JP2003248010A - Automatic analyzer - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] In an automatic analyzer, data failure due to insufficient cleaning of a nozzle outer wall is prevented, and the cleaning during continuous analysis can be fully automated. In order to achieve the above object, a mechanism of the present invention includes a plurality of shafts parallel to each other, and elastic cleaning members of a sponge body are brought into contact with each other, and the shafts rotate adjacent elastic cleaning members with each other. To a common motor via gear transmission means. The cleaning is performed by providing a mechanism that presses the elastic cleaning member of the sponge body against the nozzle and relatively moves the nozzle and the elastic cleaning member.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic analyzer for automatically analyzing components such as blood and urine, and more particularly to an automatic analyzer for washing a nozzle after dispensing a sample, a reagent and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Most of clinical chemistry analysis for analyzing biochemical components such as inorganic ions, proteins, nitrogen-containing components, sugars, lipids, enzymes, hormones and drugs in biological samples such as blood and urine is an automatic analyzer. Has been analyzed by.

Blood and urine contain proteins, lipids and other components, and many reagents also contain protein components such as enzymes, and the nozzles are apt to become dirty.

With respect to these stains, in the conventional device, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-213906, water cleaning is performed for each test, or in a specially improved device, automatic cleaning with a cleaning agent is performed. ing.

Examples of detergents include alkaline liquids, acidic liquids, neutral detergents (surfactants), hypochlorite agents and the like.

Each of the components of the cleaning agent is effective depending on the type of stain, but blood and urine contain proteins, lipids and other components, and the measurement reagent also contains pigments and the like. Therefore, the types of stains are not uniform, and the degree is not uniform.

It is desirable to be able to select the type of cleaning liquid depending on the type and degree of contamination, but in the case of an automatic analyzer, and particularly in the case of a random access type automatic analyzer for single-line, multi-item analysis, one reaction Since reaction solutions of various properties randomly enter the cuvette, it is difficult to select an appropriate cleaning solution for the soil and perform automatic cleaning during continuous analysis. Therefore, in many automatic analyzers, it is the actual situation that during continuous analysis, only the washing with water or the washing with a single component is performed.

However, the mere surface-active agent alone and the mere alkali alone cannot completely remove the stains each time, and eventually, the accumulated and solidified stains are periodically washed separately from the sodium hypochlorite and the enzyme, separately from the continuous analysis. It is necessary to manually remove stains with a cleaning agent, which is a problem in terms of maintenance.

[0009]

In the above-mentioned prior art, the inner wall of the nozzle uses the discharge of the cleaning liquid from the inside, the outer wall is washed with water during the continuous analysis, and it is periodically separated from the continuous analysis. Although cleaning was performed manually with a cleaning agent such as sodium hypochlorite or an enzyme cleaning agent, the degree of contamination progressed as the time increased due to the adhesion and accumulation of contaminants on the outer wall of the nozzle, and accurate dispensing, There was a problem that distribution became practically difficult. The contaminants adhering to the outer wall of the nozzle cannot be removed unless it is washed carefully and carefully by hand.
There is also a risk of nozzle damage. It is an object of the present invention to easily and automatically remove contaminants on the outer wall of a nozzle.

[0010]

The structure of the present invention for achieving the above object is as follows.

In an automatic analyzer equipped with a pipette nozzle for dispensing and dispensing a sample and a reagent into a reaction container, and means for measuring a reaction solution of the reacted sample and reagent in the reaction container, An automatic analyzer equipped with a mechanism for pressing a cleaning member to relatively move the nozzle and the cleaning member.

The above mechanism is an automatic analyzer having an operation of cleaning the nozzle with a cleaning agent after the operation is completed.

The cleaning member of the above mechanism is a sponge body,
An automatic analyzer having the sponge body on two axes parallel to each other so that the sponge body contacts.

The relative movement of the mechanism is such that the sponge bodies mounted on two shafts parallel to each other are connected to a common motor via gear transmission means and the sponge bodies rotate to press the sponge bodies against the nozzle. An automatic analyzer equipped with the above mechanism.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An automatic analyzer according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory view of components of an automatic analyzer according to an embodiment of the present invention and a piping diagram thereof,
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a nozzle cleaning mechanism used in the automatic analyzer of FIG. 1 and an explanatory view of nozzle cleaning.

In FIGS. 1 and 3, 10 is a chain type reaction vessel, 2
Reference numeral 0 is an analysis / measurement unit, 30 is a sample setting table, 40 is a reagent setting table, 50 is a sample dispensing pump, 51 is a reagent dispensing pump, 60 is a reaction container cleaning mechanism, 70 is a sample dispensing mechanism, and 80 is a reagent dispensing mechanism. An injection mechanism, 90 is a stirring mechanism, 100 is a purified water supply device, 110 is a water storage container, 120 is an electric pump,
130 is a direct acting self-controlled pressure reducing valve with a built-in diaphragm.
50 is a sample dispensing nozzle washing tank, 151 is a reagent dispensing nozzle washing tank, 152 is a stirring rod washing tank, 140, 141, 14
2, 143 are branch pipes, 161, 162, 163, 16
4, 165, 166, 167 are direct acting solenoid valves, 171,
Reference numerals 172, 173, 174, 175, and 176 are fixed resistance tubes, which are constituent elements incorporated in the automatic analyzer except for the purified water feeder 100.

In the automatic analyzer, the sample 31 of blood and urine arranged on the rotating sample setting table 30 is transferred from the tip of the sample dispensing nozzle 71 mounted on the sample dispensing mechanism 70 to the fixed-volume suction chain reaction container 10. Dispense. Then, the reaction container 10 containing the sample is rotationally transferred and reaches the reagent dispensing position. Various reagents 41 required for the dispensing measurement are arranged at predetermined positions on the reagent installation table 40, and a reagent according to the measurement item is sucked up quantitatively by the reagent dispensing nozzle 81 mounted on the reagent dispensing mechanism 80. It is discharged into the above-mentioned reaction container 10 and mixed with the sample. The reaction container 10 containing the mixed liquid is further transferred and stirred by the stirring mechanism 90 in order to promote the liquid reaction more effectively.

For stirring, the stirrer 91 is infiltrated into the mixed solution,
It is performed by rotating the stirrer. The progressed reaction is transferred to the position 11 between the light source 21 and the analysis and measurement unit 20, and the transmitted light intensity is measured and processed as analysis data. After the measurement, the reaction container 10 is internally cleaned by the reaction container cleaning mechanism 60 to receive a new sample by the sample dispensing mechanism 70 again. Reaction vessel cleaning mechanism 6
No. 0 is provided with three suction nozzles 63 and purified water discharge nozzles 62 and 61, which move up and down so that the nozzles can be thrust into the reaction vessel 10. The reaction liquid after the measurement is sucked up and discharged by the suction nozzle 63, the reaction container 10 is filled with purified water by the next purified water discharge nozzle 62, and the reaction container 10 is washed and emptied by the second suction nozzle 63. The purified water discharge nozzle 61 supplies an appropriate amount of purified water to the chain reaction container 10 for the purpose of measuring a blank value with a reference sample, ie, water, for calculating the transmitted light intensity data of the reaction liquid as an absorbance value. . When the blank value measurement is completed, the reaction container 10 is emptied again by the third suction nozzle 63. By repeatedly controlling the above series of operations, the automatic analyzer is able to
Is analyzing various items.

In this embodiment, one sample dispensing nozzle 7 each
Since a plurality of samples 31 and reagents 41 are dispensed by 1 and the reagent dispensing nozzle 81, it is necessary to clean the range of the nozzle that has come into contact with the liquid when transferring to a new sample / reagent.
Therefore, a sample dispensing nozzle cleaning tank 150 is arranged between the sample setting table 30 and the reaction container 10, and a reagent dispensing nozzle cleaning tank 151 is arranged between the reagent setting table 40 and the reaction container 10 on the nozzle operation locus. There is.

Next, the reagent dispensing nozzle cleaning mechanism will be described. FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of a reagent dispensing nozzle cleaning mechanism. In FIG. 3, the reagent dispensing nozzle 81 is configured to draw a reagent
It discharges and is fixed to the reagent dispensing mechanism 80. The reagent dispensing nozzle 81 is connected to the reagent dispensing pump 51 by a conduit 82 passing through the inside of the reagent dispensing mechanism 80. The reagent dispensing nozzle cleaning tank 151 includes the reagent dispensing nozzle 8
It is mainly configured by a drainage portion 84 for collecting drainage water after washing 1 and an opening portion 83 through which washing water comes out. Opening 8
3 is connected to the direct-acting solenoid valve 162 by a conduit 85.

In FIG. 1, the reagent dispensing nozzle 81 is located in the reagent dispensing nozzle cleaning tank 151. After this, the reagent dispensing nozzle 81 moves to the reagent installation table 40 and dispenses an appropriate amount from the reagent 41 according to the analysis item ordered by the control device. Next, the reagent dispensed by the reagent dispensing nozzle 81 is discharged to the reaction container 10 and again the reagent dispensing nozzle cleaning tank 15
Return to top 1. At this time, the residual liquid of the reagent previously dispensed to the reagent dispensing nozzle 81 adheres to the inner and outer walls of the nozzle.

FIG. 2 shows the state of use of the cleaning mechanism.
The cleaning mechanism is configured by mounting the sponge body 204 in parallel with the nozzle 211 as the center.

The two sponge bodies 204 are moved in the direction of the nozzle 211 until the two sponge bodies 204 are aligned,
The nozzle 211 is pressed. At that time, the outer wall of the nozzle 211 can be cleaned by operating the nozzle 211 up and down.

Further, in FIG. 2, by sliding the sponge body 204, the position of the cleaning member with respect to the nozzle 211 can be changed, and when the cleaning member is used for a long period of time, the insufficient cleaning of the nozzle due to contamination of the cleaning member is reduced. can do.

FIG. 4 shows a usage state of the cleaning mechanism.
The cleaning mechanism is provided with a motor 201, a speed reducer 202 and a gear transmission means 203 in a casing 200, and the gear transmission means 2
The shaft 205 including the cleaning member 204 is detachably attached to the two parallel output shafts 206 that are rotatable from 03 to the outside of the casing 200 and integrally rotatable with the output shaft 206.

As shown in FIG. 5, the gear transmission means 203 is
A main gear 209 is provided on a drive shaft 208 of the speed reducer 202, and meshes with the main gear 209 so as to form two slave gears 210 of the same shape.
Are assembled at equal intervals, and the output shaft 206 is provided at the center of each slave gear 210.
Is provided. The slave gear 210 has a larger diameter than the main gear 209, and the rotation of the drive shaft 208 of the speed reducer 202 is further decelerated and transmitted to the output shaft 206.

The output shaft 206 has a cylindrical tip end and is provided with a clamp screw 207 for fixing the shaft 205 inserted into the output shaft 206.

In the cleaning member, the shaft 205 is inserted into the shaft center of the cylindrical sponge body 204, and the base end of the shaft 205 is projected from the sponge body 204. Shaft 205 of cleaning member 204
The proximal end of is inserted into the output shaft 206 of the gear transmission means 203 and fixed with a clamp screw 207. The spacing between the adjacent output shafts 206 is set to such a degree that the surfaces of the adjacent cleaning members 204 are rubbed against each other and slightly deformed. Sponge body 20
By making the shape of 4 a cylinder, it is possible to apply a substantially constant surface pressure to the entire surface of the nozzle 211, and it is possible to reduce insufficient cleaning.

When cleaning the nozzle 211 in the automatic analyzer, the cleaning member 204 is wetted and a small amount of detergent is applied if necessary. The switch of the motor 201 is turned on to rotate the cleaning member 204. Since the cleaning member rotates at a low speed, centrifugal force does not scatter water or detergent.

By thrusting the nozzle 211 into the rotating cleaning member 204 and moving the nozzle 211 up and down, the cleaning member 204 cleans the outer wall of the nozzle 211. The outer wall of the nozzle 211 is directly rubbed by the rotating cleaning member 204 to remove dirt, so that it can be cleaned more neatly than automatic cleaning by hand-wiping or spraying water, and is particularly effective for stubbornly sticking dirt. Demonstrate.

Further, in FIG. 6, by mounting the casing on the rail 212 and sliding it, the position of the cleaning member with respect to the nozzle 211 can be changed, and when the cleaning member is used for a long period of time, the cleaning member is contaminated. It is possible to reduce the insufficient cleaning of the nozzle.

The above description has been made on the example in which the mechanism based on the present invention is applied to the nozzle cleaning. However, this method is not limited to the sample dispensing nozzle, the reagent dispensing nozzle of the automatic analyzer,
It can be applied to a stir bar.

[0033]

According to the present invention, the nozzle of the automatic analyzer can be reliably and efficiently cleaned automatically, and the complexity of regular maintenance can be released.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of an automatic analyzer to which the present invention according to an embodiment is applied.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of implementation of a cleaning mechanism of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an outline of a nozzle cleaning mechanism of an automatic analyzer to which the present invention according to an embodiment is applied.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a usage state of the cleaning mechanism of the present invention shown in FIG.

5 is a diagram showing a drive mechanism of the cleaning mechanism of the present invention shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a view showing an example of a mounting structure of a cleaning mechanism of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Chain type reaction container, 20 ... Analytical measurement part, 30 ... Sample setting table, 31 ... Sample, 40 ... Reagent setting table,
41 ... Reagent, 50 ... Sample dispensing pump, 51 ... Reagent dispensing pump, 60 ... Reaction container cleaning mechanism, 61, 62 ... Purified water discharge nozzle, 63 ... Suction nozzle, 70 ... Sample dispensing mechanism, 71 ... Sample dispensing Injection nozzle, 80 ... Reagent dispensing mechanism, 81
... Reagent dispensing nozzle, 82, 85 ... Pipe, 83 ... Opening,
84 ... Drainage part, 90 ... Stirring mechanism, 91 ... Stirrer, 100
... Purified water feeder, 110 ... Water reservoir, 120 ... Electric pump, 130 ... Direct acting self-controlled pressure reducing valve with built-in diaphragm, 140, 141, 142 ... Branch pipe, 150 ... Sample dispensing nozzle washing tank, 151 ... Reagent Dispensing nozzle cleaning tank, 15
2 ... Stir bar cleaning tank, 161, 162, 163, 164
165, 166, 167 ... Direct acting solenoid valve, 171, 17
2, 173, 174, 175, 176 ... Fixed resistance tube, 2
00 ... Casing, 201 ... Motor, 202 ... Decelerator,
203 ... Gear transmission means, 204 ... Sponge body (elastic cleaning member), 205 ... Shaft, 206 ... Output shaft, 207 ... Clamp screw, 208 ... Drive shaft, 209 ... Main gear, 210 ... Slave gear, 211 ... Nozzle, 212 …rail.

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Tomonori Mimura             882 Ichige, Ichima, Hitachinaka City, Ibaraki Prefecture             Ceremony company Hitachi High Technologies Design and manufacturing             Headquarters Naka Operations F term (reference) 2G058 EA02 EA04 EB01 FB07 FB15                       FB17 GA03

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An automatic analyzer comprising a pipettor nozzle for dispensing and dispensing a sample or a reagent into a reaction container, and means for measuring a reaction solution of the reacted sample and reagent in the reaction container, In a step of washing the nozzle after dispensing a reagent, a washing mechanism is provided which presses a washing member against the nozzle and relatively moves the nozzle and the washing member to wash the nozzle. Analysis equipment. 2. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning mechanism includes a mechanism for supplying a cleaning agent to the cleaning member during the relative movement. 3. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning member of the mechanism is a sponge body, and two sets of the sponge bodies are provided so as to face each other so as to sandwich the nozzle. Automatic analyzer to do. 4. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the relative movement of the mechanism is such that the sponge bodies mounted on two shafts parallel to each other are connected to a common motor via gear transmission means. An automatic analyzer characterized by the fact that the body rotates.