Abstract:
A reagent container used for automatic analysis in an automatic analyzer, which enables reagents to be set with ease and which can increase flexibility in selecting combinations of the reagents. In an automatic analyzer for analyzing components of a biological sample by using two or more kinds of reagents, reagent containers containing the two or more kinds of reagents are jointed into one reagent cassette with the aid of a recess and a projection provided in and on the reagent containers, a reagent holder, bonding, tape binding, etc. Thus, a plurality of reagents used for one analysis item are combined with each other in one cassette corresponding to one analysis item. A reagent container for use in automatic analysis, which is easy to handle and highly flexible in setting of reagents, can be provided.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a reagent container for containing a reagent used in performing an analysis, and more particularly to a reagent container adapted for forming an integral unit of plural reagent containers assembled together.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     In the field of automatic analysis, an automatic analyzer of random access type using a plurality of reaction lines in random has been developed and an analysis processing capability has been drastically increased. That trend has accelerated consumption of reagents and has increased a frequency at which reagent containers are to be exchanged.  
         [0005]     Also, an automatic analyzer capable of measuring a wider range of items has been developed with the progress of measurement technology. Correspondingly, the number of reagent containers settable in a reagent storage has also increased.  
         [0006]     Known automatic analyzers employ reagent storages having various forms, such as circular and box-like forms, and reagent containers are set in each of those reagent storages. An operator is required to enter information indicating at which position a reagent for what item has been set. Further, for example, when the reagent is depleted during measurement, the operator is also required to perform similar operations.  
         [0007]     Recently, an automatic analyzer has been practiced which can automatically perform reagent management by pasting a barcode label representing information, such as the kind of reagent, the lot number and the expiry date, to a reagent container and reading the information by a barcode reader disposed in a reagent storage, and hence which can reduce the burden exerted on the operator and can prevent human errors, e.g., misplacement.  
         [0008]     For use in such an automatic analyzer, there are two types of reagent containers. In one type, a barcode representing information of a reagent contained in a reagent container is pasted to each reagent container. In the other type, a plurality of reagents used for one analysis item are combined with each other in one cassette corresponding to one analysis item, and a barcode representing information of all the reagents is pasted to the cassette.  
         [0009]     When the information representing the contents of the reagent container is managed per reagent container, various kinds of information, such as the kind of reagent (e.g., a first or second reagent classified depending on the timing at which each reagent is to be added), the code of the reagent container (reagent volume), and the number of times at which the reagent can be used for measurement, are contained in a reagent barcode. Analysis parameters set in the automatic analyzer includes, for each measurement item, basic analysis conditions, such as the measurement wavelength and the sample amount, and the code of the reagent container per reagent.  
         [0010]     On the other hand, when a plurality of reagents used for one analysis item are combined with each other in one cassette corresponding to one analysis item and the information of all the reagents is affixed to the cassette, a plurality of reagent containers used in the relevant analysis are placed in the cassette. The combination of the reagent containers placed in the cassette is decided and cannot be changed. Analysis parameters for the reagent cassette are given as the analysis conditions set for the automatic analyzer with the code of the reagent cassette serving as a key. That type of reagent container is disclosed, for example, in Patent Reference 1; JP,A 5-302924.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     In a-clinical test for analyzing a component contained in a biological sample, two or more kinds of reagents are usually employed because it is difficult to perform the analysis by using one kind of reagent.  
         [0012]     When the information representing the contents of the reagent container is managed per reagent container, the operator must prepare two kinds of reagents for each measurement item. Operations required for managing and preparing reagents can be performed without problems when a dedicated operator is in charge of those operations, but a difficulty arises when an unskilled operator performs those operations. Also, in the case of setting many measurement items, a large number of reagent containers must be placed in the reagent storage, thus resulting in a large burden exerted on the operator and poor space efficiency. Under those situations, it is important to enable any operator to easily place the reagent containers in proper combinations regardless of knowledge of the operator, and to increase the space efficiency.  
         [0013]     On the other hand, when a plurality of reagents used for one analysis item are combined with each other in one cassette corresponding to one analysis item, operations required for the operator are relatively easy, and a space required in the reagent storage for holding the reagent containers can be reduced to a half. However, because the known reagent container has a structure of the type inserting a reagent bottle in a dedicated holder and fitting a cap on the holder, there is a limit in flexibility in selecting combinations of reagents.  
         [0014]     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a reagent container used for automatic analysis in an automatic analyzer, which enables reagents to be set with ease and which can increase flexibility-in selecting combinations of the reagents.  
         [0015]     To achieve the above object, the present invention is constructed as follows.  
         [0016]     In a reagent container having at least one sealable opening and being capable of containing a reagent therein, the reagent container has a joint portion enabling at least two reagent containers to be directly jointed to each other; and the sum of lengths of the reagent containers directly jointed to each other through respective joint portions is substantially constant.  
         [0017]     So long as the condition that the sum of lengths of the reagent containers in the jointed state is substantially constant is satisfied, the reagent containers may be jointed together through the joint portions by using a combination of a recess and a projection, an adhesive tape, or a barcode label. Also, so long as the sum of lengths of the jointed reagent containers is substantially constant, combinations of the jointed reagent containers having volumes different from each other are freely selected.  
         [0018]     The term “sealable opening” means an opening that can be sealed off by any means to be kept from contact with an atmosphere during storage. Example of such means include a screwed cap or a seal peeled off when the reagent container is used.  
         [0019]     The word “substantially” used in the above expression, i.e., “the sum of lengths of the reagent containers directly jointed to each other through respective joint portions is substantially constant”, means that, in an automatic analyzer in which the reagent container is set, the size of a reagent container tray is usually defined within a certain range of accuracy, and the sum of lengths of the jointed reagent containers is held within an allowable range of the defined size. Although the extent indicated by the word “substantially” varies depending on the dimensional accuracy required for the reagent container tray used in the analyzer in which the reagent container is set, several millimeters or smaller values can be said as falling within the “substantially constant” range.  
         [0020]     According to the present invention, a reagent container can be obtained which enables reagents to be set with ease and which can increase flexibility in selecting combinations of the reagents. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0021]      FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective view of an automatic analyzer using reagent cassettes each comprising reagent containers according to the present invention;  
         [0022]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  show the first embodiment of the reagent container according to the present invention;  
         [0023]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  show the second embodiment of the reagent container according to the present invention;  
         [0024]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  show the third embodiment of the reagent container according to the present invention;  
         [0025]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  show the fourth embodiment of the reagent container according to the present invention;  
         [0026]      FIGS. 6A  to  6 F are explanatory views showing another projection form in the first embodiment of the reagent container according to the present invention;  
         [0027]      FIGS. 7A  to  7 F are explanatory views showing still another projection form in the first embodiment of the reagent container according to the present invention; and  
         [0028]      FIGS. 8A  to  8 F are explanatory views for showing still another projection form in the first embodiment of the reagent container according to the present invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0029]     Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.  
         [0030]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view showing an automatic analyzer using reagent cassettes according to the present invention;  
         [0031]     In  FIG. 1 , the automatic analyzer comprises a sample cup  1 , a sample disk  2 , a computer  3 , an interface  4 , a sample dispensing probe  5 , a reaction cell  6 , a sample pump  7 , a reagent dispensing probe  8 , a reaction tank  9 , a reagent pump  11 , a reagent cassette  12 , a stirring mechanism  13 , a multi-wavelength photometer  15 , an A/D converter  16 , a printer  17 , a CRT screen  18  of a console unit, a washing mechanism  19 , a keyboard  21 , a reagent barcode reader  23 , a hard disk  25 , and a reagent disk  26 . The hard disk  25  stores analysis parameters, the number of times at which each reagent bottle can be used for analysis, the maximum number of times at which the analysis can be performed, calibration results, analysis results, etc.  
         [0032]     The analysis parameters include the item code assigned to each measurement item, the measurement wavelength, the amount of sample to be dispensed, the calibration method, the concentration of each standard solution, the number of standard-solutions, a value for checking an analysis abnormality, the code of the reagent cassette necessary for each measurement item.  
         [0033]     A reagent barcode pasted to the reagent cassette  12  contains, as reagent information, the production lot number of each reagent, the size of each reagent container, the expiry date of each reagent, and the sequence number. The sequence number is a number that differs for each cassette and is uniquely identifiable.  
         [0034]     Registration of the reagent cassette  12  is performed in such a manner as follows. First, the reagent cassette  12  is set on the reagent disk  26  in an analysis station. Then, in response to inputting of a command indicating read of the reagent information, the reagent disk  26  is rotated and the reagent barcode reader  23  reads the reagent barcode during the rotation. By using, as a key, the reagent cassette code contained in the read information of the reagent barcode, the computer  3  searches for the relevant measurement item among items that have already been registered as the analysis parameters, and then stores the reagent information per reagent cassette in the hard disk  25 .  
         [0035]     The operation of the automatic analyzer is executed through steps of sampling, dispensing a reagent, stirring, photometry, washing the reaction cell, and data processing, such as conversion into concentration, in this order, as described below.  
         [0036]     The sample cup  1  containing a sample therein is placed in plural number on a rack. The movement of the rack is controlled by the computer  3  through the interface  4 .  
         [0037]     In accordance with the order of samples to be analyzed, the rack is moved to a position under the sample dispensing probe  5 , and a predetermined amount of sample in the relevant sample cup  1  is dispensed into one reaction cell  6  by using the sample pump  7  coupled to the sample dispensing probe  5 . The reaction cell  6  into which the sample has been dispensed is moved in the reaction tank  9  to a first reagent adding position. Added to the reaction cell  6  thus moved is a predetermined amount of first reagent sucked from the relevant reagent cassette  12  by operating the reagent pump  11  which is coupled to the reagent dispensing probe  8 . After addition of the first reagent, the reaction cell  6  is moved to a position of the stirring mechanism  13  where a first stirring step is performed. Those steps of reagent addition and stirring are repeated for the first to fourth reagents. The reaction cell  6  for which stirring of the contents has finished passes a light beam emitted from a light source, and the absorbance of the sample at that time is detected by the multi-wavelength photometer  15 . A detected absorbance signal is sent to the computer  3  via the A/D converter  16  and the interface  4  and is subjected to data processing for conversion into concentration. Data having been converted into concentration is printed out by the printer  17  via the interface  4 . The reaction cell  6  having finished the photometry is moved to a position of the washing mechanism  19  where the contents are drained and the reaction cell  6  is washed with water. The washed reaction cell  6  is used for next analysis.  
       First Embodiment  
       [0038]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  show the first embodiment of the reagent container for the automatic analyzer according to the present invention.  
         [0039]     The reagent cassette  12  is placed on the reagent disk  26 . Referring to  FIGS. 2A and 2B , a first reagent container  51  is provided with recesses or projections formed in its side surface, and a second reagent container  52  is provided with projections or recesses formed in its side surface. The recesses or projections of the first reagent container  51  and the projections or recesses of the second reagent container  52  can be jointed to each other in a not easy separable manner in such a state that the relative positional relationship between the first reagent container  51  and the second reagent container  52  is fixedly held. Also, the reagent cassette  12  comprising the first and second reagent containers in the jointed state has outer dimensions defined such that the reagent cassette  12  can be placed in a reagent cassette holder on the reagent disk  26  without a play. Further, in the reagent cassette  12 , an opening  53  of the first reagent container  51  and an opening  54  of the second reagent container. 52 , i.e., respective reagent sucking positions, are aligned with each other within a predetermined positional range on the basis of the outer dimensions of the reagent cassette  12 . In addition, since the first and second reagent containers are able to stand alone and are free from a risk of falling in a state of being filled with the reagents, they can be handled with high efficiency. A barcode label  55  is pasted to the reagent cassette  12  and contains information regarding the opening  53  of the first reagent container  51 , the opening  54 , of the second reagent container  52 , the size of each reagent container, the kind of each reagent, the analysis parameters, the lot number, etc. The position at which the barcode label  55  is pasted is not limited to an upper surface, and it may be pasted to a side surface. Although the openings  53 ,  54  of the first reagent container  51  and the second reagent container  52  are shown as being positioned substantially at the centers of respective upper surfaces, they may be offset from the centers. Such an offset arrangement of the openings  53 ,  54  from the centers is effective in defining the insert direction of the reagent cassette  12  to be specific one in the combination of the reagent disk  26  and the reagent cassette holder, and hence in preventing false insertion of the reagent cassette  12 . Dents having sizes comparable to the openings  53 ,  54  are formed in respective bottom portions of both the reagent containers in positions right below the openings  53 ,  54  of the first and second reagent containers  51 ,  52 . The presence of the dent can reduce a reagent dead volume in each reagent container. Also, when the reagent disk is rotated at high speeds, the presence of the dent is effective in reducing the influence of a centrifugal force. In particular, such a structure is advantageous when the amount of reagent is small.  
         [0040]     While  FIGS. 2A and 2B  show two reagent containers suitable for the case of using two kinds of reagents to analyze one component in the sample, a reagent container having outer dimensions and openings in match with those of the two reagent containers may be formed in the case of using one kind of reagent. Further, when three or more kinds of reagents are used, a corresponding number of reagent containers may be jointed together in the same manner as described above such that respective openings of the reagent containers are aligned in a straight line with certain intervals.  
         [0041]     While  FIGS. 2A and 2B  show the example in which each reagent container has two circular projections or recesses as joint portions, the number of joint portions may be one. In the latter case in which one circular projection or recess is formed in each reagent container, there is a possibility that the two reagent containers relatively rotate about their joint portions. To prevent such a relative rotation, the barcode label or the like may be pasted so as to extend over the upper surfaces of the two reagent containers, or the joint portion may be formed into a polygonal shape, e.g., a triangular or quadrangular shape. Further, when two or more joint portions are formed on each reagent container, those joint portions may have shapes different from each other. For example, one joint portion may have a circular shape and the other joint portion may have a quadrangular shape. Because the reagent container is molded using a plastic such as polyethylene, it is preferable that the reagent container has a shape as simple as possible and has projections or recesses as less as possible.  
         [0042]      FIGS. 6A  to  8 F are explanatory views showing other projection forms of the second reagent container  52  when the joint portions have triangular, quadrangular and other shapes.  FIGS. 6A  to  6 F show the example in which one projection of the second reagent container  52  has a triangular shape and the other projection has a quadrangular shape.  FIGS. 7A  to  7 F show the example in which one projection of the second reagent container  52  has a circular shape and the other projection has a quadrangular shape.  FIGS. 8A  to  8 F show the example in which the projections of the second reagent container  52  each have a quadrangular shape.  
         [0043]     In external appearances of the second reagent container  52  shown in  FIGS. 6A  to  8 F, a featured portion (partial design) is indicated by solid lines within a one-dot-chain line box, and similar portions to those in the above-described embodiment are indicated by dotted lines. Note that the portions indicated by dotted lines slightly differ from corresponding portions of the second reagent container  52  shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B  in some areas.  
         [0044]     Looking  FIGS. 6A  to  6 F in more detail,  FIG. 6A, 6B ,  6 C,  6 D,  6 E and  6 F are respectively a plan view, a left side view, a front view, a right side view, a rear view, and a bottom view.  
         [0045]     Looking  FIGS. 7A  to  7 F in more detail,  FIGS. 7A ),  7 B,  7 C,  7 D,  7 E and  7 F are respectively a plan view, a left side view, a front view, a right side view, a rear view, and a bottom view.  
         [0046]     Looking  FIGS. 8A  to  8 F in more detail,  FIGS. 8A, 8B ,  8 C,  8 D,  8 E and  8 F are respectively a plan view, a left side view, a front view, a right side view, a rear view, and a bottom view.  
       Second Embodiment  
       [0047]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  show the second embodiment of the reagent container for the automatic analyzer according to the present invention.  
         [0048]     A first reagent container  51  and a second reagent container  52  both constituting a reagent cassette  12  are the same as those shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B . A reinforcement member  56  is disposed over upper surfaces of the first reagent container  51  and the second reagent container  52 . The reinforcement member  56  serves to not only reinforce the joint between the first reagent container  51  and the second reagent container  52 , but also to exactly define the outer dimensions of the reagent cassette and to increase accuracy in positioning of the openings  53 ,  54  of the first reagent container  51  and the second reagent container  52 . While  FIG. 3  shows the case in which the reinforcement member  56  is disposed over the upper surfaces of the first reagent container  51  and the second reagent container  52 , a reinforcement member may be disposed at bottom portions of both the reagent containers for the same purposes. The other constructions and functions of the reagent cassette and the reagent containers are the same as those in the first embodiment.  
       Third Embodiment  
       [0049]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  show the third embodiment of the reagent container for the automatic analyzer according to the present invention.  
         [0050]     This third embodiment comprises a first reagent container  51 , a second reagent container  52 , and a container holder  57 , which cooperatively constitute a reagent cassette  12 . Neither recesses nor projections used for jointing are provided in or on side surfaces of the first reagent container  51  and the second reagent container  52 , and both the reagent containers are held together by the container holder  57 . The container holder  57  serves to not only hold both the reagent containers together, but also to exactly define the outer dimensions and the positions of the openings  53 ,  54  when the first reagent container  51  and the second reagent container  52  are held together. A boss  58  is provided on a part of a side surface of the first reagent container or the second reagent container. The presence of the boss  58  is effective in defining the insert direction of the reagent cassette  12  to be specific one, and hence in preventing false insertion of the reagent cassette  12 . While  FIGS. 4A and 4B  show the case in which the container holder  57  is fitter over upper portions of both the reagent containers, it may be fitted over bottom portions of both the reagent containers. The other constructions and functions of the reagent cassette and the reagent containers are the same as those in the first embodiment.  
       Fourth Embodiment  
       [0051]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  show the fourth embodiment of the reagent container for the automatic analyzer according to the present invention.  
         [0052]     The constructions and functions of the reagent cassette and the reagent container in this embodiment are the same as those in the first embodiment. In this fourth embodiment, the volumes of the first reagent container  51  and the second reagent container  52  are modified. The outer dimensions of the reagent cassette and the positions of the openings  53  in the jointed state are maintained by combinations of recesses and projections as in the first embodiment.  
         [0053]     In the first to fifth embodiments of the reagent container described above, since the first reagent container  51  and the second reagent container  52  are jointed to each other, high flexibility is given in selecting the reagent volume. So long as the outer dimensions and the positions of the openings in the jointed state are maintained, the reagent containers having different volumes can be freely combined with each other depending on the amounts of required reagents. Further, the method of jointing the reagent containers is not limited to the combinations of recesses and projections or the use of a container holder, and the reagent containers may be jointed together by bonding or tape binding. A barcode level is also preferably used to joint the reagent containers together.