阅读说明：本技术 检测体处理系统 (Sample processing system ) 是由 宇津木康 鬼泽邦昭 于 2020-02-05 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提供一种检测体处理系统,其能通过简单的机构检测检测体容器是否开栓。具备：自动分析装置,其对检测体进行分析；前处理装置,其对所述检测体实施前处理；以及输送路,其在所述自动分析装置或者所述前处理装置中,输送收纳所述检测体的检测体容器,该检测体处理系统的特征在于,还具备单一传感器,该单一传感器以与所述检测体容器的长度方向正交的方式配置,检测所述检测体容器是否被开栓。(The invention provides a sample processing system which can detect whether a sample container is opened or not through a simple mechanism. The disclosed device is provided with: an automatic analyzer that analyzes a sample; a pretreatment device for pretreating the specimen; and a transport path that transports a sample container that accommodates the sample in the automatic analyzer or the pretreatment device, wherein the sample processing system further includes a single sensor that is disposed so as to be orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the sample container and detects whether or not the sample container is unbolted.)

1. A specimen processing system includes: an automatic analyzer that analyzes a sample; a pretreatment device for pretreating the specimen; and a transport path for transporting a sample container containing the sample between the automatic analyzer and the pretreatment apparatus or between the automatic analyzer and the pretreatment apparatus, the sample processing system being characterized in that,

the apparatus further includes a single sensor that is disposed so as to be orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the sample container and detects whether or not the sample container is opened.

2. The specimen processing system according to claim 1,

the sensor includes a detection coil for emitting a high-frequency magnetic field and a detection circuit for detecting a change in state of the high-frequency magnetic field, and detects whether or not the sample container is closed by the sealing plug based on the change in state detected by the detection circuit.

3. The specimen processing system according to claim 2,

the detection coil radiates the high-frequency magnetic field to ranges of different heights of the sample container.

4. The specimen processing system according to claim 3,

the sensor further has a shield covering at least a part of an outer peripheral surface of the detection coil,

the range in which the high-frequency magnetic field is radiated is adjusted by changing the relative position between the detection coil and the shield.

5. The specimen processing system according to claim 1,

the sensor has: a light-emitting/receiving unit that generates white light and detects light; and a prism that disperses the white light to generate dispersed light, and detects whether or not the sample container is plugged with a rubber plug based on reflected light of the dispersed light detected by the light-emitting/receiving unit.

6. The specimen processing system according to claim 5,

the sensor determines the height of the sample container with the stopper opened or closed based on the color of the reflected light.

7. The specimen processing system according to claim 5,

the prism generates the dispersed light in a range of different heights of the sample container.

8. The specimen processing system according to claim 5,

and a reflective material is arranged on the side surface of the rubber bolt.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a sample processing system including an automatic analyzer for analyzing samples such as blood and urine and a pretreatment device for performing various pretreatments on the samples before the analysis, and more particularly, to a technique for detecting whether or not a sample container containing the samples is unbolted.

Background

An automatic analyzer is used in hospitals and examination facilities for analyzing specimens such as blood and urine supplied from patients, and is essential for diagnosis of patients. In order to prevent contamination and leakage during the period before various pretreatments, analyses, and the like are performed, the sample container containing the sample needs to be closed with a rubber stopper or the like and opened before the pretreatments and analyses.

Patent document 1 discloses a plug removal device that automatically performs a plug removal operation even when liquid production pipes of different heights are mixed. Specifically, the present invention relates to a plug removal device for positioning the height of a plug removal mechanism for removing a plug from a fluid production pipe, based on the height determined by a height determination mechanism having a plurality of photoelectric sensors in order to determine the height of the fluid production pipe.

Documents of the prior art

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese patent No. 3025114

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

However, in patent document 1, in order to determine the height of the sampling tube, which is an example of the sample container, it is necessary to have a plurality of photoelectric sensors, which makes the sample processing system complicated. In addition, in patent document 1, since each photosensor is irradiated with a light beam in the horizontal direction, it is difficult to detect whether or not a seal plug having an extremely thin thickness is opened, as compared with a rubber plug. In a dispensing unit included in an automatic analyzer or a pretreatment apparatus provided in a sample processing system, when a sample container is conveyed in a state where the sample container is not unbolted, a nozzle for analysis or dispensing collides with a stopper of the sample container, and a failure of the sample processing system occurs, or the sample container is left to fall and a sample is lost.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a sample processing system capable of detecting whether or not a sample container is opened by a simple mechanism.

Means for solving the problems

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a specimen processing system including: an automatic analyzer that analyzes a specimen; a pretreatment device for pretreating the specimen; and a transport path for transporting a sample container containing the sample in the automatic analyzer or the pretreatment device, wherein the sample processing system further includes a single sensor arranged so as to be orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the sample container, and detects whether or not the sample container is unbolted.

Effects of the invention

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a sample processing system capable of detecting whether or not a sample container is unbolted by a simple mechanism.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a sample processing system.

Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a sample container to be stoppered.

Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the plug detection unit according to example 1.

Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the seal plug sensor according to embodiment 1.

Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating details of the seal plug sensor of example 1.

Fig. 6 is a diagram for explaining an example of the rubber plug sensor of example 2.

Fig. 7 is a diagram illustrating details of the rubber plug sensor of example 2.

Fig. 8 is a diagram for explaining an example of the flow of the processing of example 2.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the specimen processing system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description and the drawings, the same reference numerals are given to the components having the same functional configuration, and redundant description is omitted.

Example 1

An example of the configuration of the sample processing system will be described with reference to fig. 1. The sample processing system is a system for analyzing a sample such as blood or urine supplied from a patient and performing various pretreatments on the sample before the analysis, and includes a pretreatment device 100, a transfer path 102, an automatic analyzer 104, and a control unit 105. Hereinafter, each part will be explained.

The pretreatment device 100 is configured by connecting a plurality of units having various functions. For example, the pretreatment device 100 is configured by connecting an input unit 100a, a storage unit 100b, a centrifugal separation unit 100c, a liquid amount measurement unit 100d, an uncapping unit 100e, a child blood collection tube production unit 100f, a dispensing unit 100g, and a stopper closing unit 100 h. Hereinafter, each unit will be described.

The loading unit 100a is a unit for loading a sample container containing a sample into a sample processing system. The loaded sample container is mounted on a rack 101 and transported through a transport path 102 in the sample processing system. In the loading unit 100a, a sample identification unit, not shown, reads a barcode or the like attached to a sample container, acquires ID information for identifying a sample, and identifies the sample. The sample recognition unit is not limited to the input unit 100a, and may be provided at various locations in the sample processing system.

An example of the sample container will be described with reference to fig. 2. Fig. 2(a) is a side view showing a sealing plug blood collection tube 202 as a sample container mounted on the holder 101 with the plug closed by a sealing plug 203. The blood collection tube 202 for a sealing plug is one of specimen containers that contain blood collected from a patient. Depending on the amount of blood collected, sealing plug blood collection tubes 202 of different heights are used, for example, sealing plug blood collection tubes 202 having heights of 75mm, 90mm, and 100mm are used. The seal plug 203 is a metal film seal having a thickness of about 0.05 mm. The sealing plug 202 is closed by attaching the sealing plug 203 to the upper end of the sealing plug blood collection tube 202. The upper end of the sealing plug blood collection tube 202 may be provided with a rim for easy attachment of the sealing plug 203. The holder 101 is made of plastic resin, carries a blood collection tube 202 for a sealing plug as a specimen container, and is transported through the transport path 102 in the specimen processing system.

Fig. 2(b) shows a rubber stopper blood collection tube 204 as a specimen container mounted on the holder 101 with the stopper closed by a rubber stopper 205. The rubber stopper blood collection tube 204 is one of specimen containers for storing blood, and has a height of, for example, 75mm, 90mm, or 100mm, as with the sealing stopper blood collection tube 202. The rubber stopper 205 is a rubber stopper, and is attached to the upper end of the rubber stopper blood collection tube 204 to close the rubber stopper blood collection tube 204.

The description returns to fig. 1. The centrifugal separation unit 100c is a unit that, when the sample is blood, centrifuges the sample container to be put into the centrifugal separation unit, and separates the blood into individual components.

The liquid amount measuring unit 100d is a unit for measuring or discriminating the amount and color of the sample in the sample container. The liquid amount measuring unit 100d uses a laser light source unit and an image recognition unit, not shown, for measurement and determination.

The opening unit 100e is a unit for opening the sample container to be closed. Since there are a plurality of types of stoppers for closing the sample container, the stopper opening unit 100e may be provided according to the type of the stopper.

The child blood collection tube creating unit 100f is a unit for preparing a child blood collection tube. The child blood collection tube is a separate specimen container for subdividing blood as a specimen stored in the specimen container, and a barcode or the like is attached to the child blood collection tube to identify the subdivided specimen. The prepared child blood collection tube is mounted on the holder 101.

The dispensing unit 100g is a unit for dispensing a specimen from a specimen container. For example, the blood component separated by the centrifugal separation unit 100c is dispensed by the dispensing unit 100g into the child blood collection tube prepared by the child blood collection tube production unit 100f, and analyzed by the automatic analyzer 104 described later. When dispensing a sample, a nozzle for sucking the sample is inserted into the sample container.

The stopper unit 100h is a unit for closing the stopper of the opened specimen container and the child blood collection tube into which the blood component is dispensed. The stopper closing unit 100h may be provided according to the type of stopper for closing the sample container.

The storage unit 100b is a unit that stores the sample container that is stoppered by the stoppering unit 100 h.

Note that this configuration is merely an example, and the pretreatment apparatus 100 may not include all of the above-described units, or may include units having other functions. The units are connected to each other via a transport path 102 for transporting a rack 101 on which sample containers are mounted.

The transport path 102 transports the rack 101 on which the sample container for storing the sample is mounted between the pretreatment apparatus 100, the automatic analyzer 104, and the pretreatment apparatus 100 and the automatic analyzer 104. In the pretreatment apparatus 100, the conveyance path 102 may skip several units and convey the rack 101. For example, when the specimen is urine, the centrifugal separation unit 100c may be skipped.

The automatic analyzer 104 is a device for qualitatively and quantitatively analyzing the components of a specimen subjected to pretreatment. The automatic analyzer 104 includes apparatuses for performing biochemical analysis, immunoassay analysis, and coagulation analysis, and the sample processing system includes a plurality of automatic analyzers 104 depending on the application. Further, a connection unit 103 for connecting the respective automatic analyzers 104 and the conveyance path 102 is provided therebetween. The connection unit 103 conveys the sample container that is unlatched to the position of the sample suction nozzle of the automatic analyzer 104.

The control unit 105 controls the operation of the pretreatment apparatus 100, the conveyance path 102, and the like included in the sample processing system, and analyzes or stores measurement data obtained by analysis in the automatic analyzer 104. The control unit 105 may be a so-called computer, and may be operated by a predetermined program.

In the dispensing unit 100g and the automatic analyzer 104 of the sample processing system having the above-described configuration, when the sample container is conveyed in a state where the stopper is not opened, a problem may occur. That is, the sample aspirating nozzle of the dispensing unit 100g or the automatic analyzer 104 may collide with the stopper of the sample container, causing a failure in the sample processing system, or the sample container may be left to fall and the sample may be lost. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the sample processing system is provided with a single sensor that detects whether or not the sample container is opened.

The plug detection unit 301 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 3. Fig. 3(a) is a plan view of the plug detecting unit 301, and fig. 3(b) is a view in the direction F-F of fig. 3 (a). The plug detection unit 301 is disposed on the path of the conveyance path 102, for example, between the plug opening unit 100e and the dispensing unit 100g, and the connection unit 103, and includes a seal plug sensor 300, a belt 302, a stopper 303, a holder detection unit 304, and a holder rotation unit 305. Hereinafter, each part will be explained.

The sealing plug sensor 300 is a sensor for detecting whether or not the sample container conveyed through the conveyance path 102 is unsealed, and is disposed so as to be orthogonal to the Z direction, which is the longitudinal direction of the sample container. The details of the seal plug sensor 300 will be described later with reference to fig. 4 and 5.

The belt 302 is a part of the conveyance path 102, and conveys the stent 101 by continuously moving in the X direction in fig. 3 (a).

The stopper 303 is a rod for stopping the holder 101 conveyed by the belt 302 at a position where the seal plug sensor 300 is disposed, and is lowered to stop the holder 101 during the operation of the seal plug sensor 300, and is raised when the opening of the plug is detected.

The stent detecting unit 304 is a detector that detects the stent 101 conveyed by the belt 302. The holder 101 is detected by the holder detecting unit 304, and the stopper 303 is operated to stop the holder 101 at the position of the seal plug sensor 300.

The gantry rotating unit 305 is a device that rotates the gantry 101 stopped by the stopper 303 with respect to the Z axis. The holder rotating unit 305 rotates the holder 101 to read a barcode attached to the sample container by a barcode reader, not shown.

The seal plug sensor 300 will be described with reference to fig. 4. The sealing plug sensor 300 is a sensor for detecting whether or not the sealing plug blood collection tube 202 is opened, and is disposed so as to be orthogonal to the Z direction, which is the longitudinal direction of the sealing plug blood collection tube 202. That is, the sealing plug sensor 300 is disposed parallel to the surface of the sealing plug 203 of the plug sealing plug cartridge 202. The detection range 400, which is a range in which the sealing plug sensor 300 can detect the sealing plug 203, is set within a range of the upper end portion of the sealing plug blood collection tube 202 having different heights. For example, in the case of using a 75mm, 90mm, 100mm high sealing plug of the blood sampling tube 202, with 75mm height sealing plug of the 75mm blood sampling tube 202a and 100mm height sealing plug of the 100mm blood sampling tube 202b included in the detection range 400. In FIG. 4, the dotted line shows the detection range 400 set to include the upper end of the plug 75mm blood collection tube 202a and the upper end of the plug 100mm blood collection tube 202 b.

The seal plug sensor 300 will be described in detail with reference to fig. 5. The seal plug sensor 300 includes a detection coil 501, a detection circuit 503, and a shield 504. The detection coil 501 is a coil wound around an axis parallel to the Y axis, and emits a high-frequency magnetic field 502 by flowing a high-frequency current. The detection circuit 503 is a circuit that supplies a high-frequency current to the detection coil 501 and detects the state of the high-frequency magnetic field 502 radiated from the detection coil 501. The shield 504 is a metal case covering at least a part of the outer peripheral surface of the detection coil 501 in order to shield the detection circuit 503 and the like from the high-frequency magnetic field 502 and the like.

When the metal approaches the high-frequency magnetic field 502 emitted from the detection coil 501, a current flows through the metal to generate heat loss, and the state of the high-frequency magnetic field 502 changes. The detection circuit 503 detects the state of the high-frequency magnetic field 502 by, for example, impedance measurement by the detection coil 501, and detects whether or not the metal sealing plug 203, i.e., the sample container is closed in the detection range 400 based on a change in the state of the high-frequency magnetic field 502. The detection result of the detection circuit 503 is transmitted to the control unit 105.

Since the detection range 400, which is the range of the radiated high-frequency magnetic field 502, is set in the range of different heights of the sample container, it is possible to detect whether or not the sealing plug blood collection tube 202 having a height of, for example, 75mm, 90mm, or 100mm is closed. The detection range 400 can also be adjusted by changing the relative position of the detection coil 501 and the shield 504 in the Y direction.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, whether or not the plug-sealing blood collection tube 202, which is one of the sample containers, is opened can be detected by the single plug-sealing sensor 300. That is, it is possible to provide a sample processing system capable of detecting whether or not a sample container is unbolted by a simple mechanism.

Example 2

In example 1, a case where whether or not a sample container is closed by the seal plug 203 is detected by the seal plug sensor 300 that emits a high-frequency magnetic field is described. As shown in fig. 2, the sample container is not limited to the sealing plug 203, but may be closed by a rubber plug 205. In this embodiment, a case of detecting whether or not the sample container is closed by the rubber stopper 205 made of nonmetal will be described. Note that the same reference numerals are used for the same components as in example 1, and the description thereof is omitted.

The rubber plug sensor 601 will be described with reference to fig. 6. In this embodiment, the seal plug sensor 300 of fig. 3 is replaced with a rubber plug sensor 601. Rubber stopper sensor 601 is a sensor for detecting whether or not rubber stopper blood sampling tube 204 is unlocked, and is disposed so as to be orthogonal to the Z direction, which is the longitudinal direction of rubber stopper blood sampling tube 204. That is, the rubber stopper sensor 601 is disposed parallel to the bottom surface of the rubber stopper 205 of the stopper rubber stopper blood collection tube 204. The range of radiation of the dispersed light 602 from the rubber stopper sensor 601 is set to the range of the rubber stopper 205 of the rubber stopper blood collection tube 204 for closing different heights. For example, in the case of using a 75mm to 100mm high rubber stopper blood collection tube 204, the radiation range of the dispersed light 602 is set so as to include the 75mm high rubber stopper blood collection tube 204a and 100mm high rubber stopper blood collection tube 204b to close each rubber stopper 205.

The rubber stopper sensor 601 will be described in detail with reference to fig. 7. The rubber plug sensor 601 includes a light-emitting and receiving section 701 and a prism 703. The light-emitting and light-receiving unit 701 is an element that generates white light 702 and detects light. The prism 703 is a transparent body that disperses the white light 702 to generate dispersed light 602. The dispersed light 602 generated by the prism 703 includes monochromatic light of red 704, orange 705, yellow 706, green 707, bluish 708, blue 709, and purple 710 in this order from light of various wavelengths, that is, light of a long wavelength.

The reflected light generated by reflecting the dispersed light 602 by the rubber plug-use blood collection tube 204 or the rubber plug 205 is detected by the light-emitting and light-receiving unit 701. Since the heights of the individual monochromatic lights included in the dispersed light 602 are different, the height of the blood collection tube for rubber stopper 204 can be determined based on the color of the reflected light detected by the light-emitting and light-receiving unit 701, and whether or not the blood collection tube for rubber stopper 204 is closed can be detected. The height to which each color of light is irradiated is adjusted by appropriately changing the shape and material of the prism 703.

In FIG. 7, red 704 is irradiated to the upper side of the rubber stopper 205 of the 100mm plug rubber stopper blood collection tube 204b, and the light with shorter wavelength is positioned lower, and purple 710 is irradiated to the upper end of the 75mm plug rubber stopper blood collection tube 204 a. In addition, in order to detect the rubber stopper used in 205 closed plug of the rubber stopper using the blood sampling tube 204, using orange 705, green 707, blue 709, respectively corresponding to 100mm, 90mm, 75mm height rubber stopper used in the blood sampling tube 204. Further, a light reflecting material may be provided on the side surface of the rubber stopper 205, and reflected light can be easily detected.

The flow of the process of this embodiment, that is, the flow of the process of determining the height of the rubber stopper blood collection tube 204 and detecting the stopper, will be described with reference to fig. 8.

(S801)

The control unit 105 determines whether the detected reflected light includes red 704. If red 704 is included, the process proceeds to step S802, otherwise the process proceeds to S803.

(S802)

The control unit 105 determines that the height of the sample container is abnormal, and ends the flow of the processing.

(S803)

The control unit 105 determines whether the detected reflected light includes orange 705. If orange 705 is contained, the process proceeds to S804, otherwise, the process proceeds to S805.

(S804)

The control unit 105 determines that the specimen container is a rubber stopper blood collection tube 204 having a height of 100mm and closed by a rubber stopper 205, and ends the flow of the processing.

(S805)

The control unit 105 determines whether the detected reflected light includes yellow 706. If yellow 706 is contained, the process proceeds to S806, otherwise the process proceeds to S807.

(S806)

The control unit 105 judges that the sample container is the rubber stopper blood collection tube 204 with the height of 100mm for opening the stopper, and ends the flow of the processing.

(S807)

The control unit 105 determines whether or not the detected reflected light includes green 707. If green 707 is contained, the process proceeds to S808, otherwise the process proceeds to S809.

(S808)

The control unit 105 determines that the sample container is a rubber stopper blood collection tube 204 having a height of 90mm and closed by a rubber stopper 205, and ends the flow of the processing.

(S809)

The control unit 105 determines whether or not the detected reflected light includes bluish color 708. If the light blue 708 is included, the process advances to step S810; otherwise, the process advances to S811.

(S810)

The control unit 105 judges that the sample container is the rubber stopper blood collection tube 204 with a height of 90mm for opening the stopper, and ends the flow of the processing.

(S811)

The control unit 105 determines whether or not the detected reflected light includes blue 709. If blue 709 is included, the process proceeds to step S812, otherwise the process proceeds to S813.

(S812)

The control unit 105 determines that the sample container is a rubber stopper blood collection tube 204 having a height of 75mm and closed by a rubber stopper 205, and ends the flow of the processing.

(S813)

The control unit 105 determines whether the detected reflected light contains purple 710. If purple is contained 710, the process proceeds to S814, otherwise the process proceeds to S815.

(S814)

The control unit 105 judges that the sample container is the rubber stopper blood collection tube 204 with a height of 75mm for opening the stopper, and ends the flow of the processing.

(S815)

The control unit 105 determines that there is no blood collection tube as a sample container, and ends the flow of the processing.

Through the above-described processing flow, the height of the sample container to be stoppered or stoppered can be determined by the rubber stopper 205 based on the color of the reflected light detected by the rubber stopper sensor 601.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, whether or not the blood collection tube 204 for rubber stopper, which is one of the specimen containers, is opened can be detected by the single rubber stopper sensor 601. That is, it is possible to provide a sample processing system capable of detecting whether or not a sample container is unbolted by a simple mechanism. Further, according to the present embodiment, the height of the rubber stopper blood collection tube 204 can be determined.

The 2 embodiments of the present invention have been described above. The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the constituent elements may be modified within a range not departing from the gist of the invention. Further, a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the above embodiments may be appropriately combined. Further, several components may be deleted from all the components shown in the above embodiments.

Description of the symbols

100: pretreatment device, 100a: input unit, 100b: storage unit, 100c: centrifugal separation unit, 100d: liquid amount measurement unit, 100e: plug opening unit, 100f: daughter blood collection tube generation unit, 100g: dispensing unit, 100h: plug closing unit, 101: holder, 102: transport path, 103: connection unit, 104: automatic analysis device, 105: control unit, 202: plug blood collection tube, 202a: plug 75mm blood collection tube, 202b: plug 100mm blood collection tube, 203: plug, 204: rubber plug blood collection tube, 204a rubber plug 75mm blood collection tube, 204b: rubber plug 100mm blood collection tube, 205: rubber plug, 300: plug sensor, 301: plug detection unit, 302: tape, 303: stopper, 304: holder detection unit, 305: holder rotation unit, 400: detection range, 501: detection coil, 502: high frequency magnetic field, 501: high frequency magnetic field detection unit, 100c: plug opening unit, 100f: child blood collection tube generation unit, 100g: dispensing unit, 100h: plug closing unit, 101: holder, 102, 503: detection circuit, 504: shield, 601: rubber plug sensor, 602: dispersed light, 701: light emitting and receiving part, 702: white light, 703: prism, 704: red, 705: orange, 706: yellow, 707: green, 708: light blue, 709: blue, 710: purple.