Patent Description:
An automatic analyzer is a device that analyzes specific components included in a sample such as blood or urine supplied from a patient, and is used in hospitals and inspection facilities. Prior to analyzing specific components in a sample, in an incubator, a mixed solution mixed with a sample and a reagent is reacted at a predetermined temperature, close to a human temperature of <NUM>, for example.

Patent Literature <NUM> discloses an insulation made of polyethylene is mounted on an incubator at places other than the vicinity of a hole into which a reaction vessel in a tapered shape is inserted.

Patent Literature <NUM>: International Publication No. <CIT>
<CIT> discloses an automatic analyzer with the features in the preamble of present claim <NUM>. Further conventional analyzers are described in <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, and <CIT>.

However, in Patent Literature <NUM>, no consideration is paid to the insertion of a reaction vessel, specifically a reaction vessel in a tubular shape into a hole of the incubator. Although the reaction vessel in a tubular shape can reduce the liquid amount of a sample of the reaction vessel in a tapered shape, the resistance at the time of insertion into the hole of the incubator. The increase in resistance at the time of insertion sometimes makes the mounting of the reaction vessel into the incubator, and the processing performance of the automatic analyzer is sometimes reduced.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic analyzer that is capable of smoothly inserting a reaction vessel into the hole of the incubator.

In order to achieve the object, the present invention is an automatic analyzer as defined in appended claim <NUM>.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an automatic analyzer that is capable of smoothly inserting a reaction vessel into the hole of the incubator.

In the following, preferred embodiments according to the present invention the automatic analyzer will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that in the following description and the accompanying drawings, the redundant description of components having the same functional configurations is omitted by assigning the same reference signs.

Referring to <FIG>, an example of the overall structure of an automatic analyzer <NUM> for biochemical testing will be described. The automatic analyzer <NUM> has a sample transport path <NUM>, a reagent disk <NUM>, a transfer unit <NUM>, an incubator <NUM>, a spectrophotometer <NUM>, and a control unit <NUM>. In the following, the components will be described. Note that the lateral direction in <FIG> is defined as an X-axis, the vertical direction is defined as a Y-axis, and the vertical direction that is a direction orthogonal to the paper surface is defined as a Z-axis.

The sample transport path <NUM> transports a sample rack <NUM> on which a plurality of sample containers <NUM> containing a sample is mounted to a position accessible by a sample dispensing unit <NUM>. The sample contained in the sample container <NUM> is dispensed into a reaction vessel <NUM> retained in the incubator <NUM> by the sample dispensing unit <NUM>.

The transfer unit <NUM> grasps and transfers the reaction vessel <NUM> or a dispensing chip, which is a consumable item disposed in a tray with a gripper. The reaction vessel <NUM> to be transferred from the tray to the incubator <NUM> using the transfer unit <NUM> is used for containing a mixed solution of the sample and a reagent is replaced in every analysis. That is, the transfer unit <NUM> transfers an unused reaction vessel <NUM> to the incubator <NUM>.

The reagent disk <NUM> keeps a plurality of reagent containers <NUM> containing the reagent. In order to mitigate the degradation of the reagent, the inside of the reagent disk <NUM> is kept at a temperature lower than room temperature. Moreover, the reagent disk <NUM> is covered with a reagent disk cover <NUM>. Note that in <FIG>, in order to represent a disposition example of the reagent container <NUM>, only a part of the reagent disk cover <NUM> is shown. The reagent contained in the reagent container <NUM> is dispensed into the reaction vessel <NUM> into which the sample is dispensed by the reagent dispensing unit <NUM>.

The incubator <NUM> retains a plurality of reaction vessels <NUM> containing the mixed solution of the sample and the reagent, and is kept at a predetermined temperature of <NUM>, for example, in order to react the mixed solution. The mixed solution is reacted for a predetermined time period in the process of retaining the reaction vessel <NUM> in the incubator <NUM> whose temperature is kept at a predetermined temperature, and thus the mixed solution is turned into a reaction solution used for analysis.

The spectrophotometer <NUM> measures the absorbance of the reaction solution in order to analyzes specific components included in the reaction solution contained in the reaction vessel <NUM>. The spectrophotometer <NUM> is disposed adjacent to the incubator <NUM>, and has a light source, a spectral element, and a photodetector. For the light source, a halogen lamp is used, for the spectral element, a diffraction grating is used, and for the photodetector, a photomultiplier tube, a photodiode, or the like is used. A light beam emitted from the light source is separated into measurement wavelengths by the spectral element, and then applied to the reaction solution contained in the reaction vessel <NUM>, and is detected by the intensity of the light beam transmitted through the reaction solution. An absorbance Aλ relating to a certain wavelength λ is calculated by the following formula using an intensity Ix<NUM> of a light beam applied to the reaction solution and the intensity of the light beam transmitted through the reaction solution Iλ. <MAT> Moreover, since the absorbance Aλ is proportional to an optical path length L and a concentration C of a specific component included in the reaction solution, the following formula is held.

Here, ε is a proportionality constant determined for every type of specific component. That is, the concentration C of the specific component is calculated from the value of the absorbance Aλ calculated from the intensity Iλ of the transmitted light beam of the reaction solution and the optical path length L.

The control unit <NUM> is a device that controls the operation of the components, accepts inputs of data necessary for analyzes, displays or stores results of analysis, which is, for example, a computer.

Referring to <FIG>, an exemplary configuration of the incubator <NUM> will be described. The incubator <NUM> in <FIG> has a board <NUM> in a ring shape that rotates at a predetermined angle every lapse of a predetermined time period at a central axis <NUM> as a rotation axis, a heater <NUM>, and an insulation <NUM>. In the following, the components will be described. Note that the radial direction of the board <NUM> is defined as an R axis, the circumferential direction is defined as aθ axis, and the vertical direction that is a direction in parallel with the central axis <NUM> is defined as a Z-axis.

The board <NUM> has a plurality of holes <NUM> into which the reaction vessel <NUM> is inserted along the outer periphery. Note that in <FIG>, in order to simplify the drawing, only one hole <NUM> is shown. The inlet ports of the individual holes <NUM> are provided with a lubricating member <NUM> that is a member having self lubricity. The self lubricity means that the coefficient of friction of the material itself is extremely small. The lubricating member <NUM> is a material having a coefficient of friction smaller than the coefficient of friction of at least the board <NUM>, which is PTFE (Poly Tetra FluoroEthylene), polyacetal, ultrahigh molecular polyethylene, monomer-cast nylon, and the like, for example. The lubricating member <NUM> is provided on the inlet port of the hole <NUM>, and thus the reaction vessel <NUM> can be smoothly inserted into the hole <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, even the case in which the reaction vessel <NUM> is obliquely inserted into the hole <NUM>, smooth insertion is possible. desirably, the gripper of the transfer unit <NUM> releases the grasp of the reaction vessel after the reaction vessel is deeply pressed by a predetermined distance from the opening of the hole <NUM>. It should be noted that although the gripper desirably vertically brings down the reaction vessel <NUM> from right above the hole <NUM>, the grasp may be released after the reaction vessel <NUM> is intentionally brought into contact with the lubricating member <NUM>.

The heater <NUM> is a hating resistor in a belt shape that is disposed so as to cover the side surface of the outer periphery of the board <NUM>, and the supply of electric power is controlled based on the measured value of a thermometer, not shown, provided on the board <NUM>. The insulation <NUM> is a material having a relatively low coefficient of thermal conductivity, and the insulation <NUM> is disposed so as to cover the outer periphery of the heater <NUM> and the bottom surface of the board <NUM>. The board <NUM> is kept at a predetermined temperature by the heating of the heater <NUM> and the insulation of the insulation <NUM>, the reaction of the mixed solution in the reaction vessel <NUM> inserted into the hole <NUM> progresses, and the reaction solution is generated.

On the side surface of the incubator <NUM>, a photometric hole <NUM> is provided, and is used for measuring the absorbance of the reaction solution of the spectrophotometer <NUM>. The photometric hole <NUM> may be provided for every hole <NUM> to be inserted into the reaction vessel <NUM>, or may be provided at every several holes <NUM>, for example, at every one hole <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, the position at which the lubricating member <NUM> is provided and the photometric hole <NUM> will be further described. Since the lubricating member <NUM> is a resin material such as PTFE, and has a relatively low coefficient of thermal conductivity, the lubricating member <NUM> is disposed on the inlet port of the hole <NUM> so as not to inhibit heat transfer from the board <NUM> to the reaction vessel <NUM>. Specifically, the lubricating member <NUM> is preferably provided at a position higher than the liquid level of at least the mixed solution so as not to inhibit heat transfer of the mixed solution contained in the reaction vessel <NUM>.

The photometric hole <NUM> is provided such that the inner periphery side communicates with the outer periphery side in the radial direction of the incubator <NUM> through the hole <NUM>. That is, a light beam emitted from the light source and separated by the spectral element is applied to the reaction solution contained in the reaction vessel <NUM> through any one of the photometric holes <NUM>, and the light beam transmitted through the reaction solution is detected by the photodetector through the other photometric hole <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, and example of the reaction vessel <NUM> will be described. <FIG> shows a side view of the reaction vessel <NUM> seen from the R direction and a B-B cross sectional view of the side view. The reaction vessel <NUM> in <FIG> has a protrusion <NUM> and two translucent surfaces <NUM>, and places other than the places at which the protrusion <NUM> and the translucent surface <NUM> are provided are in a tubular shape. That is, most of the reaction vessel <NUM> is in a tubular shape.

The two translucent surfaces <NUM> are in parallel with each other, one is a surface into which the separated light beam enters, and the other is a surface through which the transmitted light beam of the reaction solution passes. Preferably, the reaction vessel <NUM> inserted into the hole <NUM> is disposed such that the translucent surface <NUM> faces the photometric hole <NUM>. When the translucent surface <NUM> is disposed so as to face the photometric hole <NUM>, a distance between the two translucent surfaces <NUM> is the optical path length L.

The protrusion <NUM> is a portion protruding from the side surface of the reaction vessel <NUM>, and is provided so as to have a predetermined angle to the translucent surface <NUM> about the central axis of the reaction vessel <NUM> in parallel with each other the Z-axis. For example, the angle of the protrusion <NUM> to the translucent surface <NUM> is <NUM>° such that the protrusion <NUM> is in parallel with each other the translucent surface <NUM>.

When a certain optical path length L is reserved, the reaction vessel in a tapered shape an reduce the liquid amount of the sample necessary for analysis as the angle formed of the vertical axis and the side surface is reduced, and when the formed angle is at <NUM>°, i.e., when the reaction vessel <NUM> is in a tubular shape, the minimum liquid amount is achieved. on the other hand, as the formed angle is reduced, the resistance when the reaction vessel <NUM> is inserted into the hole <NUM> of the incubator <NUM> increases. The increase in resistance at the time of insertion makes the mounting of the reaction vessel <NUM> on the incubator <NUM> is uncertain, sometimes leading to the degradation of the processing performance of the automatic analyzer <NUM>. In the present embodiment, since the lubricating member <NUM> is disposed on the inlet port of the hole <NUM> of the incubator <NUM>, the reaction vessel <NUM> is smoothly inserted into the hole <NUM>, and it is possible to maintain the processing performance of the automatic analyzer <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, and example of the lubricating member <NUM> will be described. <FIG> shows a plan view of the lubricating member <NUM> seen from the Z-direction, a C-C cross sectional view of the plan view, and a perspective view of the lubricating member <NUM>. The lubricating member <NUM> in <FIG> has an opening through which the reaction vessel <NUM> passes, a cylindrical portion <NUM>, a claw <NUM>, a chamfering portion <NUM>, and a guide groove <NUM>.

The cylindrical portion <NUM> is a portion having a tubular shape that is fit into the top end of the hole <NUM> in order to position the lubricating member <NUM> to the hole <NUM>. That is, the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion <NUM> nearly matches the inner diameter of the top end of the hole <NUM>.

The claw <NUM> is a portion that engages with the incubator <NUM> in order to prevent the lubricating member <NUM> having self lubricity from falling off from the incubator <NUM>. That is, since there is the case in which the lubricating member <NUM> that is slippery to the incubator <NUM> falls off even though the reaction vessel <NUM> slightly touches the lubricating member <NUM>, the incubator <NUM> engages with the claw <NUM>, and thus the lubricating member <NUM> is prevented from falling off.

The chamfering portion <NUM> is an inclined plane provided on the edge of the opening of the lubricating member <NUM> whose side of the hole <NUM> is low, in order to mitigate the resistance when the reaction vessel <NUM> is inserted into the lubricating member <NUM>. Note that since the coefficient of friction of the lubricating member <NUM> having self lubricity is extremely small, the chamfering portion <NUM> does not necessarily have to be provided.

Next, the directional portion will be described. The directional portion represents a site having a function that directs the translucent surface <NUM> of the reaction vessel <NUM> to a predetermined direction.

The guide groove <NUM> as an example of the directional portion is a groove having a function of facing the translucent surface <NUM> to the photometric hole <NUM>, into which the protrusion <NUM> is fit. That is, in the case in which the angle of the protrusion <NUM> to the translucent surface <NUM> is <NUM>°, the guide groove <NUM> is provided along the circumferential direction of the incubator <NUM>. The guide groove <NUM> has a Y-groove shape. Even though the protrusion <NUM> is displaced more or less to the guide groove <NUM>, the displacement is corrected along the Y-groove as shown in <FIG>, and the positioning accuracy of the reaction vessel <NUM> is reserved. Note that when the translucent surface <NUM> can be directed to the direction of the photometric hole <NUM>, the directional portion is not limited to the guide groove <NUM>. For example, the site corresponding to the guide groove <NUM> may be formed in a projecting shape, and the site corresponding to the protrusion <NUM> may be formed in a recessed shape.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, the reaction vessel <NUM> inserted into the incubator <NUM> mounted on the lubricating member <NUM> will be described. Note that the angle of the protrusion <NUM> to the translucent surface <NUM> of the reaction vessel <NUM> is <NUM>°, and the guide groove <NUM> of the lubricating member <NUM> is provided along the circumferential direction of the incubator <NUM>. The protrusion <NUM> of the reaction vessel <NUM> is fit into the guide groove <NUM> of the lubricating member <NUM>, the translucent surface <NUM> of the reaction vessel <NUM> then faces the photometric hole <NUM>, and becomes vertical to an optical path axis <NUM> of the spectrophotometer <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, an example of the incubator <NUM> from which the lubricating member <NUM> is removed will be described. The incubator <NUM> in <FIG> has an inter-hole groove <NUM> along the circumferential direction between the adjacent holes <NUM>. The inter-hole groove <NUM> is provided in parallel with the guide groove <NUM> of the lubricating member <NUM>, and into which the protrusion <NUM> of the reaction vessel <NUM> is fit. The protrusion <NUM> of the reaction vessel <NUM> is fit into the inter-hole groove <NUM> as well as into the guide groove <NUM> to increase the contact area of the protrusion <NUM>, leading to resistance to rotation of the reaction vessel <NUM>, and the translucent surface <NUM> is easily vertically aligned with the optical path axis <NUM> of the spectrophotometer <NUM>. Moreover, since the inter-hole groove <NUM> is provided concentrically with the board <NUM> of the incubator <NUM>.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the lubricating member <NUM> having self lubricity is provided at the inlet port of the hole <NUM> of the incubator <NUM>, the reaction vessel <NUM> is smoothly inserted into the hole <NUM>. Such smooth insertion surely mounts the reaction vessel <NUM> on the incubator <NUM>, and thus it is possible to maintain the processing performance of the automatic analyzer <NUM>.

In the first embodiment, the automatic analyzer <NUM> for biochemical testing has been described. In the present embodiment, an automatic analyzer <NUM> for immunologic testing using antigen antibody reactions shown in <FIG> will be described. Note that differences from the first embodiment are in that configurations involved in analysis and a pre-wash unit <NUM> and an analysis unit <NUM> are provided instead of the spectrophotometer <NUM>.

The pre-wash unit <NUM> is a device that separates components unnecessary for analysis from a reaction solution. In the present embodiment, a reagent including magnetic fine particles attached with an antibody is used, and an antigen, which is a measured substance in a sample, bonds with the antibody attached to the magnetic fine particles by an immune reaction in an incubator <NUM>. A reaction vessel <NUM> containing the reaction solution after the immune reaction is transferred to the pre-wash unit <NUM>, and a component that does not bond with the magnetic fine particles, i.e., a component unnecessary for analysis is separated using a magnetic field. The reaction vessel <NUM> in which the unnecessary component is separated is returned to the incubator <NUM>, transported to a position at which the analysis unit <NUM> is accessible by the rotation of the incubator <NUM>, and then transferred to the analysis unit <NUM>.

The analysis unit <NUM> analyzes the reaction solution from which unnecessary components contained in the transferred reaction vessel <NUM> is separated. The analysis unit <NUM> has a light source, a spectral element, and a photodetector, and has a function that adjusts temperatures in order to maintain the reproducibility of analysis. The reaction vessel <NUM> containing the reaction solution to be analyzed is transferred from the incubator <NUM> to the analysis unit <NUM>, and then analyzed by the analysis unit <NUM>.

Also in the incubator <NUM> of the present embodiment, since a lubricating member <NUM> having self lubricity is provided at the inlet port of a hole <NUM>, the reaction vessel <NUM> is smoothly inserted into the hole <NUM>. Note that the incubator <NUM> of the present embodiment may include or not include a photometric hole <NUM>.

In the first embodiment, a case is described in which only one guide groove <NUM> as a directional portion is provided. In the present embodiment, a case in which will be described a plurality of guide grooves <NUM> is provided.

Claim 1:
An automatic analyzer (<NUM>), comprising:
a reaction vessel (<NUM>) containing a mixture of a sample and a reagent;
an incubator (<NUM>) having a hole into which the reaction vessel (<NUM>) is to be inserted;
a transfer unit (<NUM>) configured to transfer an unused reaction vessel (<NUM>) to the incubator (<NUM>) and insert the reaction vessel (<NUM>) into the hole; and
a lubricating member (<NUM>) having a self-lubricating property provided at an inlet port of the hole,
characterized in that
the reaction vessel (<NUM>) has a translucent surface (<NUM>) which is a flat surface through which light for analysis is to be transmitted,
the lubricating member (<NUM>) has a directional portion that directs the translucent surface (<NUM>) in a predetermined direction,
the reaction vessel (<NUM>) further has a protrusion (<NUM>) that protrudes from a side surface, and
the directional portion has a guide groove (<NUM>) which is a groove that fits with the protrusion (<NUM>) and which has a Y-groove shape along which relative displacement of the protrusion (<NUM>) to the guide groove (<NUM>) is corrected.