the pipette devices 2B and 2B' are located at the sample dispensing position b, , 2C' are located at the sample dispensing position c, each pipette of the pipette devices 2D, 2D' is located at the sample dispensing position d, and the pipettes of the pipette devices 2E, 2C' are located at the sample dispensing position d.
Each pipette of pipetting devices 2E' is located in the first washing position e, each pipette of pipetting devices 2F, 2F' is located in the second washing position f, and each pipette of pipetting devices 2G, 2G' is located in the first drying position g. and connect each pipette and line in communication so that each pipette of the pipette device 2H, 2H' is located at the second drying position h,
Connections are made so that sample aspiration, dispensing, washing, and drying operations can be performed simultaneously at each location.

Thereafter, when the rotation switching valve 70 rotates one pitch (45 degrees in the illustrated example), the pipetting device 2A,
The pipettes 2A' are simultaneously sent to the sample dispensing position b, and the required amount of the sample aspirated into each pipette is dispensed into the reaction containers 21, 21' of the reaction container device 20. At this time, the pipettes of the pipette devices 2B and 2B' that were at the sample dispensing position b are sent to the sample dispensing position c, and the pipettes of the pipette devices 2C and 2C' that were at the sample dispensing position c are sent to the sample dispensing position c. The pipettes of the pipette devices 2D and 2D', which were sent to the sample dispensing position d, are moved to the first washing position e.
The pipettes of the pipetting devices 2E, 2E', which were in the first washing position e, are sent to the second washing position f, and the pipettes of the pipetting devices 2F, 2F', which were in the second washing position f, are sent to the second washing position f. The pipette is sent to the first drying position g, and the pipette device 2 in the first drying position g
The pipettes G and 2G' are sent to the second drying position h, and the pipettes of the pipette devices 2H and 2H', which were at the second drying position h, are sequentially sent to the sample aspiration position a. Thereafter, the same feeding procedure is repeated.

Such an operation can be easily performed using a multi-stage switching valve as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 51-108886, which is an obvious technology even before the filing of the present invention.

Next, the operation of the automatic dispensing apparatus A according to the above embodiment will be explained based on FIGS. 3a to 3f, taking as an example the operation of one pipetting apparatus 2A, 2A'.

Samples collected in each department are collected via optical or electrical means into a sample container 11 on which a label is affixed with a symbol indicating the number of test items, test type, and reception number required for the sample. , 11', and after being centrifuged, they are arranged in the rack of the sample container transfer device 10 in order of receipt number. Incidentally, this information is also input to the reception operation section B as shown in FIG.

Sample containers 1 arranged easily in this way
1, 11' are pipetting devices 2A, 2A' to 2
The specimen is sent to the specimen suction position a via the rack feeding device 13 which is driven in synchronization with the intermittent driving of the specimens H and 2H'.

At the position a, the amount of the sample in the sample containers 11, 11' is confirmed by the remaining sample amount confirmation devices 15, 15', and the amount of the sample in the sample containers 11, 11' is confirmed.
The reception number attached to 1' is also read by the same number reader 16,
16' and these data are sent to the control unit.
It is input to the CPU and displayed on the display as appropriate. Thereafter, the pipettes of the pipette apparatuses 2A and 2A', which are intermittently stopped at the same position a, are used as shown in FIG. The samples are simultaneously lowered and inserted into the sample containers 11, 11' which have been transferred in stages by the vertical movement operating mechanisms 14, 14'.
Then, the suction/dispensing pumps 12, 12' operate downward by stroke L to aspirate the required amount of sample. At this time, the rotary switching valve 70 connects the pump lines p, p' and the pipette lines q, q'.

If only one specimen is to be tested, move the rack one step only and place the sample container 11 or 11' directly under one pipette, and place the sample container 11 or 11' directly under the other pipette. The drive is controlled so that 11' does not exist.

The pipette of the pipette device 2A and/or 2A', which has sucked and held the required amount of the sample in this way,
It is transferred to the sample dispensing position b of the reaction container device 20 and stopped.

At the position b, as shown in FIG.
p' and pipette lines q and q' are connected in communication. At the same time, each pipette of the pipette devices 2A, 2A' is inserted into one or both of the reaction vessels 21, 21' via the vertical movement operating devices 26, 26', and the pumps 12, 12 are inserted into one or both of the reaction vessels 21, 21'. ′ is activated by the stroke l ₁ minute for the amount required by the automatic analyzer as instructed by the control device CPU, and the required amount of specimen is dispensed into one or both of the reaction vessels 21, 21′. Ru. In this case, reaction vessels 21, 21'
When both pipettes of the pipette devices 2A and 2A' are aspirating the sample, the pipette is fed in two steps, and when only one pipette is aspirating the sample, it is fed in one step. Drive controlled. At this time, the sequence numbers attached to the reaction vessels 21, 21' are read through the sequence number reading devices 28, 28', and the data is input to the control device CPU. and the reception number are stored in correspondence and displayed on a display or printed as appropriate.

The reaction containers 21, 21' into which the required amount of specimen has been dispensed in this way are connected to the first reaction container device 20.
The samples are sequentially automatically transferred to a known automatic analyzer (not shown) connected to the computer. As a result, the present device and the automatic analyzer can be operated continuously, and the process from dispensing the sample after receiving the sample to automatic analysis can be performed automatically without any intervention in obtaining the sample.

In this way, each pipette of the pipette devices 2A, 2A', which has dispensed the amount of sample necessary for the automatic analyzer into the reaction containers 21, 21', is then transferred to the sample dispensing position c of the second reaction container device 30. It is transferred to the point where it stops.

In the position c, as shown in FIG. 3c, the rotary switching valve 70 is rotated to switch the pump lines p,
p' and one or both of the pipette lines q, q' are again connected in communication. In synchronization with this, each pipette of the pipette devices 2A and 2A' is moved to the vertical movement operating device 3.
6 into the reaction vessels 31, 31', and said pumps 12, 12' are operated upward by the stroke l ₂ minutes necessary for the procedure commanded by the control device CPU. , the same sample is dispensed into reaction containers 31, 31'. At this time, the reaction vessels 31, 31' are fed in the same way as the reaction vessels 21, 21', and the sequence numbers assigned to the reaction vessels 31, 31' are
8 and 38', and the data is input to the control device CPU, which stores the same sequence number and the reception number in correspondence, and displays or prints it on a display as appropriate. be done. Here, the usage method refers to test items different from the items set in the automatic analyzer.

The pipette device 2A, which dispensed the necessary amount of specimen for the manual method into the reaction vessels 31, 31' in this way,
2A' pipette is then transferred to the third reaction vessel device 40.
The sample is transferred to the sample dispensing position d and stopped.

In the position d, as shown in FIG. 3d, the rotary switching valve 70 is rotated to switch between the pump lines p,
p' and one or both of pipette lines q and q' are connected in communication. At the same time, pipette device 2
The pipettes A and 2A' are inserted into the reaction vessels 41 and 41' via the vertical movement operating device 46, and the pumps 12 and 12' are controlled by the control device CPU.
The stroke l is increased by ₃ minutes to dispense all of the remaining amount (other portion), and all of the remaining amount is dispensed into the reaction vessels 41, 41'. At this time, the reaction vessels 41, 41' are operated in the same way as the reaction vessels 21, 21', and the reaction vessels 41, 41' are
The sequence number attached to 1' is read through the same number reading device 48, 48', and the sequence number is read by the control device CPU.
Then, the sequence number and the reception number are stored in correspondence and displayed on a display or printed as appropriate. Here, the remaining amount is the amount used for analysis items other than those for automatic analyzers and manual methods. The vertical strokes of the pumps 12, 12' are controlled so that the downward stroke L and each upward stroke (l ₁ +l ₂ +l ₃ ) are the same (L=l ₁ +l ₂ +l ₃ ).

In this way, all the remaining amount is transferred to the reaction vessel 41,
The pipettes of the pipette devices 2A and 2A' that have dispensed into the pipette 41' are then sequentially transferred to the respective washing positions e and f of the second washing apparatus 50'' via the first washing apparatus 50' and stopped at each position. do.

At each position e, f, as shown in FIG. 3e,
The rotary switching valve 70 is rotated to communicate with one or both of the wash water supply lines r', r'' and the pipette lines q, q'.Synchronized with this, the pipettes of the pipetting devices 2A, 2A' are The cleaning water in the tank 56 is inserted into the drainage containers 57, 57' via the vertical movement operating devices 53', 53'a, 53'', 53''a, and then the cleaning water in the tank 56 is transferred to the cleaning water supply pump 51'. ,5
1′a, 51″, 51″a to the above line r′,
r'', q, q' to clean the inside of the pipette devices 2A, 2A' to 2H, 2H'. In this case, the pump lines p and p' are shut off via the rotary switching valve 70, but the pump This is because the lines p and p' are not required to be cleaned because the lines p and p' are not contaminated with specimens.

The pipette device 2A, which has been cleaned in this way,
The pipette 2A' is then sequentially transferred to the first and second drying positions g and h and then stopped.

At each position g, h, as shown in FIG. 3f,
The rotation switching valve 70 is rotated to switch the air line.
s', s'' and one or both of the pump lines p, p' and pipette lines q, q'.Synchronized with this, the pipettes of the same pipetting devices 2A, 2A' are connected to the vertical movement operating device 63'. ,63′a,63″,
The compressed air from the compressor 65 is connected to the air duct holes 66, 66' through the air duct holes 63''a, and then the compressed air is supplied to the air ducts 61', 61'a, 61'', and 61''a, which are opened by switching the solenoid valves 61', 61'a, 61'', and 61''a. Line s′, s″, p,
The air flows through the pipettes p', q, and q', and the pipettes of the pipette devices 2A and 2A' are dried by the same air. The reason for flowing compressed air into the pump lines p and p' is to ensure that the lines p and p' are always dry to prevent impurities from being mixed into the sample.

Of course, other pipetting devices 2B, 2B' to 2H,
As described above, the pipettes 2H' are sequentially transferred in synchronization with the intermittent transfer of the pipette devices 2A and 2A', and are sequentially connected to each line and transferred so as to perform the same operations sequentially.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, the present invention is capable of automatically distributing two samples each for the automatic analyzer and for the manual method according to the analysis items of the subject. phenomenon” can be prevented,
This type of dispensing work can be made faster and more efficient, and the sequence number attached to the reaction container of the dispensed sample can be automatically associated with the reception number and stored. , human errors caused by transcription can be completely eliminated, and as a result, a fully automatic sample dispensing and analysis system can be achieved. This type of collation control process can be greatly simplified because it can be performed using a simple sequential number with a much smaller amount of information compared to the amount of information on specimen containers, which requires a large number of records such as reception numbers and test items. This can be simplified, and since this serial number is attached to each other container, there is no need to transfer the information of the container containing the specimen to each other container. The mechanism of this type of dispensing device can be greatly simplified.
This effect can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the configuration of a reaction container device, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the same device, and FIGS. f is an explanatory diagram sequentially showing the operating states of the device. [Explanation of symbols], A... Automatic dispensing device, 1...
Endless belt, 2A, 2A' to 2H, 2
H′...pipette device, 10...sample suction device,
11, 11'... Sample container, 12, 12'... Suction/dispensing pump, 16, 16'... Reception number reader, 20, 30, 40... Reaction container device, 2
1, 21', 31, 31', 41, 41'...Reaction container, 26, 26', 36, 36', 46, 46'
... Vertical movement operation device, 28, 28', 38, 3
8', 48, 48'...Sequence number reading device,
50...Cleaning device, CPU...Control device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 having a pair of pipettes, by selectively driving both pipettes simultaneously, aspirating and dispensing two specimens at the same time, and attaching a receipt number to the container containing each of the specimens, and A new sequence number different from the above reception number is attached to each other container into which the sample aspirated into the pipette is dispensed, and these reception numbers and sequence numbers are automatically read through a reading device. An automatic dispensing device characterized in that it is configured to correspond.