Patent Description:
Patent Literature <NUM> discloses a technique in which a vacuum tank is connected to a vacuum pump to maintain the pressure in the vacuum tank at a negative pressure, and then the vacuum pressure in the vacuum tank is used to suck a cleaning fluid or the like (waste fluid) discharged when a reaction container is cleaned.

In the disclosure of Patent Literature <NUM>, a reaction liquid or a cleaning fluid is temporarily stored in a suction bottle in a reaction container cleaning mechanism using a large amount of cleaning fluid, and a solenoid valve is opened to discharge the waste fluid which is stored in the suction bottle.

In the automatic analyzer disclosed in Patent Literature <NUM>, a cleaning drying bath in which a sample probe is cleaned is configured to be connected to a vacuum tank so that waste fluid produced by cleaning the sample probe collects in the vacuum tank.

In the automatic analyzer, after a sample is aspirated and ejected by a sample probe, the interior and exterior of the probe is cleaned with a cleaning fluid in order to prevent contamination between analytes (test samples). When the sample is aspirated by the sample probe, the leading end of the sample probe is inserted into a sample container for aspiration. The sample probe may be inserted to a depth of several millimeters from the liquid surface of the sample for aspiration, or otherwise it may perform aspiration around the bottom of a test tube containing the sample. In the latter case, because a wide range of the sample probe has to be cleaned, the cleaning fluid is applied to the sample probe which is being moved down and up so that the entire sample probe is cleaned. For this purpose, the amount of cleaning fluid adheres to the exterior of the probe which has been cleaned, is greater in comparison to the former case where only the leading end is cleaned. If the next sample is aspirated by the probe with the cleaning fluid adhering to its exterior, the sample will be diluted with the cleaning fluid. Therefore, the cleaning fluid is required to be removed speedily by vacuum suction.

The configuration disclosed in Patent Literature <NUM> may be adequate as long as the amount of waste fluid produced by cleaning a sample probe is small. However, the waste fluid collects in the vacuum tank and therefore periodical removal of waste fluid is required. The removal of waste fluid produces a need to draw anew vacuum on the vacuum tank. Therefore, if there is a likelihood of a large amount of waste fluid, the cleaning drying bath and the vacuum tank are desirably connected to each other via a vacuum bottle to prevent the cleaning fluid (waste fluid) as much as possible from being drawn into the vacuum tank by vacuum suction. However, the amount of waste fluid produced by cleaning the sample probe is not much in comparison to, for example, the amount of waste fluid discharged from the reaction container cleaning mechanism. For the purpose of discharging the waste fluid collecting in the vacuum bottle, a solenoid valve installed in the vacuum bottle is opened to suck air through a vacuum suction port for extrusion of the waste fluid collecting in the vacuum bottle. However, if the amount of collecting waste fluid is small and in turn the rate of flow through the solenoid valve is small, the solenoid valve may be clogged with dust and/or the like in the air coming in through the vacuum suction port. If dust and/or the like adheres to a valve seat of the solenoid valve, it is likely that the negative pressure in the vacuum tank does not reach a preset value because of a leak from the solenoid valve even if the vacuum pump is operated with the solenoid valve closed. In some cases, an apparatus alarm may possibly be generated by a sensor monitoring a negative pressure state, or the like.

The above problem is solved by an automatic analyser as set forth in the appended claims.

It is possible to provide an automatic analyzer with high reliability because a solenoid valve for discharge of cleaning fluid collecting in a vacuum bottle can be maintained in clean condition, the vacuum bottle receiving the cleaning fluid adhering to a probe.

These and other challenges and new features will be apparent from the description and the accompanying drawings of the specification.

<FIG> is a perspective view of an automatic analyzer. The automatic analyzer is an apparatus used to dispense a sample and a reagent into a plurality of reaction containers <NUM> to initiate a reaction between them, and then measure the reacted liquid. The automatic analyzer includes a reaction disk <NUM>, a reagent disk <NUM>, a sample transport mechanism <NUM>, reagent dispense mechanisms <NUM>, <NUM>, reagent syringes <NUM>, 18a, sample dispense mechanisms <NUM>, <NUM>, sample syringes <NUM>, 19a, a cleaning mechanism <NUM>, a light source 4a, a spectrophotometer <NUM>, agitation mechanisms <NUM>, <NUM>, a cleaning pump <NUM>, cleaning baths <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, a vacuum suction port <NUM>, and a controller <NUM>.

In the reaction disk <NUM>, the reaction containers <NUM> are arranged on the circular circumference. The sample transport mechanism <NUM> is installed near the reaction disk <NUM> to move a rack <NUM> which is loaded with sample containers <NUM>. The sample containers <NUM> contain test samples (analytes) such as blood or the like, and the sample containers <NUM> are loaded on the rack <NUM> to be transported by the sample transport mechanism <NUM>. The sample dispense mechanism <NUM> and the sample dispense mechanism <NUM>, which are rotatable and vertical movable, are installed between the reaction disk <NUM> and the sample transport mechanism <NUM>. The sample dispense mechanisms <NUM>, <NUM> include sample probes 11a, 12a connected to the sample syringes <NUM>, 19a, respectively. Each of the sample probes 11a, 12a moves along an arc around the rotational axis of the corresponding sample dispense mechanism <NUM>, <NUM> in order to dispense a sample from the sample container <NUM> to the reaction container <NUM>.

A plurality of reagent bottles <NUM> is capable of being loaded on the circular circumference of the reagent disk <NUM>. The reagent disk <NUM> is held at cool temperatures. The rotatable and vertical movable reagent dispense mechanisms <NUM>, <NUM> are installed between the reaction disk <NUM> and the reagent disk <NUM>. The reagent dispense mechanisms <NUM>, <NUM> include reagent probes 7a, 8a connected to the reagent syringes <NUM>, 18a, respectively. Each of the reagent probes 7a, 8a moves along an arc around the rotational axis of the corresponding reagent dispense mechanism <NUM>, <NUM> in order to access the reagent disk <NUM> for dispensing of a reagent from the reagent bottle <NUM> to the reaction container <NUM>.

Disposed around the reaction disk <NUM> are: the cleaning mechanism <NUM> that cleans only the reaction containers after use in measurement; agitation mechanisms <NUM>, <NUM> that perform agitation of a liquid mixture (reaction liquid) of a reagent and a sample in the reaction container; and the light source 4a and the spectrophotometer <NUM> that irradiate the liquid mixture (reaction liquid) in the reaction container with light and measures the absorbance, for example. Further, the cleaning pump <NUM> is connected to the cleaning mechanism <NUM>. The cleaning baths <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> are disposed respectively within operating ranges of the sample dispense mechanisms <NUM>, <NUM>, the reagent dispense mechanisms <NUM>, <NUM> and the agitation mechanisms <NUM>, <NUM>. Each mechanism of the automatic analyzer is connected to and controlled by the controller <NUM>.

A process of analyzing a test sample by an automatic analyzer is typically executed in the following order. Initially, a sample container <NUM> loaded on the rack <NUM> is transported to a position close to the reaction disk <NUM> by the sample transport mechanism <NUM>, and the sample in the sample container <NUM> is dispensed to the reaction container <NUM> on the reaction disk <NUM> by the sample probe 11a of the sample dispense mechanism <NUM>. Subsequently, using the reagent probe 7a of the reagent dispense mechanism <NUM> or the reagent probe 8a of the reagent dispense mechanism <NUM>, a reagent to be used in analysis is dispensed from the reagent bottle <NUM> on the reagent disk <NUM> to the reaction container <NUM> in which the sample has already been dispensed. Subsequently, the liquid mixture of the sample and the reagent in the reaction container <NUM> is agitated by the agitation mechanism <NUM>.

After that, the light emitted from the light source 4a is transmitted through the reaction container <NUM> containing the liquid mixture, and a light intensity of the transmitted light is measured by the spectrophotometer <NUM>. The light intensity measured by the spectrophotometer <NUM> is transmitted to the controller <NUM> via an A/D convertor and an interface. The controller <NUM> performs computations to calculate, from the absorbance of the liquid mixture (reaction liquid), a concentration of a component designated by an analysis item corresponding to the reagent, and/or the like. The measurement result thus obtained is displayed on a display unit (not shown) and/or the like.

In this example, the sample probe 11a aspirating a sample in the sample container <NUM> is for aspiration from an upper portion of the sample container <NUM>, and the sample probe 12a is for aspiration from the vicinity of the bottom of the sample container <NUM>. Because of this, for the sample probe 12a which has been used to dispense a sample, a need arises to clean a wide range of the sample probe in the cleaning bath <NUM> in order to prevent contamination between samples. After the cleaning of the wide range, because a large amount cleaning fluid adheres to the sample probe 12a, the vacuum suction port <NUM> is installed in the cleaning bath <NUM> so that the cleaning fluid adhering to the sample probe 12a is removed to prevent the sample from being diluted with the cleaning fluid.

<FIG> illustrates the structure of the cleaning bath <NUM>, in which a section view, a top view and a side view are shown. A drainage tube <NUM> and the vacuum suction port <NUM> are installed in the bottom of a bath <NUM>. A cleaning fluid outlet <NUM> is also installed in the vicinity of the bath <NUM>. The sample probe 12a is inserted into the bath <NUM> in the vicinity of the cleaning fluid outlet <NUM>, and while the sample probe 12a is being moved up and down, the entire contaminated range of the exterior of the sample probe 12a is cleaned up. The cleaning fluid used for cleaning is discharged from the drainage tube <NUM>. Then, the sample probe 12a is moved to the vacuum suction port <NUM>, and then is moved up and down to remove the cleaning fluid adhering to the sample probe 12a. In this example, when viewed from the top of the bath <NUM>, the vacuum suction port <NUM> is installed in a different position from the position where the cleaning fluid is ejected from the cleaning fluid outlet <NUM>, and the drainage tube <NUM> is installed in the position where the cleaning fluid is ejected from the cleaning fluid outlet <NUM>. This minimizes the risk that a test sample adhering to the exterior of the sample probe 12a enters the vacuum suction port <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a channel configuration of the cleaning bath <NUM> (first comparative example). The cleaning fluid is stored in a cleaning tank <NUM>, and is supplied to the cleaning fluid outlet <NUM> of the cleaning bath <NUM> by a pump <NUM>. A first solenoid valve 50a is installed between the pump <NUM> and the cleaning fluid outlet <NUM>. The drainage tube <NUM> is connected to a drain <NUM>. A vacuum pump <NUM> and a vacuum tank <NUM> are also installed for vacuum suction, and a second solenoid valve 50b is installed between the vacuum tank <NUM> and the vacuum suction port <NUM>. In the channel configuration, the cleaning fluid adhering to the side face of the sample probe 12a collects directly in the vacuum tank <NUM>. This gives rise to a need to remove the cleaning fluid collecting in the vacuum tank <NUM> after the repetitive vacuum suction operation is repeatedly performed. Also, the second solenoid valve 50b sucks predominantly air from the vacuum suction port <NUM>. Therefore, there is a risk of dust and/or the like in the air being caught in a valve portion of the second solenoid valve 50b, and at worst the hermetic performance of the second solenoid valve 50b may be decreased, and in turn a leak from the second solenoid valve 50b may occur to decrease the vacuum performance in the process of using the vacuum pump <NUM> to generate a negative pressure in the vacuum tank <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates another channel configuration of the cleaning bath <NUM> (second comparative example). A point of difference from the channel configuration in <FIG> is that a vacuum bottle <NUM> is disposed to prevent the cleaning fluid adhering to the side face of the sample probe 12a from being accumulated directly in the vacuum tank <NUM>. The cleaning fluid adhering to the sample probe 12a is temporarily stored in the vacuum bottle <NUM>. Then, a third solenoid valve 50c installed between the vacuum bottle <NUM> and the drain <NUM> is opened for discharge into the drain <NUM>. This eliminates a situation in which the cleaning fluid collects in the vacuum tank <NUM>. However, as in the case of the second solenoid valve 50b in <FIG>, there still remains the risk of dust and/or the like being caught in the third solenoid valve 50c. Decreasing the hermetic performance of the third solenoid valve 50c may give rise to a defective condition such as a reduction in vacuum suction power and backflow of the cleaning fluid from the drain <NUM> toward the vacuum bottle <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a channel configuration of the cleaning bath <NUM> according to the invention. In the channel configuration according to the invention, a branch point <NUM> is installed in a channel <NUM> through which the cleaning fluid in the cleaning tank <NUM> is delivered to the cleaning fluid outlet <NUM> by the pump <NUM>, and the channel <NUM> and the vacuum bottle <NUM> are connected to each other by a bypass passage <NUM>. Specifically, two routes are provided for the channels for inflow of the cleaning fluid into the vacuum bottle <NUM>, which have a channel for inflow of the cleaning fluid from the cleaning tank as well as a channel connected to the vacuum suction port <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates the operation of the channel configuration of the cleaning bath <NUM> when the exterior of the sample probe 12a is cleaned. At this time, the cleaning fluid is ejected from the cleaning fluid outlet <NUM> toward the sample probe 12a inserted in the cleaning bath <NUM>, and the vacuum suction operation is not performed. By turning the first solenoid valve 50a to Open (open position), the cleaning fluid is ejected from the cleaning fluid outlet <NUM>. At this time, the cleaning fluid flows into the vacuum bottle <NUM> after the cleaning fluid is extruded from pump <NUM> into a bypass passage <NUM> via the branch point <NUM>. It is noted that arrows 60v, 62v schematically represent, as arrow's widths, the volumes of cleaning fluid flowing in the channel <NUM> and the bypass passage <NUM> after the branch point, respectively. It is noted that, because, at this time, the vacuum suction operation is not performed, the second solenoid valve 50b and the third solenoid valve 50c are in Close (closed position). However, because the vacuum suction port <NUM> is in an air open state, the cleaning fluid is able to be easily delivered from the bypass passage <NUM> into the vacuum bottle <NUM>.

The movement of the cleaning fluid during the vacuum suction operation is described below with reference to <FIG>. For the purpose of removing the cleaning fluid adhering to the side face of the sample probe 12a, the sample probe 12a is moved to the vacuum suction port <NUM>, and the second solenoid valve 50b is turned to Open. Then, the sample probe 12a is moved up and down to remove the cleaning fluid. At this time, for the vacuum bottle <NUM>, a cleaning fluid 60w, a cleaning fluid 62w and a cleaning fluid 40w are drawn into the vacuum bottle <NUM> by the vacuum suction operation, the cleaning fluid 60w collecting in an area from the cleaning fluid outlet <NUM> to the branch point <NUM> when the exterior of the sample probe 12a is cleaned, the cleaning fluid 62w collecting in the bypass passage <NUM>, the cleaning fluid 40w adhering to the side face of the sample probe 12a. The diameter of the cleaning fluid outlet <NUM> is sufficiently larger than the diameter of the vacuum suction port <NUM>, and also a major portion of the vacuum suction port <NUM> is blocked with the sample probe 12a during vacuum suction. Therefore, by turning the second solenoid valve 50b to Open, the cleaning fluids 60w, 62w are able to be easily drawn into the vacuum bottle <NUM>.

As a result, the cleaning fluid stored in the vacuum bottle <NUM> after the completion of the drying operation for the sample probe 12a is the sum of cleaning fluids 62v,60w, 62w and 40w. As opposed to this, in the second comparative example (<FIG>), the cleaning fluid collecting in the vacuum bottle <NUM> is only the cleaning fluid 40w. In the invention, turning the third solenoid valve 50c to Open enables washing of the valve seat of the third solenoid valve 50c with a larger amount of cleaning fluid stored in the vacuum bottle <NUM> than that in comparative examples, so that the solenoid valve can be prevented from having a malfunction due to dust and/or the like. Also, in comparison with the second comparative example (<FIG>), a newly added configuration corresponds to only an area from the branch point <NUM> to the bypass passage <NUM>, which is practicable at low cost.

<FIG> illustrates a time chart for the above-described operation. The time chart shows the operation in a cycle defined for the cleaning bath <NUM> by a sequence. In the channel configuration according to the invention, after the completion of the cleaning and drying operation for the sample probe 12a, the channel from the cleaning fluid outlet <NUM> to the branch point <NUM> is placed in the state in which no cleaning fluid is left in the channel by the vacuum suction operation. Because of this, in the subsequent cycle, the first solenoid valve 50a is turned to Open before a predetermined time period <NUM> prior to the timing for starting the cleaning of the sample probe 12a. Thereby, the predetermined cleaning time in a cycle can be ensured, and this makes it possible to prevent contamination from occurring due to the shortage of time to clean the sample probe 12a.

The channel is designed such that, in a cycle during which a sample probe is cleaned and dried as illustrated in <FIG>, a sufficient amount of cleaning fluid to wash the valve seat of the third solenoid valve 50c is stored in the vacuum bottle <NUM>. For example, for flow rate adjustment to the cleaning fluid in the bypass passage <NUM>, a throttle may be installed in the bypass passage, or otherwise a variable throttle and/or the like may be used to be able to adjust the rate of flow of the cleaning fluid. Also, it is conceivable that the channel length from the cleaning fluid outlet <NUM> to the branch point <NUM> may be long, and the like. Therefore, there is no need to draw the total cleaning fluid collecting in an area from the cleaning fluid outlet <NUM> to the branch point <NUM>, into the vacuum bottle <NUM> while the second solenoid valve 50b is in Open. What is required is that a sufficient total amount of cleaning fluid to clean the third solenoid valve 50c during a cycle is stored in the vacuum bottle <NUM>. It is noted that, regarding this operation, in addition to the cleaning and drying operation for a sample probe after being used for sample (analyte) aspiration, the cleaning fluid can also be stored in the vacuum bottle for each cycle and then discharged to the drain in order to clean the third solenoid valve 50c in standby cleaning operation or maintenance operation for a sample probe which is not used for sample (analyte) aspiration.

<FIG> illustrates an example of the maintenance operation in which the interior cleaning operation for the sample probe 12a is utilized to clean the vacuum bottle <NUM> and the third solenoid valve 50c. <FIG> illustrates a time chart for such maintenance operation. If, in the maintenance operation, detergent is aspirated into the sample probe 12a for interior cleaning, this is also effective in cleaning the vacuum bottle <NUM> and the third solenoid valve 50c. For example, a detergent bottle is disposed between the reaction disk <NUM> and the sample transport mechanism <NUM>, and the sample probe 12a aspirates the detergent from the detergent bottle. After the sample probe 12a is moved to the vacuum suction port <NUM>, the descent operation is performed. In order to prevent the detergent from being splattered around, the sample probe 12a starts ejection after its leading end is inserted into the vacuum suction port <NUM>. It is noted that the time to clean the interior of the sample probe 12a is set to be equal to or longer than the time to remove the detergent from the interior of the sample probe 12a. By performing the interior cleaning operation for the sample probe 12a in the vacuum suction port <NUM>, the detergent and the cleaning fluid discharged from the sample probe 12a are able to be stored in the vacuum bottle <NUM>. Moreover, by turning the first solenoid valve 50a to Open during descent of the sample probe 12a, the cleaning fluid from the cleaning tank <NUM> is able to be stored in the vacuum bottle <NUM> via the bypass passage <NUM>.

After that, when the sample probe 12a is moved up, the second solenoid valve 50b is turned to Open, whereby the cleaning fluid located from the cleaning fluid outlet <NUM> to the branch point <NUM> is able to be stored in the vacuum bottle <NUM> via the bypass passage <NUM>. After that, by turning the third solenoid valve 50c to Open, the cleaning fluid stored in the vacuum bottle <NUM> is discharged to the drain <NUM>, thereby making it possible to wash the valve seat of the third solenoid valve 50c.

In this time chart, the detergent and the cleaning fluid used in the interior cleaning operation are supplied to the vacuum bottle <NUM>. This makes it possible to reduce the amount of cleaning fluid to be supplied from the cleaning tank <NUM>. In turn, while minimizing wasted cleaning fluid as a whole, a required amount of cleaning fluid can be stored in the vacuum bottle <NUM> in a short time.

It is noted that the use of detergent in the interior cleaning operation is optional, and similar operation to that in <FIG> is performed in the interior cleaning operation during the analysis operation of the automatic analyzer, whereby the cleaning fluid discharged in the interior cleaning operation for a sample probe is able to be utilized for the cleaning operation for a solenoid valve. By repeating the operation as described above, the third solenoid valve 50c is kept clean and the solenoid valve can be prevented from having a malfunction due to dust and/or the like.

<FIG> illustrates another channel configuration of the cleaning bath <NUM> according to the invention. A difference from the channel configuration in <FIG> is that a fourth solenoid valve 50d is disposed in the bypass passage <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrate the operation of the channel configuration of the cleaning bath <NUM> during cleaning of the exterior of the sample probe 12a. The first solenoid valve 50a is in Open, whereas the fourth solenoid valve 50d is in Close, so that no cleaning fluid flows in the bypass passage <NUM>. Therefore, when the sample probe 12a is cleaned, all the cleaning water 60v' supplied from the channel <NUM> can be allocated to cleaning of the sample probe 12a without loss of cleaning fluid.

The movement of the cleaning fluid in the vacuum suction operation is described below with reference to <FIG>. In order to remove the cleaning fluid adhering to the side face of the sample probe 12a, the sample probe 12a is moved to the vacuum suction port <NUM>, and the fourth solenoid valve 50d and the second solenoid valve 50b are turned in this order to Open. Then, the sample probe 12a is moved up and down to remove the cleaning fluid. At this time, for the vacuum bottle <NUM>, a cleaning fluid 60w'and a cleaning fluid 40w' are drawn into the vacuum bottle <NUM> by the vacuum suction operation, the cleaning fluid 60w' collecting in an area from the cleaning fluid outlet <NUM> to the branch point <NUM> when the exterior of the sample probe 12a is cleaned, the cleaning fluid 40w' adhering to the side face of the sample probe 12a. In this case, the cleaning fluid stored in the vacuum bottle <NUM> after the completion of the drying operation for the sample probe 12a is the sum of cleaning fluids 60w' and 40w', and thus, with this channel configuration, a large amount of cleaning fluid is also able to be stored in the vacuum bottle <NUM> in comparison with the case of the cleaning fluid 40w' in the second comparative example (<FIG>). As a result, the third solenoid valve 50c is turned to Open after the completion of the drying operation for the sample probe 12a. This makes it possible to wash the valve seat of the third solenoid valve 50c with the cleaning fluid stored in the vacuum bottle <NUM>, so that the solenoid valve can be prevented from having a malfunction due to dust and/or the like. Also, in the channel configuration, the cleaning fluid supplied from the cleaning tank <NUM> is ejected directly from the cleaning fluid outlet <NUM>, so that a further reduction in exterior cleaning time is enabled.

<FIG> illustrates a time chart of the above-described operation, which is similar to the time chart in <FIG>, except for the control on the fourth solenoid valve 50d. Therefore, a similar description is omitted. It is noted that this operation can be similarly applied to standby cleaning operation or maintenance operation for a sample probe which is not used for sample (analyte) aspiration, in addition to the cleaning and drying operation for a sample probe after being used for sample (analyte) aspiration.

<FIG> illustrates an example where, in the maintenance operation, the interior cleaning operation for the sample probe 12a is utilized to clean the vacuum bottle <NUM> and/or the third solenoid valve 50c. A time chart is the same time chart for executing the maintenance operation as that in <FIG>. Therefore, except for the control on the fourth solenoid valve 50d, the time chart is similar to that in <FIG>, and a similar description is omitted. During the time period in which the first solenoid valve 50a is in Open, the fourth solenoid valve 50d is also placed in Open such that the cleaning fluid from the cleaning tank <NUM> is stored in the vacuum bottle <NUM> through the bypass passage <NUM>. At this time, the cleaning fluid discharged from the cleaning fluid outlet <NUM> is directly discharged to the drain. Therefore, the period of time that the fourth solenoid valve 50d is in Open desirably includes margins before and after the period of time that the first solenoid valve 50a is in Open.

<FIG> illustrates a channel configuration of the cleaning bath <NUM> according to a second example. The channel configuration according to the second example includes a channel <NUM> through which the cleaning fluid in the cleaning tank <NUM> is supplied to the vacuum bottle <NUM> by the pump <NUM>. A destination of the cleaning fluid from the cleaning tank <NUM> is selected from between the cleaning fluid outlet <NUM> and the vacuum bottle <NUM>. For this selection, the first solenoid valve 50a is installed in the channel <NUM> between the pump <NUM> and the cleaning fluid outlet <NUM>, and the fifth solenoid valve 50e is installed in the channel <NUM> between the pump <NUM> and the vacuum bottle <NUM>.

In the channel configuration according to the second example, the fifth solenoid valve 50e is controlled such that the amount of cleaning fluid required to wash the valve seat of the third solenoid valve 50c flows from the cleaning tank <NUM> to collect in the vacuum bottle <NUM> during a cycle. In the channel configuration, the total cleaning fluid supplied from the pump <NUM> is supplied to the vacuum bottle <NUM>. This enables supplying a required amount of cleaning fluid to the vacuum bottle <NUM> in a short time. A time chart in the second example is not illustrated in particular. However, the period of time that the fifth solenoid valve 50e is in Open during a cycle may be determined to avoid an overlap with the period of time that the cleaning fluid is supplied from the cleaning tank <NUM> to the cleaning fluid outlet <NUM>, that is, the period of time that the first solenoid valve 50a is placed in Open for probe cleaning.

Claim 1:
An automatic analyzer, comprising:
a cleaning bath (<NUM>) that has a cleaning fluid outlet (<NUM>) from which cleaning fluid is discharged for cleaning exterior of a probe, and a vacuum suction port (<NUM>) into which the probe is inserted;
a cleaning tank (<NUM>) that stores the cleaning fluid;
a vacuum tank (<NUM>);
a vacuum pump (<NUM>) configured to cause the vacuum tank (<NUM>) to be placed under negative pressure with respect to atmospheric pressure;
a vacuum bottle (<NUM>) placed between the vacuum suction port (<NUM>) and the vacuum tank (<NUM>);
a pump (<NUM>) configured to supply the cleaning fluid, stored in the cleaning tank (<NUM>), to the cleaning fluid outlet (<NUM>);
a first solenoid valve (50a);
a second solenoid valve (50b) that is installed between the vacuum tank (<NUM>) and the vacuum bottle (<NUM>);
a third solenoid valve (50c) that is installed between the vacuum bottle (<NUM>) and a drain (<NUM>);
a first channel that connects between the vacuum suction port (<NUM>) and the vacuum bottle (<NUM>); and
a controller (<NUM>) configured to control each mechanism of the automatic analyzer;
characterized in that
the first solenoid valve (50a) is installed between the pump (<NUM>) and the cleaning fluid outlet (<NUM>); and
a second channel and a third channel (<NUM>), wherein the third channel (<NUM>) is between the first solenoid valve (50a) and the cleaning fluid outlet (<NUM>) and has a branch point (<NUM>) from which the second channel that is a bypass passage (<NUM>) connects to the vacuum bottle (<NUM>), wherein the analyser is configured such that:
by opening the first solenoid valve (50a) while the second and third solenoid valves (50b, 50c) are closed, the cleaning fluid is ejected from the cleaning fluid outlet (<NUM>), and
by opening the second solenoid valve (50b) while the first and third solenoid valves (50a, 50c) are closed, the cleaning fluid (40w, 62w) flows into the vacuum bottle (<NUM>) from the first channel and from the second channel.