Patent Publication Number: US-2022214371-A1

Title: Automatic Analyzer

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to an automatic analyzer. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     The automatic analyzer is a device for automatically quantitatively or qualitatively analyzing a specific component contained in a sample such as blood or urine. Automatic analyzers are required to perform a wide variety of inspections in a shorter time and in a smaller space. 
     Patent Literature 1 discloses an automatic analyzer including a reagent dispensing probe that moves along a rail connecting a plurality of reagent disks and accesses to the plurality of reagent disks to increase processing capacity even with a small size and a large number of reagents loaded. 
     CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
     PTL 1: JP-A-2004-45112 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
     However, in PTL 1, since the reagent disk moving rotationally and the reagent dispensing probe moving linearly along the rail and accessing to the reagent disk are arranged at different heights, interference therebetween can be avoided, whereas space saving in a height direction is insufficient. The automatic analyzer includes a plurality of movement units that access to the same location from different directions, and also includes a space that requires a uniform temperature distribution. Thus, if the space saving in the space is insufficient, it is difficult to maintain a uniform temperature distribution. 
     Therefore, an object of the invention is to provide an automatic analyzer in which a linear movement unit and a rotational movement unit that access to the same location can be arranged in the same plane. 
     Solution to Problem 
     In order to achieve the above object, the invention provides an automatic analyzer including a linear movement unit configured to access to an access point by a linear movement, a rotational movement unit configured to access to the access point by a rotational movement, and a control unit configured to control an operation of the linear movement unit and the rotational movement unit so that the linear movement unit and the rotational movement unit do not interfere with each other. 
     Advantageous Effect 
     According to the invention, it is possible to provide an automatic analyzer in which a linear movement unit and a rotational movement unit that access to the same location can be arranged in the same plane. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view showing a configuration example of an automatic analyzer. 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view showing an arrangement of a reaction vessel transport unit (a linear movement unit), a preprocessing probe (a rotational movement unit), and a preprocessing position (an access point). 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram showing a processing flow of controlling an operation of the linear movement unit and the rotational movement unit. 
         FIG. 4  is a plan view showing a case where the rotational movement unit is provided frontward than the linear movement unit that is inclined forward with respect to a movement direction. 
         FIG. 5  is a plan view showing a case where the rotational movement unit is provided frontward than the linear movement unit that is inclined backward with respect to the movement direction. 
         FIG. 6  is a plan view showing a case where the rotational movement unit is provided backward than the linear movement unit. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of an automatic analyzer according to the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The automatic analyzer is a device that analyzes a sample using a reaction liquid obtained by causing a reagent to react with a sample such as blood or urine with a reagent. 
     Embodiment 1 
     An example of an overall configuration of an automatic analyzer of the present embodiment will be described with reference to  FIG. 1 . The automatic analyzer includes a sample transport unit  102 , a reagent disk  104 , a sample dispensing unit  105 , a reagent dispensing unit  106 , a reaction disk  107 , a reaction vessel transport unit  109 , a preprocessing probe  114 , a measurement unit  108 , and a control unit  113 . Hereinafter, each unit will be described. In addition, a vertical direction is defined as a Z direction, and a horizontal plane is defined as an XY plane. 
     The sample transport unit  102  transports a sample container  101  containing a sample such as blood or urine to a sample aspiration position  110 . The reagent disk  104  stores a reagent container  103  containing a reagent used for analysis in a predetermined temperature range. 
     The sample dispensing unit  105  dispenses a sample from the sample container  101  transported to the sample aspiration position  110  to a reaction vessel arranged on the reaction disk  107 . In addition, the reaction vessel into which the sample is dispensed and a dispensing chip used when dispensing the sample are stored in a consumable storage unit  111 , and are transported to a predetermined position by a consumable transport unit  112 . The reagent dispensing unit  106  dispenses a reagent from the reagent container  103  stored in the reagent disk  104  to the reaction vessel arranged on the reaction disk  107  and dispensed with the sample. The reaction disk  107  promotes a reaction between the sample and the reagent and produces a reaction liquid by maintaining the reaction vessel in which the sample and the reagent are dispensed within a predetermined temperature range. 
     The reaction vessel transport unit  109  transports the reaction vessel containing the reaction liquid from the reaction disk  107  to a reaction liquid dispensing position  117  via a preprocessing position  115  and a stirring position  116 . At the preprocessing position  115 , as a preprocessing for the reaction liquid contained in the reaction vessel, the preprocessing probe  114  aspirates an unnecessary liquid and discharges a buffer liquid. Next, the reaction liquid is stirred at the stirring position  116 . Then, at the reaction liquid dispensing position  117 , the reaction liquid is supplied from the reaction vessel to the measurement unit  108  by a probe for the measurement unit, which is not shown. 
     The measurement unit  108  measures physical properties of the supplied reaction liquid, for example, a light emission mount, a scattered light amount, a transmitted light amount, a current value, a voltage value, and the like. In addition, the physical properties to be measured are not limited to these. In addition, the measurement unit  108  may receive the reaction vessel from the reaction vessel transport unit  109  and measure the physical properties of the reaction liquid while being contained in the reaction vessel. The reaction vessel containing the reaction liquid of which the physical properties have been measured by the measurement unit  108  is transported to a disposal outlet  118  by the reaction vessel transport unit  109  and discarded. In addition, the discarded reaction vessel may be washed and reused. 
     The control unit  113  is a device that controls each unit included in the automatic analyzer, and is implemented by, for example, a computer. 
     The reaction disk  107 , the preprocessing probe  114 , the preprocessing position  115 , the stirring position  116 , the reaction liquid dispensing position  117 , the measurement unit  108 , and the reaction vessel transport unit  109  are covered with a thermal insulation cover  119  made of a thermal insulation material. In order to maintain the accuracy of the measurement result by the measurement unit  108 , a space inside the thermal insulation cover  119  is adjusted to a predetermined temperature. If the space covered by the thermal insulation cover  119  becomes wide, it becomes difficult to maintain a uniform temperature distribution, and the time required for reaching a set temperature, that is, the time required for the measurement unit  108  to start the measurement becomes long. Therefore, it is desirable to save space in the thermal insulation cover  119 . 
     In addition, since both the reaction vessel transport unit  109  and the preprocessing probe  114  provided in the thermal insulation cover  119  access to the preprocessing position  115 , it is necessary to avoid interference therebetween when arranging these two on the same plane for space saving. That is, the reaction vessel transport unit  109 , which is a linear movement unit that accesses to the preprocessing position  115 , which is a common access point, by a linear movement, and the preprocessing probe  114 , which is a rotational movement unit that accesses to the preprocessing position  115  by a rotational movement, are arranged in the same plane, and are not interfered with each other. 
     An example of an arrangement of the reaction vessel transport unit  109 , the preprocessing probe  114 , and the preprocessing position  115  according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to  FIG. 2 . The reaction vessel transport unit  109  accesses to the preprocessing position  115 , which is the access point, in a linearly moving process within a linear movement range  201 , and waits at an origin when not transporting the reaction vessel. A linear movement unit origin sensor  200  is provided at the origin of the reaction vessel transport unit  109 , and the linear movement unit origin sensor  200  detects whether the reaction vessel transport unit  109  is waiting at the origin. By providing at least the linear movement unit origin sensor  200  as a sensor for detecting the position of the reaction vessel transport unit  109 , cost reduction and simple system design can be achieved.  FIG. 2  exemplifies a reaction vessel transport unit  109 A at one end of the linear movement range  201 , a reaction vessel transport unit  109 C at the origin, and a reaction vessel transport unit  109 B between these two. In addition, the reaction vessel transport unit  109  has a shape that is inclined forward with respect to a direction of returning to the origin. 
     The preprocessing probe  114  accesses to the preprocessing position  115  by moving rotationally around a rotation center  212  as a rotation axis within a rotational movement range  211 , and waits at an origin when not accessing to the preprocessing position  115 . A rotational movement unit origin sensor  210  is provided at the origin of the preprocessing probe  114 , and the rotational movement unit origin sensor  210  detects whether the preprocessing probe  114  is waiting at the origin. By providing at least the rotational movement unit origin sensor  210  as a sensor for detecting the position of the preprocessing probe  114 , cost reduction and simple system design can be achieved.  FIG. 2  exemplifies a preprocessing probe  114 A at the preprocessing position  115 , which is one end of the rotational movement range  211 , a preprocessing probe  114 C at the origin, and a preprocessing probe  114 B between these two. 
     The reaction vessel transport unit  109  and the preprocessing probe  114  arranged as shown in  FIG. 2  are controlled by the control unit  113  so that the reaction vessel transport unit  109  and the preprocessing probe  114  do not interfere with each other based on the movement distances from the origins during a normal operation. However, the reaction vessel transport unit  109  and the preprocessing probe  114  may interfere with each other when returning to the origins when the reaction vessel transport unit  109  or the preprocessing probe  114  stops at a position where the control unit  113  cannot recognize due to an operator touching the reaction vessel transport unit  109  or the preprocessing probe  114  or the like. Therefore, in the present embodiment, control is performed so that the reaction vessel transport section  109  and the preprocessing probe  114  can return to the origins without interfering with each other regardless of the position at which the reaction vessel transport section  109 , which is the linear movement unit, and the preprocessing probe  114 , which is the rotational movement unit, stop. 
     An example of a processing flow of controlling the operation of the linear movement unit and the rotational movement unit according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to  FIG. 3 . 
     (S 1 ) 
     The control unit  113  controls the operation of each unit of the automatic analyzer, and the control unit  113  controls the reaction vessel transport unit  109 , which is the linear movement unit, and the preprocessing probe  114 , which is the rotational movement unit, so that the reaction vessel transport unit  109  and the preprocessing probe  114  do not interfere with each other. When receiving an instruction for a certain operation, the control unit  113  first instructs a reset operation of each mechanism. That is, by performing an origin return operation before starting all of the operations, it is possible to return to the origin position and start a normal operation even after an abnormal operation. 
     (S 2 ) 
     The control unit  113  acquires a movement speed Vx at which the reaction vessel transport unit  109 , which is the linear movement unit, returns to the origin. The movement speed Vx may be stored in advance in a storage unit or the like included in the control unit  113 . 
     (S 3 ) 
     The control unit  113  sets a movement speed Vr at which the preprocessing probe  114 , which is the rotational movement unit, returns to the origin, based on the movement speed Vx. For example, the movement speed Vr is set to be larger than the movement speed Vx. In addition, the movement speed Vr is a speed in a circumferential direction of a tip end portion of the rotational movement unit. 
     (S 4 ) 
     The control unit  113  linearly moves the linear movement unit at the movement speed Vx, and rotationally moves the rotational movement unit at the moving speed Vr to return the linear movement unit and the rotational movement unit to respective origins. In addition, the linear movement unit has a shape with an opening space in a movement direction of the rotational movement unit. Since the linear movement unit has the opening space in the movement direction of the rotational movement unit, and the rotational movement unit moves at a speed larger than that of the linear movement unit, the linear movement unit and the rotational movement unit can return to the origins without interfering with each other. Hereinafter, detailed conditions for avoiding the interference between the linear movement unit and the rotational movement unit will be described. 
     A condition under which the linear movement unit and the rotational movement unit return to the origins without interfering with each other when the reaction vessel transport unit  109 , which is the linear movement unit, has a shape that is inclined forward with respect to the direction of returning to the origin, and the preprocessing probe  114 , which is the rotational movement unit, is provided frontward than the linear movement unit, will be described with reference to  FIG. 4 . In addition, when the reaction vessel transport unit  109  has the shape that is inclined forward with respect to the direction of returning to the origin, an angle θL formed by a wall on the origin side of the reaction vessel transport unit  109  and the movement direction is less than 90°. In addition, when the rotation angle of the preprocessing probe  114  around the rotation center  212  is an angle θR formed by a wall opposite to the origin of the preprocessing probe  114  and the movement direction of the reaction vessel transport unit  109 , (a) of  FIG. 4  is a plan view when θR≥90°, and (b) of  FIG. 4  is a plan view when θR&lt;90°. 
     In the case of (a) of  FIG. 4 , by making an X-direction component Vr·cos(θR−90) of the movement speed of the preprocessing probe  114  larger than the movement speed Vx of the reaction vessel transport unit  109 , the interference in the X direction can be avoided, whereas the preprocessing probe  114  and the reaction vessel transport unit  109  interfere with each other in the Y direction. That is, a vector of the Y-direction component Vr·sin(θR−90) of the movement speed of the preprocessing probe  114  is a direction toward the reaction vessel transport unit  109  having a shape that is inclined forward with respect to the movement direction, and thus the interference in the Y direction occurs. In other words, since the reaction vessel transport section  109 , which is the linear movement unit, does not have the opening space in the movement direction of the preprocessing probe  114 , which is the rotational movement unit, the reaction vessel transport section  109  and the preprocessing probe  114  interfere with each other. 
     On the other hand, in (b) of  FIG. 4 , the vector of the Y-direction component Vr·sin(θR) of the movement speed of the preprocessing probe  114  is the direction away from the reaction vessel transport unit  109 , and the reaction vessel transport unit  109  has the opening space in the movement direction of the preprocessing probe  114 . Therefore, the interference between the preprocessing probe  114  and the reaction vessel transport unit  109  can be avoided by moving the preprocessing probe  114  in both the X and Y directions at a speed larger than that of the reaction vessel transport unit  109 . Specifically, Vr·cos(θR)&gt;Vx is satisfied in the X direction and Vr·sin(θR)&gt;Vx/tan(θL) is satisfied in the Y direction. 
     A condition under which the linear movement unit and the rotational movement unit return to the origins without interfering with each other when the reaction vessel transport unit  109 , which is the linear movement unit, has a shape that is inclined backward with respect to the direction of returning to the origin, and the preprocessing probe  114 , which is the rotational movement unit, is provided frontward than the linear movement unit, will be described with reference to  FIG. 5 . In addition, when the reaction vessel transport unit  109  has the shape that is inclined backward with respect to the direction of returning to the origin, an angle θL formed by a wall on the origin side of the reaction vessel transport unit  109  and the movement direction is 90° or more. In addition, similar to  FIG. 4 , (a) of  FIG. 5  is a plan view when θR≥90°, and (b) of  FIG. 5  is a plan view when θR&lt;90°. 
     In (a) of  FIG. 5 , the reaction vessel transport unit  109  has the shape that is inclined backward, and thus the reaction vessel transport unit  109  has the opening space in the direction of the vector of the Y-direction component Vr·sin(θR−90) of the movement speed of the preprocessing probe  114 . Therefore, the interference between the preprocessing probe  114  and the reaction vessel transport unit  109  can be avoided by moving the preprocessing probe  114  in both the X and Y directions at a speed larger than that of the reaction vessel transport unit  109 . Specifically, Vr·cos(θR−90)&gt;Vx is satisfied in the X direction, and Vr·sin(θR−90)&gt;Vx/tan (180−θL) is satisfied in the Y direction. 
     In addition, in (b) of  FIG. 5 , the reaction vessel transport unit  109  has a shape that is inclined backward, and the preprocessing probe  114  moves in the direction away from the reaction vessel transport unit  109  in the Y direction, and thus the reaction vessel transport unit  109  has the opening space in the movement direction of the preprocessing probe  114 . Therefore, the interference between the preprocessing probe  114  and the reaction vessel transport unit  109  can be avoided by moving the preprocessing probe  114  in the X direction at a speed larger than that of the reaction vessel transport unit  109 , that is, Vr·cos(θR)&gt;Vx. 
     A case where the preprocessing probe  114 , which is the rotational movement unit, is provided backward than the reaction vessel transport unit  109 , which is the linear movement unit, will be described with reference to  FIG. 6 . In addition, (a) of  FIG. 6  is a plan view showing a case where the reaction vessel transport unit  109  has a shape that is tilted forward, and (b) of  FIG. 6  is a plan view showing a case where the reaction vessel transport unit  109  has a shape that is tilted backward. 
     In both cases of (a) and (b) of  FIG. 6 , the preprocessing probe  114  moves in the direction away from the reaction vessel transport unit  109  in the Y direction, and thus the reaction vessel transport unit  109  has the opening space in the movement direction of the preprocessing probe  114 . The preprocessing probe  114  moves in the direction approaching the reaction vessel transport unit  109  in the X direction. Therefore, a notch as shown in  FIG. 2  may be provided on the wall opposite to the origin of the reaction vessel transport unit  109  so that the reaction vessel transport unit  109  has the opening space in the movement direction of the preprocessing probe  114 . The interference between the preprocessing probe  114  and the reaction vessel transport unit  109  can be avoided by having the opening space in the movement direction of the preprocessing probe  114  and moving the preprocessing probe  114  at a speed larger than that of the reaction vessel transport unit  109 . 
     In addition, as shown in  FIG. 2 , it becomes easy to form the opening space of the reaction vessel transport unit  109  by limiting the rotational movement range  211  of the preprocessing probe  114  such that the rotation angle θR of the preprocessing probe  114  when accessing to the preprocessing position  115  is less than 90°. In a case where the reaction vessel transport unit  109  has the opening space in the movement direction of the preprocessing probe  114 , when the abnormal operation is detected, the reaction container transport unit  109  may be returned to the origin after the preprocessing probe  114  is returned to the origin. 
     Embodiments of the invention are described above. The invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and the constituent elements may be modified without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the above embodiments may be appropriately combined. Furthermore, some constituent elements may be omitted from all the constituent elements shown in the above embodiments. 
     REFERENCE SIGN LIST 
     
         
           101 : sample container 
           102 : sample transport unit 
           103 : reagent container 
           104 : reagent disk 
           105 : sample dispensing unit 
           106 : reagent dispensing unit 
           107 : reaction disk 
           108 : measurement unit 
           109 : reaction vessel transport unit (linear movement unit) 
           110 : sample aspiration position 
           111 : consumable storage unit 
           112 : consumable transport unit 
           113 : control unit 
           114 : preprocessing probe (rotational movement unit) 
           115 : preprocessing position (access point) 
           116 : stirring position 
           117 : reaction liquid dispensing position 
           118 : disposal outlet 
           119 : thermal insulation cover 
           200 : linear movement unit origin sensor 
           201 : linear movement range 
           210 : rotational movement unit origin sensor 
           211 : rotational movement range 
           212 : rotation center