阅读说明：本技术 自动分析装置 (Automatic analyzer ) 是由 熊谷孝宏 大草武德 于 2018-03-30 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提供能够适当地分类丢弃消耗品的自动分析装置。因此,自动分析装置具有由共通的机构搬运多个种类的消耗品的共通搬运机构(114)、与其分开地设置的多个搬运路径、以及判定由共通搬运机构(114)搬运中的消耗品的类别的类别判定部(122)。该自动分析装置根据类别判定部(122)的判定结果选择多个搬运路径中的某一个,并控制为在该选择的搬运路径搬运来自共通搬运机构(114)的消耗品。(The invention provides an automatic analyzer capable of properly classifying and discarding consumables. Therefore, the automatic analysis device is provided with a common conveying mechanism (114) for conveying a plurality of types of consumables by a common mechanism, a plurality of conveying paths arranged separately from the common conveying mechanism, and a type determination part (122) for determining the type of the consumables conveyed by the common conveying mechanism (114). The automatic analysis device selects one of a plurality of conveying paths according to the judgment result of the type judgment part (122), and controls to convey the consumable items from the common conveying mechanism (114) on the selected conveying path.)

1. An automatic analyzer that uses a plurality of types of consumables, the automatic analyzer comprising:

a common transport mechanism for transporting the plurality of types of consumables by a common mechanism;

a plurality of conveyance paths provided separately from the common conveyance mechanism; and

a determination unit for determining the type of the consumable part being conveyed by the common conveying mechanism,

the automatic analysis device selects one of the plurality of conveyance paths based on the determination result of the determination unit, and controls to convey the consumable part from the common conveyance mechanism in the selected conveyance path.

2. The automatic analysis device according to claim 1,

the automatic analysis device discards the consumable part via the plurality of conveyance paths.

3. The automatic analysis device according to claim 1 or 2,

the automatic analyzer includes a plurality of discard ports disposed at ends of the plurality of conveyance paths, respectively.

4. The automatic analysis device according to claim 1,

the determination unit includes a plurality of sensors that detect the presence or absence of a substance at different coordinates on a detection line in one axis direction, and determines the type of the consumable part based on a detection result of each of the plurality of sensors in a state where the consumable part is disposed on the detection line by the common conveyance mechanism.

5. The automatic analysis device according to claim 1,

the determination unit has a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of a substance at predetermined coordinates on a detection line in one axis direction set in advance, and determines the type of the consumable part based on a movement amount of the common conveyance mechanism, which is a movement amount necessary for changing the detection result of the presence or absence of the substance by the sensor from one to the other, in a state where the common conveyance mechanism disposes the consumable part on the detection line and moves the consumable part on the detection line.

6. The automatic analysis device according to claim 1,

the automatic analyzer has a memory for recording the operation history of the automatic analyzer,

the determination unit determines the type of the consumable part by referring to the operation history.

7. The automatic analysis device according to claim 1,

the determination unit includes:

an imaging unit that images the consumable part being conveyed by the common conveyance mechanism; and

and an image analysis unit configured to analyze the image captured by the imaging unit to determine the type of the consumable part.

8. The automatic analysis device according to claim 2,

the automatic analyzer analyzes the components of the sample while using the plurality of types of consumables.

9. The automatic analysis device according to claim 2,

the determination unit determines the type of the consumable part when the consumable part needs to be discarded while the consumable part is being conveyed by the common conveyance mechanism.

10. An automatic analyzer that uses a plurality of types of consumables, the automatic analyzer comprising:

a common transport mechanism for transporting the plurality of types of consumables by a common mechanism;

a plurality of discard ports; and

a determination unit for determining the type of the consumable part being conveyed by the common conveying mechanism,

the automatic analyzer selects one of the plurality of disposal openings based on the determination result of the determination unit, and controls the common transport mechanism to dispose the consumable part being transported by the common transport mechanism to the selected disposal opening.

11. The automatic analysis device according to claim 10,

the automatic analyzer analyzes the components of the sample while using the plurality of types of consumables.

12. An automatic analyzer that performs a predetermined analysis process while using a plurality of types of consumables, the automatic analyzer comprising:

a 1 st discard port that is a discard destination of a 1 st consumable product that is one of the plurality of types of consumable products;

a 2 nd discard port which is a discard destination of a 2 nd consumable product which is another one of the plurality of types of consumable products;

a 1 st processing unit that performs a 1 st process and a disposal process of the 1 st consumable product to the 1 st disposal port, the 1 st process being a process using the 1 st consumable product and being a part of the analysis process;

a 2 nd processing means for performing a 2 nd process, the 2 nd process being a process using the 2 nd consumable and being another part of the analysis process;

a common transport mechanism that transports the plurality of types of consumables by a common mechanism and delivers the consumables to the 1 st processing mechanism or the 2 nd processing mechanism;

a determination unit that determines the type of the consumable part being conveyed by the common conveyance mechanism; and

and an apparatus control unit that, when the consumable part being conveyed by the common conveyance mechanism is discarded, causes the determination unit to determine the type of the consumable part, and based on the determination result, when the consumable part is the 1 st consumable part, causes the common conveyance mechanism to perform the delivery to the 1 st processing mechanism, and causes the 1 st processing mechanism to perform the discarding process to the 1 st discarding port without performing the 1 st process.

13. The automatic analysis device according to claim 12,

the 2 nd processing means further performs discarding processing of the 2 nd consumable part to the 2 nd discarding port,

based on the determination result of the determination unit, when the consumable part is the 2 nd consumable part, the device control unit causes the common transport mechanism to deliver the consumable part to the 2 nd processing mechanism, and causes the 2 nd processing mechanism to perform the disposal processing of the 2 nd consumable part to the 2 nd disposal port without performing the 2 nd processing.

14. The automatic analysis device according to claim 12,

the apparatus control unit discards the consumable part being conveyed by the common conveying mechanism when a predetermined error occurs with respect to the automatic analysis apparatus while the consumable part is being conveyed by the common conveying mechanism.

15. The automatic analysis device according to claim 12,

the predetermined analysis process is a component analysis of the specimen.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an automatic analyzer, and more particularly, to an automatic analyzer including a mechanism for conveying a plurality of types of consumables.

Background

Patent document 1 shows the following technique: during the transportation of the dispensing mechanism unit by the transportation unit, it is monitored whether or not the dispensing tip is properly attached to the dispensing mechanism unit, thereby preventing incorrect dispensing due to detachment of the dispensing tip after attachment.

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

For example, various automatic analyzers such as a biochemical analyzer and an immunoassay analyzer are used to analyze specific components contained in a sample such as serum or urine. In such an automatic analyzer, in order to prevent the remaining and ensure the analysis performance, a plurality of kinds of consumables which are disposable containers are used. Therefore, the automatic analyzer includes various conveyance mechanisms for appropriately conveying such a plurality of types of consumables and discarding the used consumables. The various conveyance mechanisms may include a mechanism for commonly conveying a plurality of types of consumables.

On the other hand, each of the plurality of types of consumables differs in shape, material, use, and the like. Therefore, when a plurality of types of consumables are discarded, it is preferable to discard the consumables by classification for each type. In particular, when a consumable such as a biological sample is discarded, additional processing or the like is sometimes necessary from the viewpoint of safety, and the importance of sorting and discarding is increased. However, in patent document 1, there is no point of view relating to such sorting and discarding of consumables, and for example, a plurality of types of consumables may be collected at one place.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an automatic analyzer capable of appropriately sorting and discarding consumables.

The above and other objects and novel features of the present invention will be apparent from the description of the present specification and the accompanying drawings.

Means for solving the problems

Hereinafter, a brief description will be given of an outline of a representative embodiment among embodiments disclosed in the present application.

An automatic analyzer according to one embodiment includes: the apparatus includes a common conveyance mechanism for conveying a plurality of types of consumables by a common mechanism, a plurality of conveyance paths provided separately from the common conveyance mechanism, and a determination unit for determining the type of consumable product being conveyed by the common conveyance mechanism. The automatic analysis device selects one of the plurality of conveyance paths based on the determination result of the determination unit, and controls the consumable parts from the common conveyance mechanism to be conveyed in the selected conveyance path.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION

Briefly described, the effects obtained by representative embodiments of the invention disclosed in the present application are as follows: in an automatic analyzer using a plurality of types of consumables, the consumables can be appropriately sorted and discarded.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of a main part of an automatic analyzer according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

Fig. 2A is a flowchart showing an example of processing contents of a part of the apparatus control unit in fig. 1.

Fig. 2B is a flowchart showing an example of detailed processing contents of the discard processing for each category in fig. 2A.

Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of the type determination unit in fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of the type determination unit in fig. 1 in the automatic analyzer according to embodiment 2 of the present invention.

Fig. 5A is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of the type determination unit in the automatic analyzer according to embodiment 3 of the present invention.

Fig. 5B is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of the type determination unit in the automatic analyzer according to embodiment 3 of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing contents of a part of the device control unit in the automatic analyzer according to embodiment 4 of the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of the type determination unit in the automatic analyzer according to embodiment 5 of the present invention.

Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of a main part of an automatic analyzer according to embodiment 6 of the present invention.

Detailed Description

In the following embodiments, the description will be made by dividing the embodiments into a plurality of parts or embodiments as necessary for the sake of convenience, but the following relationships are present, unless otherwise stated specifically: some or all of the modifications, the detailed description, the supplementary explanation, and the like of the other are described. In the following embodiments, when the number of elements and the like (including the number, numerical value, number, range and the like) are referred to, the number is not limited to a specific number unless otherwise specified or clearly limited to a specific number in principle, and may be equal to or greater than the specific number or equal to or less than the specific number.

In the following embodiments, it is needless to say that the constituent elements (including the element steps) are not necessarily essential unless otherwise explicitly indicated or clearly understood in principle to be essential. Similarly, in the following embodiments, when referring to the shape, positional relationship, and the like of the constituent elements and the like, the case substantially similar to or similar to the shape and the like is included except for the case where it is specifically shown and the case where it is clear in principle that it may not be. The same applies to the above-mentioned values and ranges.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In all the drawings for describing the embodiments, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals in principle, and redundant description thereof will be omitted.

(embodiment mode 1)

General Structure and general operation of automatic analysis device

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of a main part of an automatic analyzer according to embodiment 1 of the present invention. The automatic analyzer shown in fig. 1 is, for example, a biochemical analyzer, an immunoassay analyzer, or the like for analyzing a specific component contained in a sample (sample) such as serum or urine. However, the automatic analyzer is not particularly limited to these, and may be, for example, a mass analyzer for clinical examination, a coagulation analyzer for measuring the coagulation time of blood, or the like. The automatic analyzer may be a complex system in which a mass analyzer, a coagulation analyzer, a biochemical analyzer, an immunoassay analyzer, and the like are appropriately combined, or an automatic analysis system using these apparatuses.

The automatic analyzer (e.g., immunoassay analyzer) of fig. 1 includes: a transport device for transporting the sample rack 101 on which the sample is placed, a reagent disk 103, a storage box 110, a reaction part 111, a magnetic separation mechanism including a magnetic separator 116, a detection part 120, and various transport mechanisms for transporting the reagent container and the reaction container to each part of the device. The automatic analyzer includes a device control unit 10 that controls the operation of the entire apparatus, and a device operation unit 11 that serves as an interface between the device control unit 10 and an operator.

The device control unit 10 includes, for example, a processor 12 and a Memory 13 such as a RAM (random access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and controls an operation sequence of the entire device by program processing performed by the processor 12. The apparatus control unit 10 is not limited to the configuration using such program processing, and may be configured to use dedicated hardware processing or to use a combination of program processing and hardware processing as appropriate. The device operation unit 11 is configured by, for example, a display unit such as a display, and an input device such as a mouse or a keyboard.

The transport device, for example, places the specimen rack 101 on a conveyor belt and transports the rack by the conveyor belt. The transport device may be a disk on which a sample is placed and transported by rotation, or may be a device that transports the sample rack 101 by a grasping operation or a lifting operation. A reagent container 102 containing reagents and magnetic particles necessary for an immune reaction is stored in a reagent disk 103. The reagent vessel 102 is provided with a lid. A reaction vessel 108 for reaction and a sample dispensing needle 109 (hereinafter referred to as a needle) for collecting and dispensing a sample are accommodated in a housing case 110. The reaction vessel 108 and the needle 109 are consumables used for analysis. The reaction section 111 is provided with a reaction vessel 108, and performs a reaction between the sample and the reagent in the provided reaction vessel 108. The reaction section 111 has a temperature control mechanism necessary for the reaction between the sample and the reagent.

The various conveyance mechanisms include a common conveyance mechanism 114 and a conveyance mechanism 117. The common transport mechanism 114 transports a plurality of types of consumables by a common mechanism. In this example, the common transfer mechanism 114 transfers the reaction vessel 108 to the reaction section 111 and transfers the needle 109 to the buffer 113. The buffer 113 is a temporary storage location for the needle 109 before dispensing. Specifically, the common transport mechanism 114 includes, for example, a gripping mechanism that grips the needle 109 and the reaction container 108, and a rail mechanism that moves the gripping mechanism through rails provided in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions. The transfer mechanism 117 appropriately transfers the reaction cuvette 108 among the reaction part 111, the magnetic separator 116, the detection part 120, and the cuvette disposal port 112.

The automatic analyzer includes a container lid opening/closing mechanism 104, a sample dispensing probe 105, a reagent dispensing probe 106, and a magnetic particle stirring mechanism 107. The sample dispensing probe 105 collects and dispenses a sample from the sample rack 101 in a state where the needle 109 stored in the buffer area 113 is attached. The lid opening/closing mechanism 104 opens and closes the lid of the reagent container 102. The reagent dispensing probe 106 collects and dispenses a reagent and magnetic particles from the reagent container 102.

The magnetic separation mechanism includes a magnetic separator 116, an impurity suction mechanism 118, and a cleaning liquid discharge mechanism 119. The impurity suction mechanism 118 sucks the liquid containing the impurities in the reaction container 108 conveyed to the magnetic separator 116. The cleaning solution discharge mechanism 119 discharges the cleaning solution into the reaction vessel 108 conveyed to the magnetic separator 116. Further, a reagent discharge mechanism 121 is provided near the detection unit 120. The reagent discharge mechanism 121 discharges a reagent for detection to the reaction cuvette 108 conveyed to the detection unit 120.

Next, the operation of the automatic analyzer of fig. 1 will be described. Upon receiving an instruction from the device control unit 10, the operation of each unit is performed. First, the common transfer mechanism 114 transfers the reaction vessel 108 from the storage box 110 to the reaction unit 111. In addition, the common carrying mechanism 114 carries the needle 109 to the buffer area 113. The reaction unit 111 rotates to move the transferred reaction vessel 108 to the reagent dispensing position. The reagent dispensing probe 106 dispenses a reagent from the reagent disk 103 to a reaction cell 108 on the reaction unit 111.

Thereafter, the reaction unit 111 rotates again to move the reaction vessel 108 to the sample dispensing position. The sample dispensing probe 105 includes a needle head holding portion, and the needle head 109 conveyed to the buffer 113 is attached to the needle head holding portion by a rotational movement and a vertical movement. The sample dispensing probe 105 having the needle 109 attached thereto collects a sample from a sample container 124 provided on the sample rack 101 and dispenses the sample into the reaction container 108 moved to the sample dispensing position. At the time of collection, the sample container 124 is held by the container holding means 123. The sample dispensing probe 105 moves the used tip 109 to the tip discarding port 115 by the rotation and up-and-down movement, and removes the tip 109 and discards it to the tip discarding port 115.

On the other hand, the reaction unit 111 waits for a predetermined time period in a state where the reaction vessel 108 in which the dispensing of the sample and the reagent has been completed is placed, and then rotates to move the reaction vessel 108 to the reagent dispensing position. The predetermined time is a time required for the reaction between the sample and the reagent. The reagent dispensing probe 106 collects magnetic particles from the reagent disk 103 and dispenses them into a reaction vessel 108 to be positioned at a reagent dispensing position. After the reaction part 111 waits for a certain time period, the reaction part 111 rotates to a predetermined position, and the transfer mechanism 117 transfers the reaction vessel 108 on the reaction part 111 to the magnetic separator 116.

The magnetic separator 116 separates a magnetic component containing a reaction product from a non-magnetic component containing impurities in the reaction vessel 108. More specifically, the suction by the foreign substance suction mechanism 118 and the discharge of the cleaning liquid by the cleaning liquid discharge mechanism 119 are repeated a plurality of times, and finally only the magnetic component containing the reaction product remains in the reaction vessel 108. The transfer mechanism 117 transfers the reaction cuvette 108 containing the magnetic component to the detection unit 120. Thereafter, the reagent discharge mechanism 121 discharges the reagent for detection to the reaction container 108, and detection is performed. The transport mechanism 117 transports the reaction container 108 whose detection has been completed to the reaction container discard port 112 and discards it. Thereafter, the automatic analyzer repeats the above-described operation for the subsequent sample.

In the above-described configuration and operation, the automatic analyzer of fig. 1 further includes the type discrimination unit 122. The type discrimination unit 122 discriminates the type of the consumable part (in this example, the reaction container 108 or the needle 109) being conveyed by the common conveyance mechanism 114. The automatic analysis device in fig. 1 selects any one of a plurality of conveyance paths provided separately from the common conveyance mechanism 114 based on the determination result of the type determination unit 122, and controls the consumable parts from the common conveyance mechanism 114 to be conveyed on the selected conveyance path. Further, a plurality of disposal ports (in this example, the reaction container disposal port 112 and the needle disposal port 115) are provided at the ends of the plurality of transfer paths, respectively, and the automatic analyzer finally disposes the consumable part via the plurality of transfer paths. This will be specifically described below.

First, the reaction vessel 108 is conveyed while being held by the common conveyance mechanism 114 while being accommodated in the accommodation box 110, and the type is determined by the type determination unit 122. The automatic analyzer selects the 1 st transport path, which is a path from the position where the type determination is performed to the reaction cuvette discard port 112, based on the determination result. In the 1 st transport path, first, the reaction vessel 108 is set in the reaction part 111 by the common transport mechanism 114. Next, the reaction vessel 108 is moved to a reagent dispensing position and a sample dispensing position by the rotation of the reaction unit 111, and after dispensing of the reagent, the sample, and the magnetic particles, the reaction vessel is gripped by the conveyance mechanism 117 and set on the magnetic separator 116. The reaction cuvette 108, from which the magnetic component is separated by the magnetic separator 116, is conveyed to the detection unit 120 by the conveyance mechanism 117. Thereafter, the reaction container 108 whose detection has been completed is discarded to the reaction container discard port 112 by the transfer mechanism 117.

On the other hand, the needle 109 is conveyed in a state of being held by the common conveyance mechanism 114 while being accommodated in the accommodation box 110, and the type determination is performed by the type determination unit 122. The automatic analyzer selects the 2 nd conveyance path as a path from the position where the type determination is performed to the needle disposal port 115 based on the determination result. In the 2 nd conveyance path, first, the needle 109 is set to the buffer 113 by the common conveyance mechanism 114. Next, the needle 109 is attached to the sample dispensing probe 105 by the operation of the sample dispensing probe 105. After the sample is collected and discharged, the needle 109 is detached from the sample dispensing probe 105 by the operation of the sample dispensing probe 105 and discarded to the needle discard port 115.

The reaction vessel discarding port 112 and the needle discarding port 115 are not connected to each other at a position not shown in the drawing, and the consumable discarded to the reaction vessel discarding port 112 and the consumable discarded to the needle discarding port 115 are separately collected. As a result, the consumables can be appropriately sorted and discarded.

In this example, the operation range of the common transport mechanism 114 includes the region of the housing box 110 in which the reaction containers 108 and the needles 109 are disposed. However, for example, when a plurality of mechanisms are combined to transport the reaction container 108 and the needle 109, the operation range may not include the housing box 110.

Detailed description of the apparatus control section

Here, in actual use, the case of discarding the consumable includes a normal case and an unconventional case. The conventional case refers to the case where: as in the first and second conveyance paths described above, the consumable supplies are used for various processes necessary for analysis and then discarded. In such a conventional case, normally, the apparatus control unit 10 sequentially manages the conveyance paths of the consumables on the basis of a predetermined time series, and previously identifies the type of the consumable part being conveyed by the common conveyance mechanism 114 on the basis of the time series. Therefore, in this case, the type determination unit 122 does not necessarily need to perform the type determination.

On the other hand, in the case of an irregular situation, for example, the type of consumable parts during transportation may not be specified. The unusual case includes, for example, a case where a predetermined device error (in other words, an abnormal stop) occurs during the conveyance of the consumable part by the common conveyance mechanism 114, and a case where an urgent interruption analysis is necessary for various reasons. In such an unconventional case, it is preferable from the viewpoint of safety to discard the consumable in conveyance for a while. However, if the types of consumables during transportation are unknown, it is difficult to appropriately classify and discard the consumables. Therefore, the use of the type determination unit 122 is advantageous.

Fig. 2A is a flowchart showing an example of processing contents of a part of the apparatus control unit in fig. 1. In fig. 2A, the device control unit 10 determines whether or not the discarding process of the conveyed object is necessary (step S201). Specifically, the device control unit 10 determines whether an abnormal situation such as occurrence of a device error has occurred. When the disposal process of the transported object is required, the apparatus control unit 10 determines whether or not the common transport mechanism 114 is in the process of transporting the transported object (step S202). Specifically, for example, when the common transport mechanism 114 grips a transported object by the gripper and transports the object, the apparatus control unit 10 determines the presence or absence of the transported object by detecting the opening and closing of the gripper. Further, when the discarding process of the conveyed object is not required in step S201 or when there is no conveyed object in step S202, the apparatus control part 10 ends the process.

When the transported object is present in step S202, the device control unit 10 causes the type determination unit 122 to determine the type of the transported object (step S203). When the type is determined by the type determination unit 122, the device control unit 10 performs a discarding process for each type (steps S204 and S205). On the other hand, when the type is not specified by the type determination unit 122, the device control unit 10 stops the device operation and notifies the device operation unit 11 of the fact (steps S204 and S206). Here, although the apparatus control unit 10 stops the apparatus operation in step S206, the process may be terminated without stopping the apparatus operation in some cases. The device control unit 10 may determine the type of the transported object in step S203 without performing the process of step S202 and regardless of the presence or absence of the transported object.

Here, the conveyance object is usually a consumable (in this case, the reaction container 108 or the needle 109), but may be a special component for setting up the apparatus. Examples of the special member include a jig for adjusting the position of the device. If the conveyed object is a special component and the type determination unit 122 cannot identify the special component, the process of step S206 is performed. As a result, the special member can be prevented from being discarded.

Fig. 2B is a flowchart showing an example of detailed processing contents of the discarding process (step S205) for each category in fig. 2A. In fig. 2B, when the conveyed object (i.e., the consumable part) is the needle head 109, the apparatus control unit 10 instructs the common conveyance mechanism 114 to convey the needle head 109 to the buffer 113 based on the determination result of the type determination unit 122 (steps S211 and S212). Next, the apparatus control unit 10 instructs the sample dispensing probe 105 to discard the needle 109 on the buffer 113 to the needle discard port 115 (step S213).

On the other hand, when the transported object (i.e., consumable parts) is the reaction container 108, the apparatus control unit 10 instructs the common transport mechanism 114 to transport the reaction container 108 to the reaction unit 111 based on the determination result of the type determination unit 122 (steps S211 and S214). Next, the apparatus control unit 10 instructs the reaction unit 111 to perform a rotation operation (step S215). Thereafter, the apparatus control unit 10 instructs the transport mechanism 117 to discard the reaction container 108 on the reaction unit 111 to the container discard port 112 (step S216).

In this way, when discarding the consumable part being conveyed by the common conveyance mechanism 114, the apparatus control unit 10 causes the common conveyance mechanism 114 to deliver the consumable part to the processing mechanism corresponding to the type of the consumable part, and causes the processing mechanism to perform the disposal process to the disposal port without performing the original process that is part of the analysis process. For example, when the consumable part is the needle head 109, the target processing mechanism is the sample dispensing probe 105, and the apparatus control unit 10 causes the common transport mechanism 114 to deliver the sample dispensing probe 105 and discards the sample dispensing probe 105 in the needle head discarding port 115 without performing the original dispensing process. When the consumable supplies are the reaction vessels 108, the target processing mechanisms are the reaction unit 111 and the transport mechanism 117, and the apparatus control unit 10 causes the common transport mechanism 114 to deliver the consumable supplies to the reaction unit 111, and causes the reaction unit 111 and the transport mechanism 117 to discard the consumable supplies to the reaction vessel discard port 112 without performing the original processing such as sample dispensing, magnetic separation, and detection.

Detailed description of Category determination section

Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of the type determination unit in fig. 1. The type determination unit 122 in fig. 3 includes a plurality of sensors 302a and 302b for detecting the presence or absence of a substance at different coordinates on a detection line 300 in one axis direction set in advance. As the plurality of sensors 302a and 302b, for example, a reflection-type or transmission-type photoelectric sensor, a sensor using reflection of ultrasonic waves, a sensor for detecting by presence or absence of contact, and the like are known.

As shown in fig. 3, the common transport mechanism 114 of fig. 1 can move in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions in a state where the transported object is held by the gripper 301. The common conveyance mechanism 114 conveys the conveyed object to the region of the type determination unit 122 on the XY plane, and moves the conveyed object by a predetermined amount 305 in the Z-axis direction after disposing the conveyed object on the detection line 300 (here, on the Z-axis). In this state, the type determination unit 122 determines the type of the conveyed object based on the detection results of the sensors 302a and 302 b.

In the example of fig. 3, it is assumed that 2 sensors 302a and 302b are used when the needle 109 to be a transport (consumable) is longer than the reaction container 108. In this case, the detection results of the 2 sensors 302a and 302b differ depending on the shape of the conveyed object (here, the length in the longitudinal direction). When the transported object is the needle 109, as shown in case a, both of the 2 sensors 302a and 302B detect the presence of the substance, and when the transported object is the reaction container 108, as shown in case B, only one of the 2 sensors 302a and 302B detects the presence of the substance. Based on the difference in the detection results, the type of the conveyed object can be determined.

When such a type determination method is used, the number of sensors or the number of sensors + one type of type determination can be performed. That is, when it is assumed that the transported object is present, the sensors 302a and 302b detect the absence of the substance in both of the above-described two types, and thus, a shorter transported object (for example, a jig) can be distinguished. Further, when the presence of the transported object is not assumed, for example, by providing a sensor at a position where the shortest transported object that can be transported can be detected, the type determination unit 122 can also perform determination including the presence or absence of the transported object.

Main effects of embodiment 1

As described above, by using the automatic analyzer according to embodiment 1, the consumables can be appropriately sorted and discarded. In this case, even when a plurality of types of consumables are conveyed by a common mechanism, such as the common conveyance mechanism 114, the consumables can be appropriately sorted and discarded according to the type of the consumable. Further, as shown in fig. 2A, when the type determination unit 122 is operated only when necessary, the throughput of the apparatus can be maintained.

(embodiment mode 2)

Detailed description of type determination section (modification example)

Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of the type determination unit in fig. 1 in the automatic analyzer according to embodiment 2 of the present invention. The type determination unit 122 in fig. 4 includes a sensor 402 for detecting the presence or absence of a substance in a predetermined coordinate on the detection line 300 in one axis direction set in advance. That is, the type determination unit 122 includes a plurality of sensors in fig. 3, and includes 1 sensor 402 in fig. 4. As in the case of fig. 3, the common conveyance mechanism 114 arranges the conveyed object on the inspection line 300 and moves the conveyed object on the inspection line 300. In this state, unlike the case of fig. 3, the type determination unit 122 of fig. 4 determines the type of the conveyed object based on the amount of movement of the common conveyance mechanism 114 required for the sensor 402 to detect the presence of the substance.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 4, a difference occurs in the amount of movement of the common conveyance mechanism 114 until the sensor 402 detects the presence of the substance, depending on the shape of the conveyed object (here, the length in the longitudinal direction). When the conveyed object is the needle 109, as shown in case a, a predetermined movement amount 405 is required until the sensor 402 detects the presence of the substance. On the other hand, if the transported object is a reaction container 108 shorter than the needle 109, a movement amount 407 larger than the movement amount 405 is necessary until the sensor 402 detects the presence of the substance. Based on the difference in the amount of movement, the type of the conveyed object can be determined.

Main effects of embodiment 2

As described above, by using the automatic analyzer according to embodiment 2, the same effects as those in embodiment 1 can be obtained. Further, since 1 sensor is sufficient as compared with the system of fig. 3, cost reduction, improvement in the degree of freedom in installing the sensor 402, and the like can be achieved. In addition, when the difference in the moving amount is to be distinguished, a range may be set for the moving amount in consideration of a size difference based on an individual difference of the conveyed object and a moving amount error of the common conveying mechanism 114, and the conveyed object may be associated with the range.

Although the type of the transported object is determined based on the difference in the amount of movement until the sensor detects the presence of the substance, the type of the transported object may be determined based on the difference in the amount of movement until the sensor detects the absence of the substance. That is, the common transport mechanism 114 may be set to an initial state in which the presence of the substance is detected, and may move until the absence of the substance is detected. Note that, although the common conveyance mechanism 114 is moved in a state where the sensor is fixed, the sensor may be moved in a state where the common conveyance mechanism 114 is fixed. However, in this case, since there is a possibility that the cost of the moving mechanism accompanying the sensor increases, it is preferable to move the common transport mechanism 114 from this viewpoint.

(embodiment mode 3)

Detailed description of type determination section (modification example)

Fig. 5A and 5B are schematic diagrams showing a configuration example of a type determination unit in an automatic analyzer according to embodiment 3 of the present invention. As shown in fig. 5A, according to the automatic analyzer, a common installation section 501, which is provided in common for a plurality of types of objects, may be provided in a conveyance path for the plurality of types of objects. In this case, for example, the type of the transported object can be determined in a state where the transported object is set in the common setting unit 501 by the common transport mechanism 114 or the like.

As shown in fig. 5A, at least one sensor 502 is provided in the common installation section 501. In this example, the sensor 502 is attached so that the detection result differs depending on the length of the conveyance object set in the common setting unit 501. As a result, the type of the conveyed object can be determined based on the detection result. In this embodiment, the number of sensors + one type of category determination can be performed as in the case of fig. 3.

As shown in fig. 5B, according to the automatic analyzer, the sensors 505a and 505B can be provided on a common transport path for a plurality of types of transported objects. In the example of fig. 5B, a common conveyance mechanism 506 is provided, and the common conveyance mechanism 506 conveys the conveyed object by rotational movement on the XY plane in a state where the conveyed object is attached so as to extend in the Z-axis direction. The sensors 505a and 505b are attached to a certain XY coordinate to detect the presence or absence of an object at respectively different coordinates on the Z axis. The type of the conveyed object is determined based on the detection results of the sensors 505a and 505b when the conveyed object passes through the XY coordinates by the rotational motion of the common conveying mechanism 506.

Main effects of embodiment 3

As described above, by using the automatic analyzer according to embodiment 3, the same effects as those in embodiment 1 can be obtained. In the embodiments of fig. 3 and 4, it is necessary to separately provide a region for the type determination unit 122 and separately control the common conveyance mechanism 114 so as to convey the conveyed object to the region. On the other hand, in the systems of fig. 5A and 5B, since the type determination can be performed during the conveyance of the conveyed object as usual, there are cases where the space efficiency and the control efficiency are advantageous. Note that, although the common conveyance mechanism 506 that performs a rotational motion is taken as an example here, even when the common conveyance mechanism 114 shown in fig. 1 is used, the type determination may be performed without moving in the Z-axis direction in the same manner as in fig. 5B.

(embodiment mode 4)

Detailed description of device control section (modified example)

In embodiments 1 to 3, the type determination is performed using a sensor. On the other hand, in the case where the automatic analyzer of fig. 1 records the operation history in the memory 13 one by one during the operation, the type determination may be possible without using a sensor. The operation history is mainly, for example, time series information, a motor drive pulse result, a sensor state, and the like, but is not limited to these as long as the type of the conveyed object can be determined.

Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing contents of a part of the device control unit in the automatic analyzer according to embodiment 4 of the present invention. Compared with the flow shown in fig. 2A, the flow shown in fig. 6 replaces the process of step S203 with the process of step S603. In step S603, the apparatus control unit 10 operates as a type determination unit, and determines the type of the conveyed object by referring to the latest operation history recorded in the memory 13 when the discarding process of the conveyed object being conveyed by the common conveyance mechanism 114 is required (step S201).

Main effects of embodiment 4

As described above, by using the automatic analyzer according to embodiment 4, the same effects as those in embodiment 1 can be obtained. Further, by using the operation history, the type determination including the material, the state, the application, and the like can be performed without being limited to the shape of the transported object. For example, it is also possible to make a determination as to whether the conveyance has been used for analysis. Thus, based on the determination result, the transport path (disposal path) can be changed depending on whether or not the consumable part is used as a container for the biological sample.

(embodiment 5)

Detailed description of type determination section (modification example)

Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of the type determination unit in the automatic analyzer according to embodiment 5 of the present invention. The type determination unit shown in fig. 7 includes an imaging unit 702, an image analysis unit 703, and an operation control unit 704. The imaging unit 702 images the conveyed object being conveyed by the common conveyance mechanism 114. The image of the conveyed object may be taken while the conveyed object is moving, or may be taken while the conveyed object is still. The imaging unit 702 may be provided at any position on the normal conveyance path of the common conveyance mechanism 114, or may be provided separately with a dedicated area as shown in the type determination unit 122 in fig. 1.

The image analysis unit 703 analyzes the image captured by the image capture unit 702 to determine the type of the transported object. In the analysis process, for example, the type of the transported object may be determined based on the shape of the transported object, or the type may be determined based on the color of the transported object. The operation control unit 704 controls the imaging timing of the imaging unit 702 based on an instruction from the apparatus control unit 10, for example.

In the example of fig. 7, the imaging unit 702 images the needle 109 while gripping the needle 109 by the gripper 301 of the common transport mechanism 114. Here, the automated analyzer may appropriately intervene in the common transport mechanism 114 when transporting between the processing mechanisms. In this case, for example, the needle 109 held by the common carrying mechanism 114 may be in an unused state, a state during use, or a state after use. The needle 109 of fig. 7 is dispensing a biological sample (specimen) 701 and is in a state in use. When the method of fig. 7 is used, the type of the conveyed object including the state and the like can be determined without being limited to the shape of the conveyed object, and for example, whether or not the needle 109 is in use can be determined. This enables the conveyance path (disposal path) to be changed based on the determination result.

Main effects of embodiment 5

As described above, by using the automatic analyzer according to embodiment 5, the same effects as those in embodiment 1 can be obtained. Further, the type determination including the state and the like can be performed without being limited to the shape of the transported object.

(embodiment mode 6)

General structure and general operation of automatic analysis device (variant)

Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of a main part of an automatic analyzer according to embodiment 6 of the present invention. The automatic analyzer shown in fig. 8 is different from the configuration example shown in fig. 1 in that the needle tip discarding port 115 and the reaction vessel discarding port 112 are not provided in the movement range of the sample dispensing probe 105 and the transfer mechanism 117, but are provided in the movement range of the common transfer mechanism 114. In this case, the common transport mechanism 114 can sort and discard the consumable supplies being transported to the disposal port as they are. Specifically, the apparatus control unit 10 may select one of the plurality of disposal openings based on the determination result of the type determination unit 122, and control the common transport mechanism 114 to dispose the consumable part being transported by the common transport mechanism 114 to the selected disposal opening.

Main effects of embodiment 6

As described above, by using the automatic analyzer according to embodiment 6, the same effects as those in embodiment 1 can be obtained. However, in this case, unlike the configuration example of fig. 1, the sample dispensing probe 105 and the transport mechanism 117 cannot directly discard the consumable part, and always need to be discarded via the common transport mechanism 114. In this case, the throughput of the apparatus may be reduced. It is also conceivable that the tip discard port 115 and the reaction vessel discard port 112 are provided both within the movement range of the sample dispensing probe 105 and the transfer mechanism 117 and within the movement range of the common transfer mechanism 114. However, in this case, the space efficiency of the apparatus may be reduced. In the configuration example of fig. 1, it is also conceivable to extend the range of movement of the common transport mechanism 114 to the needle disposal port 115 and the reaction container disposal port 112. However, in this case, the cost of the apparatus may increase and the space efficiency of the apparatus may decrease. Therefore, from such a viewpoint, the configuration example of fig. 1 is advantageous.

The invention made by the present inventors has been specifically described above based on the embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the above-described embodiments have been described in detail to facilitate understanding of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to having all the configurations described. In addition, a part of the structure of one embodiment may be replaced with the structure of another embodiment, and the structure of another embodiment may be added to the structure of one embodiment. In addition, a part of the configuration of each embodiment can be added, deleted, or replaced with another configuration.

Description of the reference numerals

10: device control unit, 11: device operation unit, 12: processor, 13: memory, 101: sample rack, 102: reagent container, 103: reagent disk, 104: container lid opening and closing mechanism, 105: sample dispensing probe, 106: reagent dispensing probe, 107: magnetic particle stirring mechanism, 108: reaction vessel, 109: sample dispensing needle, 110: accommodating box, 111: reaction section, 112: reaction vessel disposal port, 113: buffer, 114: common conveyance mechanism, 115: needle disposal port, 116: magnetic separator, 117: conveyance mechanism, 118: impurity suction mechanism, 119: cleaning liquid discharge mechanism, 120: detection unit, 121: reagent discharge mechanism, 122: type determination unit, 123: container holding device, 124: sample container, 300: detection line, 301: grippers, 302a, 302 b: sensor, 402: a sensor, 501: common setting section, 502: sensors, 505a, 505 b: sensor, 506: common conveyance mechanism, 701: biological sample, 702: an imaging unit, 703: image analysis unit, 704: an operation control unit.