Automatic analyzing method using a plurality of reagents and apparatus therefor

Abstract: In an automatic analyzing apparatus for analyzing multi-analysis items in regard to biological samples, a reaction disk, on which a lot of reaction containers are arranged, is repeated to be rotated by one rotation plus one pitch and stopped for receiving a reagent, and intermediately pauses twice between the stops without delivering reagents. The apparatus is so set that a third reagent for the latest delivery timing is delivered during a stop for receiving a sample at a single reagent delivering position E, and a first and a second reagent are delivered during the intermediate pauses at the single reagent delivering position E. After delivering a sample to a specified reaction container, the reaction container is delivered with the first reagent during an intermediate pause in a first cycle and the second reagent during an intermediate pause in a some cycle after the delivery of the first reagent, and then the third reagent during a stop for receiving a sample in a some cycle after the delivery of the second reagent.

Description: Background of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for automatically analyzing biological samples and, more particularly, to a method and an apparatus for analyzing multi-analysis items through biochemical assay or immunoassay. An example of an automatic analyzing apparatus of random access type is discloses in Japanese Patent Publication No.59-22905. In the automatic analyzing apparatus of random access type, analysis of multi-analysis items is performed by arranging a lot of reaction vesels or containers on a single reaction line. The analyzer in this prior art has two reagent pipetting mechanisms for a first reagent and a second reagent. That is, the first reagent for each analysis item is delivered to the reaction containers using one of the reagent pipetting mechanisms, and the second reagent for each analysis item is delivered to the reaction containers using the other of the reagent pipetting mechanisms. On the other hand, an analyzer for multi-analysis items having a single reagent pipetting mechanism is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No.06-103311. In the analyzer, one machine unit cycle is defined as a period from a precedent sample delivery to a row of reaction vessels or containers arranged on a reaction disk to the following sample delivery. During a unit cycle between a pause of transmitting the row of reaction containers for receiving samples in the precedent unit cycle and a pause of transmitting the row of reaction containers for receiving samples in the following unit cycle, rotating operation of the reaction disk is so controlled as to be stopped plural times without receiving any samples in the middle of the unit cycle of transmitting the row of reaction containers. When the reaction disk is stopped to be received samples, a first reagent corresponding to an analysis item for the precedently received samples is delivered to the reaction containers. Further, in the analyzer of Japanese Patent Publication No.06-103311, when the reaction disk is stopped to be received samples, the position for receiving reagents is arranged near the position for receiving samples. That is, both of the reaction containers to receive reagent and the reaction containers to receive sample are adjacent to each other. However, in the case where the position for receiving reagents is arranged near the position for receiving samples, there arises a disadvantage in that the sample pipetting mechanism and the reagent pipetting mechanism mechanically interact to hit each other because both of the sample pipetting mechanism and the reagent pipetting mechanism are constructed so as to revolve their arms for supporting a nozzle. Furthermore, in the analyzer of Japanese Patent Publication No.06-103311, the position for receiving reagent is separately provided from the stirring position. However,it is not preferable for progress of reaction to separately provide the position for receiving reagent from the stirring position because a sample and a reagent are stirred at a certain time after the sample and the reagent are delivered. US-A-5 439 646 discloses sample and reagent delivery to reaction containers (cells) which are located each between a photometer measuring arrangement on a turntable. Sample delivery is made at position B and reagent is dispensed into the relevant container at position D along the transmitting path using a single reagent delivery position D and one or more reagents selected from a plurality of containers. In order to supply sample or reagent the table of the reaction part ceases to rotate. Summary of the Invention An object of the present invention is to provide an analyzing method and an analyzing apparatus in which more than two kinds of reagents can be delivered to the same reaction vessel or container using a single reagent pipetting mechanism, and the position for receiving reagent can be provided separately from the position for receiving, and sample reagents can be delivered to a row of reaction containers without disturbing progress of reaction. Another object of the present invention is to provide an analyzing method and an analyzing apparatus in which reaction containers having different reaction time corresponding to kinds of analysis items can be arranged on the same row of reaction vessels or containers. The present invention can be applied to an analyzing apparatus in which a row of reaction vessels or containers arranged in a loop-shape are transmitted during a unit cycle from a precedent sample delivery to the following sample delivery to the row of reaction containers in such a manner that a plurality of the reaction containers pass across a light beam of a photometer, intermediate pauses of transmitting the row of reaction containers being made without delivering any samples in the middle of the unit cycle, a reagent being delivered to the reaction containers at a single reagent delivering position provided in the middle of the transmitting path of the row of reaction containers. When the row of reaction containers are stopped to deliver a sample, some sample is delivered to a reaction container at a sample delivering position and delivering a reagent to be delivered last among reagents for multi-analysis items using the most kinds of reagents to a reaction vessel or container at the reagent delivering position, and during the intermediate pause a first reagent to produce a first reaction of a sample to be analyzed is delivered to a reaction vessel or container at the reagent delivering position. In a preferable embodiment, the content of the reaction container pausing at the reagent delivering position is stirred after delivering a reagent to a reaction vessel or container pausing at the reagent delivering position. The analyzing apparatus is set so that the reagent to be delivered last is a third reagent, and a reaction time for an analysis item using the first, the second and the third reagents is set to substantially twice as long as a reaction time for an analysis item using the first and the third reagents. It is preferable that a plurality of intermediate pauses of the row of reaction containers are made, and the third reagent is delivered to the reaction container for an analysis item using the first, the second and the third reagents positioned at the reagent delivering position during a pause of transmitting the row of reaction containers to deliver a sample for the other analysis item, and the second reagent is delivered to the reaction container positioned at the reagent delivering position during one of the intermediate pauses. When a specified reaction container corresponding to a specified analysis item not requiring the second and the third reagents is stopped in order to deliver a sample for the other analysis item, any reagent is not delivered to the specified reaction container even if the specified reaction container is positioned at the reagent delivering position. Brief Description of the Drawings FIG.1 is a schematic view showing an embodiment of an automatic biochemical analyzing apparatus in accordance with the present invention. FIG.2 (A), FIG.2 (B) and FIG.2 (C) are charts showing examples of reaction progressing patterns. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments An analyzing apparatus shown in FIG.1 is an apparatus for reacting a sample of blood serum with desired reagents on a reaction line. A row of reaction vessels or containers 6 on a reaction disk 5 are repeated to rotate in a period from the precedent sample delivery to the following sample delivery as a machine unit cycle. During each of the cycle, the row of reaction containers are transmitted by a transmitting mechanism using a step motor or the like in such a manner that the plurality of reaction containers 6 pass across a light beam of a photometer 13. The reaction disk 5 is stopped to rotate every time when some sample is received at a sample receiving position A. During a unit cycle, the row of reaction containers are transmitted by an angle corresponding to a plurality of reaction vessels or containers. The transmitting angle in one cycle may be one rotation plus one pitch, or one rotation minus one pitch, or one-half rotation plus one pitch. In the middle of each of the cycles, a micro-computer 1 as a controller controls so that transmission of the row of reaction containers is stopped without any sample delivery. In the transmitting path of the row of reaction containers, there are provided a sample receiving position A, a vessel or container cleaning position D, a reagent receiving position E, a light measuring position F and so on. A sample delivering station is in the sample receiving position A, and a reagent delivering station is in the reagent receiving position E. A single reagent pipetting mechanism 4 works as a reagent delivering apparatus. When the row of reaction containers are stopped to be delivered with a sample, the micro-computer 1 controls the operation of the reagent pipetting mechanism 4 and the reagent disk 2 so as to deliver a reagent to be delivered last in order among reagents for an analysis item using the most kinds of reagents to a reaction vessel or container at the reagent receiving position E. When the row of reaction containers are intermediately stopped, the micro-computer 1 controls the operation of the reagent pipetting mechanism 4 and the reagent disk 2 so as to deliver a first reagent to produce a first reaction to a reaction vessel or container at the reagent receiving position E. Number of kinds of the reagents required for measuring an analysis item depends on a kind of the analysis item. In regard to a certain analysis item, a first reagent is a reagent to be delivered first for a first reaction with a sample, and a second reagent is a reagent to be delivered second for a second reaction with the sample, and a third reagent is a reagent to be delivered third for a third reaction with the sample, and a fourth reagent is a reagent to be delivered fourth for a fourth reaction with the sample. In a case where an analyzer is so programmed as to perform a process of a three-reagent analysis item, the analyzer may have reaction patterns shown in FIG.2 (A), FIG.2 (B) and FIG.2 (C). Referring to the figures, the reference character S indicates a sample, and the reference character R1 indicates a reagent to be delivered at the first timing, and the reference character R2 indicates a reagent to be delivered at the second timing, and the reference character R3 indicates a reagent to be delivered at the third timing. FIG.2 (A) shows a reaction progress pattern of a two-reagent analysis item and the total reaction time is 10 minutes. FIG.2 (B) also shows a reaction progress pattern of a two-reagent analysis item but the total reaction time is 5 minutes. FIG.2 (C) shows a reaction progress pattern of a three-reagent analysis item and the total reaction time is 10 minutes. The total reaction time of FIG.2 (C) is set twice as long as the total reaction time of FIG.2 (B). Operation of the embodiment of FIG.1 will be described below, referring to FIG.2 (A), FIG.2 (B) and FIG.2 (C). The reaction disk 5 of turn-table type holding 48 transparent reaction vessels or containers rotates one rotation plus one reaction container distance (pitch) during one machine unit cycle. During the middle of the rotation of one rotation plus one pitch, there are provided three pausing periods, that is, so-called divisional rotation is performed. A reaction vessel or container is stopped at the predetermined reagent delivering position E so that the first reagent, the second reagent or the third reagent may be delivered during each of the pausing periods in the cycle. The rotation of the reaction disk 5 is controlled so that the reaction container arrives at the reagent delivering position E at a reagent delivering timing R3 to be delivered last within a predetermined reagent delivering timing by transmitting the reaction container having been delivered with a sample by one rotation plus one pitch. The reagent disk 2 holding a plurality of reagents (up to the third reagent) for respective measuring items at predetermined positions is controlled so as to stop at a predetermined reagent pipetting position C for necessary reagent corresponding to the operation of the reaction disk 5. In synchronism with these, the single reagent pipetting mechanism 4 having a pipetting probe 33 moving between the reagent pipetting position C and the reagent delivering position E is operated. Absorbencies of all necessary reaction containers 6 are measured ever cycle during the dividing rotation of every cycle of the reaction disk 5. In the apparatus of FIG.1, 48 transparent rectangular reaction containers 6 are held on a rotating reaction disk 5 in a loop-shape. The reaction container 6 is made of a plastic or a glass. In more detail, the reaction containers 6 are arranged in the circular periphery around the rotating center of the reaction disk 5 to form a row. Therefore, when the reaction disk 5 is rotated, the row of reaction containers 6 are moved in the direction of the row, that is, along the circular periphery around the rotating center of the reaction disk 5. 40 reagent containers 3 are arranged on a rotating reagent disk 2. Sample cups for 35 samples to be analyzed and 22 reference samples are mounted on a rotating sample disk 10. A desired amount of each sample liquid based on input of analyzed sample information from the sample container placed on a predetermined position on the sample disk 10 is sucked into a nozzle 31 held by a movable arm 30 for sample and delivered to a reaction container 6 at the sample delivering position A. In order to do so, a simple sampling mechanism 8 and a micro-syringe mechanism 15 are provided. The single reagent pipetting mechanism 4 and a syringe mechanism 17 are revolved based on sample analyzing information input by an operator. A desired amount of a reagent based on input information is sucked from a reagent container (bottle) at a reagent sucking position C on the reagent disk 2 controlled its stopping position into a reagent nozzle 33 held by a movable arm 32, and delivered into a reaction container 6 at the reagent delivering position on the reaction disk. A position for stirring the reaction liquid produced in the reaction container using the stirring mechanism 9 agrees with the reagent delivering position E on the reaction disk 5. The analyzer further comprises a multi-wavelength photometer 13 for measuring absorbance of each reaction container passing across a light beam with a predetermined wavelength based on input information during rotation of the reaction disk 5, a cleaning mechanism 12 and a cleaning water feed and drain pump mechanism 16 for cleaning a reaction vessel or container after completion of measurement, a LOG converter 18, an A/D converter 19, a computer 1 for controlling operation of each of the mechanisms and for processing data, an output printer 21, an LCD 20 with touch panels for input/output and display, a floppy disk mechanism 22 for program, measuring condition and data memory, a constant temperature bath 14 of recirculation type for maintaining each of the reaction containers on the reaction disk at a constant temperature, and an inter-face 24 for connecting the computer 1 to each of the mechanisms. At starting measuring using the apparatus of FIG.1, an operator initially sets reference samples if necessary and measured samples onto the sample disk 10 and inputs measuring items for individual sample liquids, that is, analysis item selecting information. Further, the operator sets reagent necessary for the measuring onto the reagent disk 2. Measuring condition for each of the measuring items is supplied by a floppy disk 22. Table 1 shows an example of measuring condition. SCREEN INFORMATION MEASURING CONDITION ANALYSIS ITEM TP AST BIL ASSAY METHOD END POINT RATE END POINT AMOUNT OF SAMPLE (µl) 5 12 5 AMOUNT OF FIRST REAGENT (µl) 270 250 150 AMOUNT OF SECOND REAGENT (µl) 0 75 200 AMOUNT OF THIRD REAGENT (µl) 0 0 100 FIRST REAGENT SET POSITION 1 2 4 SECOND REAGENT SET POSITION 0 3 5 THIRD REAGENT SET POSITION 0 0 6 MAIN WAVELENGTH (nm) 700 376 660 SUB-WAVELENGTH (nm) 546 340 660 Measuring conditions input from the LCD 20 with touch panel and displayed on the screen are calculating condition of absorbance of the reagent reaction liquid (assay method in the table), delivered amount of sample (amount of sample in the table), delivering condition of the first reagent, the second reagent and the third reagent (amount of reagent, position on the reagent disk on which each of the reagent is set, in the table), measuring wavelength (main wavelength, sub-wavelength, in the table), concentration of the reference liquid, K-factor, as shown in Table 1. As shown in Table 1, the apparatus can perform one-liquid method using only the first reagent as shown by TP, two-liquid method using the first and the second reagents as shown by AST and three-liquid method using the first, the second and the third reagents as shown by BIL. It is also possible to perform two-liquid method using the first reagent and the third reagent which is delivered at the timing of the second reagent, though it is not shown in the example. After completion of the above preparation, the operator sets to start the apparatus. As the apparatus is started, the reaction disk 5 and the sample disk 10 are rotated and a sample cup 11 of a sample liquid (a reference liquid or an analyzed sample) to be measured first and a clean reaction vessel or container 6 to be used first are positioned at predetermined positions of the individual disks 10, 5. In this state, a proper amount (amount of sample shown in the table) of the sample to an analysis item to be measured first is pipetted from the sample cup 11 into the reaction container 6 by operation of the sample pipetting mechanism 8 and the micro-syringe mechanism 15. Then the reaction disk 5 is rotated counterclockwise according to a predetermined operation which will be described later. The reaction container delivered with the sample is rotated by one rotation plus one pitch (one reaction container distance) to be moved from a position A and stopped at a position B after one machine cycle, and then operation of the next cycle is started. That is, the reaction disk 5 is stopped at a position advancing by one pitch in the counterclockwise direction every starting of the operation (machine) cycle (in this embodiment, one cycle is 18 seconds, that is, 200 tests/hour), and the next sample liquid is delivered in the reaction container at the position A neighboring in the left hand side. During rotating of the reaction disk 5, absorbencies of all the reaction containers passing across the light beam of the photometer 13 are measured. In other words, the absorbencies of all the 48 reaction containers are measured every cycle by each wavelength corresponding to each of analysis items based on the input information. Further, in order to attain the object of the present invention, some design idea is necessary for rotating operation of the reaction disk 5 in each of the cycles. That is, during one cycle in which the reaction disk is rotated counterclockwise by one rotation plus one pitch, three pauses at proper timings and at proper positions are provided to add and mix the first, the second and the third reagents necessary for each of the reaction container, therefore, necessary for each of the analysis items by cooperatively operating the reagent pipetting mechanism 4, the syringe mechanism 17 and the stirring mechanism 9. Time loss consumed for pausing of the reaction disk is reduced by setting one of the three pauses to the starting time of each cycle, that is, the sample delivering timing in common. Further, analysis can be speedily performed by delivering the third reagent (R3) to be delivered at the latest timing in the predetermined whole reaction progressing pattern in the analyzer to the reaction container at the predetermined reagent delivering position during a pause of the reaction disk for delivering a sample. That is, in order to realize an analyzer in which number of rotations of the reaction disk is reduced as small as possible, rotating operation of the reaction disk is so controlled that a reagent to be delivered at the latest reagent delivering timing in the predetermined whole reaction progressing pattern, not the first reagent for the analysis item, into a predetermined reaction vessel or container at the reagent delivering position E during a pause of the reaction disk 5 for delivering a sample. For example, as to three-reagent analysis item, in a case where there are three reagent delivering timings, 0 minute, 1.5 minutes and 5 minutes after initiation of reaction as shown in FIG.2, the third reagent (R3) to be delivered at the latest reagent delivering timing of 5 minutes is delivered to the predetermined reaction container at the reagent delivering position during a pause of transmission for receiving a sample. In a case of an analysis item using only R1 and R2, the analysis can be completed in 5 minutes since delivering of R3 is unnecessary. Rotation of the reaction disk is in close connection with the reaction progressing pattern. Therefore, the kinds of the reagents for the analysis items to be delivered to the reaction container at predetermined reagent delivering position during a pause of transmitting for receiving a sample and number of reaction containers transmitted from the sample delivering position to the reagent delivering position are determined based on the reaction pattern. A method of delivering a sample and a reagent at starting time of analysis operation using the analyzing apparatus will be described below, focusing attention on a specified reaction vessels or container. In the starting time of the analyzing operation, the row of reaction containers have no samples at all. The specified reaction container is stopped at a position A in FIG.1 at the first pause of transmission in the first cycle which corresponds the starting time of each of cycles described above, and an amount of a sample corresponding to the first analysis item for the above first sample is delivered to the specified reaction container. Until the second pause of the first cycle, the specified reaction container is further transmitted at a predetermined position advancing counterclockwise by 12 pitches. Until the third pause of the first cycle, the specified reaction container is further transmitted at the reagent delivering position E advancing counterclockwise by 5 pitches. The reagent disk 2 is controlled so that the bottle 3 of the first reagent corresponding to the analysis item is stopped at the reagent pipetting position (the position E in the figure) at the third pause. In this state, a certain amount of the first reagent is delivered to the specified reaction container by operation of the reagent pipetting mechanism 4 and the syringe mechanism 17. Further, during the third pause and after delivering the R1, the content of the reaction container is stirred at a predetermined position E by the stirring mechanism 9. Then the specified reaction container is transmitted according to the predetermined operation pattern. Until the first pause of the second cycle, the specified reaction container is transmitted from a position A to a predetermined position B advancing counterclockwise by 1 pitch. 1.5 minutes after the first reagent delivery, that is, at the second pause of the sixth cycle, the specified reaction container is again stopped at the predetermined position E, and at the same time the reagent disk 2 is controlled so that the second reagent for the first analysis item is stopped at the pipetting position (the position C in the figure). In this state, a certain amount of the second reagent is delivered to the specified reaction container by operation of the reagent pipetting mechanism 4 and the syringe mechanism 17. Further, during the second pause, the content of the reaction container is stirred at a predetermined position E by the stirring mechanism 9. 3.5 minutes further after the second reagent delivery, that is, at the first pause of the eighteenth cycle, the specified reaction container is again stopped at the predetermined position E, and at the same time the reagent disk 2 is controlled so that the third reagent for the first analysis item is stopped at the pipetting position C. In this state, a certain amount of the third reagent is delivered to the specified reaction container by operation of the reagent pipetting mechanism 4 and the syringe mechanism 17. Further, during the third pause, the content of the reaction container is stirred at a predetermined position E by the stirring mechanism 9. As described above, in seeing only one of the first reaction container, in the first cycle, the sample liquid and the first reagent are delivered in the reaction container and the reaction liquid is stirred to progress the first reaction. 1.5 minutes after delivering of the first reagent, that is, in the sixth cycle, the second reagent is delivered and the reaction liquid is stirred to progress the predetermined second reaction. 3.5 minutes after delivering of the second reagent in the eighteenth cycle, that is, in the latest reagent delivering time set in this embodiment, 5 minutes after delivering of the first reagent, the third reagent is delivered and the reaction liquid is stirred to progress the predetermined third reaction. The reaction container passes across the light beam of the multi-wavelength photometer 13 every cycle, and the absorbance is measured with a wave length selected according to the analysis item based on the input information and the result is stored in the memory. Finally, after completion of measuring until thirty-fifth cycle, that is, 10 minutes after delivering of the first reagent, at the first pauses of the thirty-eighth cycle to the forty-first cycle the specified reaction container is stopped at the cleaning position of the position D in FIG.1 under the cleaning mechanism 12 to be cleaned. The cleaned reaction container is stopped at the position A at the first pause of the forty-ninth cycle and a sample liquid corresponding to the forty-ninth analysis item is delivered to the reaction container. In the condition of delivering the reagent input for each analysis item described above, when the input value for the second reagent R2 and/or the input value for the third reagent R3 are 0 (zero), the second reagent or the third reagent is not delivered and the analysis method becomes a one-liquid method or/and a two-liquid method because the computer 1 controls the pipetting mechanism 4 so as to be not operated based on the zero input information even if the reaction container corresponding to the analysis item is stopped at the reagent delivering position E. Further, when only the input value of R2 is zero, it is possible to perform a two-liquid method of different delivering timing in which the second reagent is not delivered but the third reagent is delivered. That is, when the reaction progressing patterns in FIG.2 are combined, it is preferable that the reagent delivering position is set so as to agree with the transmitting position of the reaction container for the reagent to be delivered at the latest timing among a plurality of predetermined reagent delivering timings, which results in the smallest loss in rotation of the reaction disk. Further, it is preferable that the reagent delivering position is set so as to agree with the stirring position of the reaction liquid. Although the aforementioned embodiment can perform up to three-liquid method at maximum, it is possible to realize a one-liquid method, a two-liquid method, a three-liquid method, a four-liquid method and a five-liquid method of different reaction time by setting number of pauses transmitting the reagent disk in a cycle to 4 or 5 and by properly controlling the reagent delivering mechanism and rotation and stopping position of the reagent disk and the stirring mechanism. Although the aforementioned embodiment is a very simple apparatus having the single reagent pipetting mechanism, the single reagent disk, the single reaction disk, the single sample pipetting mechanism and the single sample disk, the embodiment can freely cope with from a one-liquid method to a multi-liquid method and can employ a measuring system coexisting a plurality of reactions having different reaction time. Further, since the reagent delivering system influencing the reliability of the total apparatus system is single, maintenance and inspection of the apparatus can be easily performed and accordingly reliability of the apparatus can be improved, and at the same time cost of the apparatus can be decreased. As having been described above, an automatic analyzing apparatus for multi-analysis items can be provided. Even if analysis items requiring reagent delivery for one-liquid method and analysis items requiring reagent delivery for more than three-liquid method are mixed on the same reaction container transmitting path, the automatic analyzing apparatus does not disturb periodical operation of the sample delivery to the reaction containers and can deliver the reagents necessary for the items by the single reagent pipetting mechanism, and can cope with the analysis items of reactions having different reaction time.

Claims: An analyzing method comprising the steps of transmitting a row of reaction containers (6) arranged in a loop-shape during a unit cycle, each unit cycle being defined as the time period from a sample delivery to one reaction container (6) until the following sample delivery to a following reaction container (6), in such a manner that a plurality of the reaction containers (6) pass across a light beam of a photometer (13), making intermediate pauses of transmitting said row of reaction containers (6) during said unit cycles between the delivery of samples to the reaction containers (6), delivering a reagent to the reaction containers (6) at a single reagent delivering position (E) provided along the transmitting path of said row of reaction containers (6), the analyzing method further comprising the steps of: delivering some sample to a reaction container (6) at a sample delivering position (A), delivering a first reagent of two or more reagents for multi-analysis items to produce a first reaction of said sample to be analyzed to said reaction container (6) at said reagent delivering position (E) during one of said intermediate pauses, preferably during the unit cycle which starts with the delivery of said sample, and delivering a last reagent of said two or more reagents to said reaction container (6) at said reagent delivering position (E) when said row of reaction containers are stopped to deliver a sample. An analyzing method according to claim 1, wherein said analyzing apparatus is set so that said reagent to be delivered last is a third reagent, and a reaction time for an analysis item using the first, the second and the third reagents is set to substantially twice as long as a reaction time for an analysis item using the first and the third reagents. An analyzing method according to claim 1, the analyzing method comprising the step of stirring the content of the reaction container (6) stopping at said reagent delivering position (E) after delivering a reagent to a reaction container (6) stopping at said reagent delivering position (E). An analyzing method according to claim 1, the analyzing method comprising the steps of making a plurality of intermediate pauses of said row of reaction containers (6); delivering a third reagent to the reaction container (6) for an analysis item using the first, the second and the third reagents positioned at said reagent delivering position (E) during a pause of transmitting the row of reaction containers (6) to deliver a sample for the other analysis item; and delivering the second reagent to the reaction container (6) positioned at said reagent delivering position (E) at one of the intermediate pauses. An analyzing method according to claim 4, wherein when a specified reaction container (6) corresponding to a specified analysis item not requiring the second and the third reagents is stopped to delivering a sample for the other analysis item, any reagent is not delivered to the specified reaction container (6) even if the specified reaction container is positioned at said reagent delivering position (E). An automatic analyzing apparatus comprising a row of reaction containers (6), a photometer (13), a sample delivery mechanism (8), and a mechanism for transmitting said row of reactions containers (6). in such a manner that a plurality of said reaction containers (6) pass across a light beam of a photometer (13) during a unit cycle, each unit cycle being defined as the time period from a sample delivery to one reaction container (6) until the following sample delivery to a following reaction container (6); a controller for making intermediate pauses of transmitting said row of reaction containers (6) during said unit cycles between the delivery of samples to the reaction containers (6); a single reagent delivering mechanism (4) for delivering a reagent corresponding to each of analysis item at a reagent delivering station in the middle of the transmitting path of said row of reaction containers (6); wherein said controller controls said reagent delivering mechanism (4) so as to deliver a first reagent of two or more reagents for multi-analysis items to produce a first reaction of said sample to be analyzed to a reaction container (6) at said reagent delivering position during one of said intermediate pauses, preferably during the unit cycle which starts with the delivery of said sample, and to deliver a last reagent of said two or more reagents to said reaction container (6) at said reagent delivering position when said row of reaction containers (6) are stopped to deliver a sample. An automatic analyzing apparatus according to claim 6, which further comprises a stirring mechanism (9) for stirring the content of the reaction container (6) stopping at said reagent delivering position (E) after delivering a reagent to a reaction container (6) stopping at said reagent delivering position (E).

Inventors: IMAI KYOKO, SHINDO ISAO, SHIRAISHI KAHEI, IMAI, KYOKO, SHINDO, ISAO, SHIRAISHI, KAHEI
Applicants: HITACHI LTD, HITACHI, LTD.
Application year: 1996
Main classification: G01N35
IPC codes: G01N35, G01N1