Patent Description:
An automatic analyzer is a device that performs a qualitative analysis or a quantitative analysis on a certain component included in a biological sample, such as blood, urine, and spinal fluid, and is an essential device in facilities that need to process many patient specimens in a short time, such as a hospital and a medical testing facility.

In such an automatic analyzer, in order to reduce an effect of an external environment on an analysis result, preprocessing, such as dispensing and stirring of a reaction liquid and a reagent, is performed in a preprocessing region that is environmentally controlled, such as light shielded and temperature adjusted. For example, Patent Literature <NUM> discloses an automatic analyzer. The automatic analyzer includes a sample disk, a reagent disk, a reaction disk, and a plurality of dispensing mechanisms, that are disposed on a top face of a main-body casing, a scattered light measurement unit disposed inside the main-body casing, and a protective cover. The sample disk holds a plurality of samples, the reagent disk holds a plurality of types of reagent, the reaction disk holds a plurality of reaction cells, and the plurality of dispensing mechanisms each include an arm that rotates and a nozzle fixed to the arm and dispensing the samples and/or the reagents to the reaction cells held at the reaction disk. The scattered light measurement unit includes a light source that irradiates light to the reaction cells and a photoreceptor that receives scattered light generated from a reaction liquid in the reaction cells irradiated with the light. The protective cover is disposed to cover the top face of the main-body casing, and includes a light-shielding part to block external light and a see-through part enabling see therethrough of inside. The light-shielding part covers at least an area of the reaction disk corresponding to an area above the scattered light measurement unit.

The document <CIT> discloses an automatic analyzer according to the preamble of claim <NUM>. Further related art is disclosed in the documents <CIT>, <CIT> and <CIT>.

In order to maintain the measurement results at high accuracy in the automatic analyzer, maintenance work, such as cleaning and parts replacement inside the preprocessing region covered by the cover and environmentally controlled, is required to be performed periodically or according to usage conditions. An openable lid disposed at an opening portion on an upper portion or a front surface of the cover covering the preprocessing region is opened and maintenance personnel access the inside of the preprocessing region from a clearance between the openable lid and the cover via the opening portion, and thus, the maintenance work is performed. After the maintenance work is completed and the openable lid is closed, the cover and the openable lid keep the inside of the preprocessing region in a light-shielded and temperature-adjusted state.

For example, when the openable lid of the preprocessing region is of a removable type, however, the openable lid removed for opening the opening portion when the maintenance work is started may be left unattached after the maintenance work is terminated. In case the preprocessing is performed with the opening portion of the preprocessing region left unclosed, the preprocessing is performed with insufficient light shielding and temperature adjustment in the preprocessing region, which possibly deteriorates the accuracy of the analysis results.

The present invention is made in consideration of the above, and one of its objectives is to provide an automatic analyzer capable of reliably closing an openable lid provided in an opening for accessing a region covered by a cover.

In order to solve the above problems, the present inventon proposes an automatic analyzer according to claim <NUM>.

The present invention ensures reliably closing the openable lid provided in the opening for accessing the region covered by the cover.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

A first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to <FIG>.

<FIG> is a plan view schematically illustrating a configuration of an operation surface of an automatic analyzer according to the embodiment. <FIG> are perspective views illustrating an external appearance of the automatic analyzer according to the embodiment. <FIG> is a drawing illustrating a state where a safety cover is closed. <FIG> is a drawing illustrating a state where the safety cover is at a fully opened position. <FIG> is a drawing illustrating a state where the safety cover and an openable lid are at a fully opened position. <FIG> is a drawing illustrating a state where the safety cover is moved from the state illustrated in <FIG> to a fully closed position. Hereinafter the description will be made with a downward direction in <FIG> defined as a forward direction of the automatic analyzer, a rightward direction in <FIG> defined as a rightward direction, and a near side direction on the paper in <FIG> defined as an upward direction. A location of a host computer in <FIG>, however, is not specified.

In <FIG>, an automatic analyzer <NUM> includes a reagent cold storage <NUM>, a safety cover <NUM>, a sample conveyance mechanism <NUM>, a sample dispensing mechanism <NUM>, a tip magazine <NUM>, a tip conveyance mechanism <NUM>, an incubator <NUM>, a sample dispensing tip buffer <NUM>, a tip disposal hole <NUM>, a reagent dispensing probe <NUM>, a reagent stirring mechanism <NUM>, a washing mechanism <NUM>, a reaction liquid aspiration discharge probe <NUM>, a reaction liquid washing discharge aspiration position <NUM>, a reaction liquid stirring mechanism <NUM>, a reaction liquid aspiration position <NUM>, a detection portion <NUM>, a reaction container disposal hole <NUM>, a reaction container conveyance mechanism <NUM>, an operation surface <NUM>, a host computer (operation portion) <NUM>, reagent containers <NUM>, sample containers <NUM>, a sample rack <NUM>, sample dispensing tips <NUM>, reaction containers <NUM>, a reagent disk <NUM>, a reagent container loading port <NUM>, a reagent container loading port lid <NUM>, and a reagent dispensing position <NUM>. The host computer (operation portion) <NUM> is to control the entire operation of the automatic analyzer <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the automatic analyzer <NUM> includes a housing configured of a side cover <NUM> (only a right side surface is illustrated), a front cover <NUM>, a rear cover (not illustrated), a housing frame (not illustrated), and the like so as to accommodate at least a portion of the analyzer analyzing a specimen to be analyzed, an incubator cover <NUM> (a first region cover) disposed to cover a preprocessing region (a first region) provided on the operation surface <NUM> on the housing so as to include a portion of the analyzer, an openable lid <NUM> disposed to openably cover an opening portion <NUM> provided in the incubator cover <NUM> (the first region cover) in order to access the inside from the outside of the preprocessing region (the first region), and is provided to be rotatable between a first fully opened position (See <FIG>) and a first fully closed position (See <FIG>) with respect to the incubator cover <NUM> (the first region cover) at an end of the opening portion <NUM>, and the safety cover <NUM> (a second region cover) disposed to cover upper portions of the operation surface <NUM> and the incubator cover <NUM> (the first region cover) and provided to be rotatable between a second fully opened position and a second fully closed position with respect to the housing at an end (for example, an end in a rear side) of the operation surface <NUM>.

The safety cover <NUM> is supported on one side of the upper surface of the housing by, for example, a hinge support shaft, and is provided to be rotatable about the hinge support shaft, thus being configured to be openable/closable. That is, the safety cover <NUM> is pivotally supported to be rotatable between the closed position (the second fully closed position) and the opened position (the second fully opened position) with the hinge support shaft as the center of rotation. The closed position of the safety cover <NUM> is specified by a lower end portion being supported by a table surface (the operation surface <NUM>). The opened position of the safety cover <NUM> is specified by an opening limit by a configuration of a mechanical stopper (not illustrated).

The safety cover <NUM> is provided with an interlock <NUM>. The interlock <NUM> has an open/close detection sensor function, and when it detects that the safety cover <NUM> is opened, driving voltages of respective drive units in the automatic analyzer <NUM> are cut off to stop operations of the respective drive units of the automatic analyzer <NUM>. This ensures eliminating risks of an operator contacting the operation target while the analyzer is operating.

The safety cover <NUM> at the closed position has, for example, an end on the opposite side of the center of rotation provided with a solenoid lock mechanism <NUM> that can latch between the housing and the safety cover <NUM>, which latches the safety cover <NUM> by energizing the solenoid lock mechanism <NUM> during the operation of the automatic analyzer <NUM> to prevent the opening operation of the safety cover <NUM> by the operator and maintain the closed state. This ensures preventing erroneous operations, for example, the operator unintentionally opening the safety cover <NUM> during the analysis operation and stopping the analyzer, thus leading to a process relating to the restart and reporting delay to a patient. While the analysis operation of the automatic analyzer <NUM> is stopped, the energization to the solenoid lock mechanism <NUM> is stopped and the latch is released, therefore, the opening operation of the safety cover <NUM> can be performed.

The safety cover <NUM> is assisted in opening/closing operations by, for example, a gas damper, to be openable to a reference height as the opened position with a little force and maintains the opened position in the opened position, and is designed with a force balance with which it does not rotate in the closing direction by its own weight. However, the safety cover <NUM> can also be moved to the closed position with a little force. The operator can clean and replace various operational mechanism groups disposed on the operation surface <NUM>, clean the operation surface <NUM>, and replace the reagent containers <NUM> by gripping and lifting a handle portion <NUM> disposed in all the safety cover <NUM>, while moving the safety cover <NUM> to the opened position, and inserting his/her arms or upper body from a clearance between the operation surface <NUM> and the front side of the safety cover <NUM>. Therefore, a specified height for the safety cover <NUM> to maintain the opened position is preferred to be designed to a height with which a person relatively small in stature can also reach and close the safety cover <NUM> and a height with which a person relatively high in stature can also keep a sufficient work space by taking, for example, an average height and variations of people that potentially be an operator into consideration.

The sample conveyance mechanism <NUM> is configured of, for example, a belt conveyor and a rack handler, and conveys the sample rack <NUM> that provides the sample containers <NUM>, in which samples, such as specimens, are housed, in a hanging manner in the automatic analyzer <NUM> to move it to a range of motion of the sample dispensing mechanism <NUM>.

On the tip magazine <NUM>, the plurality of unused sample dispensing tips <NUM> and the plurality of unused reaction containers <NUM> are placed. The tip magazine <NUM> is configured to be attachable and removable to and from the automatic analyzer <NUM> and is arranged on the upper surface of the automatic analyzer <NUM> by the operator in a state where the sample dispensing tips <NUM> and the reaction containers <NUM> are placed.

The tip conveyance mechanism <NUM> is configured to be movable in the planar direction and the Z-axis direction, and is configured movable above the tip magazine <NUM>, a portion of the incubator <NUM>, the sample dispensing tip buffer <NUM>, and the tip disposal hole <NUM>. The tip conveyance mechanism <NUM> grips the reaction containers <NUM> one by one from the tip magazine <NUM> and moves them to empty slots in the incubator <NUM>. The tip conveyance mechanism <NUM> grips the sample dispensing tips <NUM> one by one from the tip magazine <NUM> and moves them to the sample dispensing tip buffer <NUM>.

The sample dispensing tip buffer <NUM> is a buffer on which the sample dispensing tips <NUM> gripped and conveyed by the tip conveyance mechanism <NUM> are temporarily placed. The sample dispensing tips <NUM> are configured to be attachable and removable to and from the sample dispensing mechanism <NUM>. The sample dispensing mechanism <NUM> with no sample dispensing tips <NUM> loaded moves to the sample dispensing tip buffer <NUM>, and thus, the unused sample dispensing tips <NUM> can be loaded.

The incubator <NUM> has a disk shape and is configured to be revolvable in the circumferential direction. The incubator <NUM> can hold the plurality of reaction containers <NUM> along the circumferential direction. Each of the reaction containers <NUM> can be moved to the predetermined position on a revolution path by the revolution of the incubator <NUM>. Note that the incubator <NUM> has a temperature control function and a heat insulating function for controlling temperature.

The sample dispensing mechanism <NUM> moves to an upper portion of the sample dispensing tip buffer <NUM> with no sample dispensing tips <NUM> loaded to load any one of the unused sample dispensing tips <NUM>, and moves to an upper portion of the sample containers <NUM> to aspirate a sample into the sample dispensing tip <NUM>. Afterward, the sample dispensing mechanism <NUM> moves to an upper portion of the reaction container <NUM> mounted on the incubator <NUM> to discharge a composition inside the sample dispensing tip <NUM> into the reaction container <NUM>. Afterward, the sample dispensing mechanism <NUM> moves to an upper portion of the tip disposal hole <NUM>, and causes the sample dispensing tip <NUM> to come off and drop into the tip disposal hole <NUM>.

The reagent cold storage <NUM> has a cylindrical shape with an upper open end sealed by a cover and internally houses the reagent disk <NUM>. The cover on the upper surface of the reagent cold storage <NUM> is provided with the reagent container loading port <NUM> for attaching and removing the reagent containers <NUM> to and from the reagent disk <NUM>. The reagent container loading port <NUM> is provided with the openable and closable reagent container loading port lid <NUM>. The reagent cold storage <NUM> has a temperature control function and a heat insulating function for controlling the reagent containers <NUM> to a constant temperature.

The reagent disk <NUM> has slots that radially hold the plurality of reagent containers <NUM> along the circumferential direction. The reagent disk <NUM> is configured to be revolvable about a center axis extending in the vertical axis direction. Revolving of the reagent disk <NUM> in the circumferential direction ensures moving each of the reagent containers <NUM> to the predetermined position on the conveyance path. For example, revolving of the reagent disk <NUM> ensures moving the reagent container <NUM> housing the target reagent to the reagent dispensing position <NUM>. The reagent dispensing position <NUM> of the reagent disk <NUM> is provided with an opening that can aspirate the reagent in the reagent container <NUM> with the reagent dispensing probe <NUM>.

The reagent dispensing probe <NUM> is, for example, configured to extend in the horizontal direction to be in an arm shape with one end rotatable in the horizontal direction with respect to a revolution shaft extending in the vertical direction, and is configured to be rotatable in the horizontal direction by, for example, an actuator, not illustrated, and movable in the vertical direction. The reagent dispensing probe <NUM> aspirates a predetermined amount of the reagent with a reagent dispensing pipette (not illustrated) disposed at a lower portion of the end (the other end) on the opposite side of the rotation shaft from the reagent container <NUM> conveyed to the reagent dispensing position <NUM> by the reagent disk <NUM> and dispenses the predetermined amount of the reagent into the reaction container <NUM> held onto the incubator <NUM>.

The reagent stirring mechanism <NUM> is, for example, a magnetic particle stirring arm extending in the horizontal direction with one end rotatable in the horizontal direction with respect to a revolution shaft extending in the vertical direction, and is configured to move the other end to an upper portion of the reagent dispensing position <NUM> by rotational movement. A magnetic particle stirring mechanism in, for example, a paddle shape or a spiral shape is disposed at a lower portion of the end (the other end) on the opposite side of the rotation shaft of the magnetic particle stirring arm of the reagent stirring mechanism <NUM>. The reagent stirring mechanism <NUM> stirs the reagent by moving down the magnetic particle stirring mechanism into the reagent containing magnetic particles, and, for example, causing it to revolve. Note that the reagent stirring mechanism <NUM> stirs the reagent immediately before the reagent dispensing by the reagent dispensing probe <NUM> in order to prevent precipitation of the magnetic particles in the reagent. The reagent stirring mechanism <NUM> moves the magnetic particle stirring mechanism to a washing mechanism (not illustrated) in which cleaning fluid is contained after the stirring of the reagent to clean the magnetic particle stirring mechanism by causing it to revolve.

The reaction container <NUM> in the incubator <NUM> is controlled to a predetermined temperature after the predetermined reagent and sample are dispensed, and a reaction is accelerated for a predetermined period.

The reaction container conveyance mechanism <NUM> conveys the reaction container <NUM> between the incubator <NUM>, the reaction liquid washing discharge aspiration position <NUM>, the reaction liquid stirring mechanism <NUM>, the reaction liquid aspiration position <NUM>, and the reaction container disposal hole <NUM>.

When the reaction container <NUM> in which a reaction liquid between the reagent and the sample is housed is conveyed from the incubator <NUM> to the reaction liquid washing discharge aspiration position <NUM> by the reaction container conveyance mechanism <NUM>, the reaction liquid aspiration discharge probe <NUM> aspirates an unnecessary portion of the reaction liquid in the reaction container <NUM>, and discharges a buffer solution into the reaction container <NUM>.

The reaction liquid stirring mechanism <NUM> stirs the reaction liquid inside the reaction container <NUM> when the reaction container <NUM> is conveyed from the reaction liquid washing discharge aspiration position <NUM> by the reaction container conveyance mechanism <NUM>.

When the reaction container <NUM> in which the reaction liquid has been stirred by the reaction liquid stirring mechanism <NUM> is conveyed to the reaction liquid aspiration position <NUM> by the reaction container conveyance mechanism <NUM>, the detection portion <NUM> aspirates the reaction liquid inside the reaction container <NUM> with an aspiration mechanism, not illustrated, and detects physical properties of the reaction liquid. Examples of the physical properties of the reaction liquid the detection portion <NUM> detects include, for example, an amount of luminescence, an amount of scattered light, an amount of transmitted light, a current value, and a voltage value, but not limited to these. Note that the detection portion <NUM> may carry out an analysis with the reaction liquid held inside the reaction container <NUM>.

The reaction container conveyance mechanism <NUM> moves the reaction container <NUM> housing the reaction liquid that has been finished with the analysis by the detection portion <NUM> to an upper portion of the reaction container disposal hole <NUM> and discards it into the reaction container disposal hole <NUM>. Note that, depending on the type of measurement, one reaction container <NUM> may be used for multiple times of measurements. In such a case, after the reaction liquid in the reaction container <NUM> that has been finished with the analysis is discarded, the reaction container <NUM> is cleaned.

Here, the incubator <NUM>, the reaction liquid aspiration discharge probe <NUM>, the reaction liquid washing discharge aspiration position <NUM>, the reaction liquid stirring mechanism <NUM>, the reaction liquid aspiration position <NUM>, the reaction container conveyance mechanism <NUM>, and the like, as the configurations and positions for performing the preprocessing on the sample before the detection by the detection portion <NUM> are disposed in the preprocessing region (the first region) covered by the incubator cover <NUM> together with the detection portion <NUM>. The preprocessing region is a region that requires the environmental controls, such as the temperature adjustment and the light shielding, and in order to accurately perform the temperature adjustment and the light shielding, the incubator cover <NUM> and the openable lid <NUM> (described below) are provided with heat-insulating properties and light-shielding properties. In the preprocessing region inside the incubator cover <NUM>, each mechanism relating to the preprocessing is compactly disposed so as to be configured to make the preprocessing region as small as possible. When a heat-insulated space like the preprocessing region is large, a temperature distribution easily occurs, which makes it difficult to control the temperature inside the space uniform, and also, lengthens the period it takes until the set temperature is reached, and therefore, a warm-up period until the measurement is possible lengthens. Therefore, it is important to reduce the preprocessing region as the heat-insulated space as much as possible. The preprocessing region includes the detection portion <NUM>, and therefore, it is a light-shielded space. The incubator cover <NUM> and the openable lid <NUM> have inner surfaces in a black color to reduce the reflection of stray light.

Each configuration disposed inside the preprocessing region (the first region) needs to be maintained periodically or as necessary. The operator pinches an openable lid knob <NUM> disposed in a front portion of the openable lid <NUM> of the incubator cover <NUM> and moves it upward to move the openable lid <NUM> from the closed position (the first fully closed position) to the opened position (the first fully opened position) and accesses the inside of the preprocessing region via the opening portion <NUM>, thus carrying out the maintenance. The opening portion <NUM> has a size set to an extent that allows the operator to access each mechanism inside the preprocessing region with both hands to perform maintenance work.

Here, the safety cover <NUM> and the openable lid <NUM> of the incubator cover <NUM> will be described in further detail.

As illustrated in <FIG>, in a usual operation, the automatic analyzer <NUM> is operated with the safety cover <NUM> and the openable lid <NUM> of the incubator cover <NUM> (not illustrated in <FIG>) closed. In the operating state of the analyzer during the usual operation, the safety cover <NUM> is latched by the solenoid lock mechanism <NUM>, and the safety cover <NUM> cannot be opened. When maintenance, such as cleaning, is performed, the operator grips and lifts the handle portion <NUM> of the safety cover <NUM> in a state of standby or a state of system-off in which the power source of the analyzer is off to ensure that the state transitions to a state where the safety cover <NUM> is opened as illustrated in <FIG>, that is, a state where the safety cover <NUM> is at the opened position.

As illustrated in <FIG>, in the state where the safety cover <NUM> is opened, the operator can access the reagent container loading port lid <NUM>, the openable lid <NUM> of the incubator cover <NUM>, the reagent dispensing probe <NUM>, and the reagent stirring mechanism <NUM> as scheduled cleaning portions on the operation surface <NUM>. Among them, the most frequently accessed by the operator is the reagent container loading port lid <NUM>, which is opened and closed every time the reagent containers <NUM> are replaced.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the operator performs cleaning work of the configurations relating to the preprocessing inside the preprocessing region in the states where the operator grips the handle portion <NUM> of the safety cover <NUM> and moves the safety cover <NUM> to the opened position and where the operator pinches the openable lid knob <NUM> of the openable lid <NUM> of the incubator cover <NUM> to move the openable lid <NUM> to the opened position. In the cleaning work, the operator performs the cleaning work by inserting his/her arm into the working area via the opening portion <NUM> from the clearance between the incubator cover <NUM> and the openable lid <NUM>, and therefore, the opening and closing amount of the openable lid <NUM> needs to be sufficiently large. The openable lid <NUM> has an open holding function that holds the opened position (the first fully opened position) against its own weight when the one end on a side distant from the center of rotation is moved to a position higher than the reference height determined in advance. The open holding function of the openable lid <NUM> releases the holding of the openable lid <NUM> such that the openable lid <NUM> moves to the closed position (the first fully closed position) by its own weight when the one end of the openable lid <NUM> is pushed down below the reference height.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the safety cover <NUM> and the openable lid <NUM> of the incubator cover <NUM> according to the embodiment are configured to have a height in the vertical direction of the end on the side distant from the center of rotation of the openable lid <NUM> at the opened position (the first fully opened position) higher than a height in the vertical direction on an inner surface of the safety cover <NUM> at the closed position (the second fully closed position). Accordingly, when the safety cover <NUM> is closed with the openable lid <NUM> of the incubator cover <NUM> at the opened position, the openable lid <NUM> is brought into contact with an abutting portion <NUM> on the inner surface of the safety cover <NUM> to be pushed down below the reference height that maintains the openable lid <NUM> at the opened position (the first fully opened position), and the openable lid <NUM> is moved to the closed position (the first fully closed position) by its own weight. That is, when the openable lid <NUM> is at the opened position (the first fully opened position) and the safety cover <NUM> is at the opened position (the second fully opened position), the openable lid <NUM> moves to the closed position (the first fully closed position) in association with the movement of the safety cover <NUM> from the opened position to the closed position (the second fully closed position).

<FIG> is a longitudinal sectional view of the incubator cover and the openable lid.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the incubator cover <NUM> and the openable lid <NUM> are configured with a three-layer structure of an external appearance cover <NUM> configuring a portion of the external appearance of the analyzer, an insulating member <NUM> disposed over the entire inner surface (the surface on the preprocessing region side) of the external appearance cover <NUM>, and a light shielding member <NUM> disposed over the whole inner surface (the surface on the preprocessing region side) of the insulating member.

Since the external appearance cover <NUM> corresponds to the external appearance of the analyzer, for example, it is preferred to use one that is made of the same material and color as those of the cover members of other configurations on the operation surface <NUM>. Since the incubator cover <NUM> and the openable lid <NUM> are contacted by the operator and the like from the outside, it is preferred to be a cover of, for example, an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) resin or the like harder than, for example, the insulating member <NUM> and the light shielding member <NUM>. In particular, the portion of the openable lid <NUM> that is brought into contact with the safety cover <NUM> is preferably configured so as to reduce abrasion caused by friction to be less likely to generate material powder and the like by using one made of a material highly resistant to friction and a material with a low friction force. Note that, for the abutting portion <NUM> of the safety cover <NUM> with the openable lid <NUM>, a material highly resistant to friction and a material with a low friction force, a shape that reduces a friction force, and the like is used while the material and the shape of the openable lid <NUM> are taken into account. For example, the abutting portion <NUM> of the safety cover <NUM> abutting on the openable lid <NUM> has a planar structure with little catch. The abutting portion <NUM> is composed of a metal that hardly wears even when it is rubbed against a resin component used for the openable lid <NUM>, a polyoxymethylene resin (POM) material with self-lubrication, or the like.

The insulating member <NUM> is, for example, a foam material, and may be formed by attaching or may be formed by spraying the foam material on the inner surfaces of the incubator cover <NUM> and the openable lid <NUM>. The inside of the preprocessing region covered by the incubator cover <NUM> and the openable lid <NUM> has a heat-insulating function from the external environment by the insulating member <NUM>.

The light shielding member <NUM> is, for example, a black sheet or black coating, and there is no problem with employing either of them. The inside of the preprocessing region covered by the incubator cover <NUM> and the openable lid <NUM> has a light shielding function from the external environment by the light shielding member <NUM>.

The outer circumference of the opening portion <NUM> of the incubator cover <NUM>, that is, a position corresponding to the outer circumference of the openable lid <NUM> at the closed position (the first fully closed position) is provided with, for example, a packing <NUM> made of sponge rubber over the entire circumference of the opening portion <NUM>. When the openable lid <NUM> is closed and is at the closed position, the packing <NUM> seals the inside of the preprocessing region, and thus, infiltration of external air and a flow-out of internal air are prevented in the preprocessing region to maintain the temperature in the inside of the preprocessing region constant and to block infiltration of external light. The packing <NUM> is crushed to a constant proportion by the weight of the openable lid <NUM> when the openable lid <NUM> is at the closed position, thereby achieving higher air tightness. Note that the packing <NUM> is arranged and structured considering that the friction generated when the openable lid <NUM> is opened and closed does not wear the packing <NUM>, and in this embodiment, it is mounted on a side of the incubator cover <NUM> so as to avoid powder caused by abrasion from falling from above when the openable lid <NUM> is opened and closed. However, it is not limited to this when the abrasion of the packing <NUM> can be appropriately reduced and managed, and the packing <NUM> may be configured to be mounted on the outer circumference of the openable lid <NUM>.

The outer circumference of the openable lid <NUM> is provided with a rib <NUM> facing downward so as to be positioned outside the packing <NUM> at the closed position. What is called, a labyrinth effect can be expected by disposing the rib <NUM> on the outer circumference of the openable lid <NUM>, and thus, an improvement in heat-insulating effect by reducing a flow-in of external air into the preprocessing region and a flow-out of air from the preprocessing region and an improvement in light-shielding effect by blocking the external light can be expected.

<FIG> are front views illustrating the incubator cover and the openable lid which are taken out. <FIG> is a drawing illustrating a case where the openable lid is at the closed position, and <FIG> is a drawing illustrating a case where the openable lid is at the opened position.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the openable lid <NUM> of this embodiment has an opening angle θ at the opened position configured to be θ < <NUM>°. Accordingly, when the safety cover <NUM> is closed with the openable lid <NUM> of the incubator cover <NUM> at the opened position and the openable lid <NUM> is brought into contact with the abutting portion <NUM> on the inner surface of the safety cover <NUM>, a direction of the force applied from the safety cover <NUM> to the openable lid <NUM> is a direction in which the openable lid <NUM> is closed (the direction of the closed position), and therefore, it is possible to reduce that a large load is applied on the configuration (for example, a hinge portion <NUM>) of the rotation center portion of the openable lid <NUM>. The safety cover <NUM> pushes the openable lid <NUM> in the closed position direction to push down the openable lid <NUM> below the reference height that maintains the openable lid <NUM> at the opened position (the first fully opened position), and the openable lid <NUM> is moved to the closed position (the first fully closed position) by its own weight. Note that the shape of the abutting portion of the openable lid <NUM> with the safety cover <NUM> may have an oblique shape that is likely to provide the openable lid <NUM> force in the closing direction or have an arc shape so as to have a structure that reduces a limit of the opening angle.

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating a maintenance processing procedure performed by an operator.

The automatic analyzer <NUM> performs a reset operation when an operator selects a maintenance button (not illustrated) of a host computer <NUM> or the like on an operation screen or the like and determines whether it is possible for the analyzer to transition to a maintenance state or not (Step S100).

When the determination result at Step S100 is NO, that is, when the automatic analyzer <NUM> cannot transition to the maintenance state, the procedure returns to a selection standby state of the maintenance button. Note that when the determination result at Step S100 is NO, an alarm or the like is activated to prompt the operator to work to obtain a state ready to transition to the maintenance state.

When the determination result at Step S100 is YES, that is, when it is determined that it is ready to transition to the maintenance state, the procedure transitions to the maintenance state, and the units that hinder the operation in the maintenance are moved to retreat positions during cleaning (Step S110).

When the movement of each mechanism to the retreat position at Step S110 is completed, the operator manually moves the safety cover <NUM> to the opened position (the second fully opened position) in accordance with the guidance on the screen to open the safety cover <NUM> (Step S120), manually moves the openable lid <NUM> of the incubator cover <NUM> to the opened position (the first fully opened position) to open the openable lid <NUM> (Step S130), and performs cleaning of the inside of the preprocessing region (Step S150). During the cleaning, the operator, for example, performs the cleaning using a cotton swab and absorbent cotton, a cleaning agent, alcohol, and the like with rubber gloves on.

When the cleaning at Step S140 is completed, the operator, subsequently, manually moves the openable lid <NUM> of the incubator cover <NUM> to the closed position (the first fully closed position) in accordance with the guidance on the screen to close the openable lid <NUM> (Step S150), subsequently, manually moves the safety cover <NUM> to the closed position (the second fully closed position) to close the safety cover <NUM> (Step S160), and selects the termination of the maintenance on the screen (Step S170) to terminate the process.

Here, it is conceivable that an erroneous operation in which the safety cover <NUM> is manually closed with the openable lid <NUM> of the incubator cover <NUM> at the opened position could happen in the process from Step S140 to Step S160. For such an erroneous operation, besides the case where the operator unintentionally skips the operation (Step S150) of closing the openable lid <NUM> of the incubator cover <NUM>, it is also conceivable the case where, for example, the operator leaves the automatic analyzer <NUM> during preparation or clearance of cleaning equipment and another operator closes the safety cover <NUM> without noticing that the openable lid <NUM> is open as it is in its cleaning course. However, in this embodiment, even when such erroneous operations happen, the openable lid <NUM> of the incubator cover <NUM> can be reliably closed while damage and the like are prevented by reducing the load acting on the openable lid <NUM> and the like, and thus, the light shielding and heat insulating properties of the preprocessing region that requires the environment control, such as the temperature adjustment and the light shielding, can be maintained.

Operational advantages in the configuration configured as described above will be explained in comparison with comparative examples.

<FIG> are front views illustrating incubator covers and openable lids according to a first comparative example and a second comparative example. <FIG> illustrates a case where the openable lid is at the opened position in the first comparative example, and <FIG> illustrates a case where the openable lid is at the opened position in the second comparative example.

For example, like the first comparative example illustrated in <FIG>, when an opening angle θ at an opened position of an openable lid 105A is θ = <NUM>°, that is, in the state where the openable lid 105A at the opened position stands in the perpendicular direction viewing from the center of rotation, the openable lid 105A serves as a prop when the safety cover <NUM> is attempted to be closed, and a load is applied in the direction hindering the closing operation of the safety cover <NUM>. In this state, a large load may be applied on the hinge portion <NUM> of the openable lid 105A to cause breakages in the worst case.

For example, like the second comparative example illustrated in <FIG>, when an opening angle θ at an opened position of an openable lid 105B is θ > <NUM>°, the openable lid 105B is subjected to the force pushed in the opposite direction (the opening direction) of the closing direction when the safety cover <NUM> is attempted to be closed, and therefore, it is conceivable that an even larger load than the case illustrated in <FIG> is applied on the hinge portion <NUM> to break the hinge portion <NUM>.

In contrast to this, in this embodiment, the opening angle θ at the opened position of the openable lid <NUM> of the incubator cover <NUM> is configured to be θ < <NUM>°, and therefore, when the safety cover <NUM> is closed with the openable lid <NUM> at the opened position, and the openable lid <NUM> is brought into contact with the abutting portion <NUM> on the inner surface of the safety cover <NUM>, the direction of the force applied to the openable lid <NUM> from the safety cover <NUM> is the direction in which the openable lid <NUM> is closed (the direction of the closed position), thereby ensuring reducing a large load to be applied on the configuration (for example, the hinge portion <NUM>) of the rotation center portion of the openable lid <NUM>.

For example, when the openable lid in the preprocessing region is of a removable type, the openable lid removed for opening the opening portion when the maintenance work is started might be left unattached after the maintenance work is terminated. In case the preprocessing is performed without closing the opening portion of the preprocessing region, the preprocessing is performed while the light shielding and the temperature adjustment of the preprocessing region are insufficient, which possibly deteriorates the accuracy of the analysis result. For a method for preventing the openable lid from being unattached, it is possible to use a sensor that detects the open/close state but leads to a complicated structure, an increased cost, and the like. The opening portion of the preprocessing portion needs a size to an extent that both hands of the operator fit, thus enlarging the removable typed openable lid, which creates a need to secure a temporary storage space.

In contrast to this, in this embodiment, when the openable lid <NUM> of the incubator cover <NUM> is at the opened position (the first fully opened position), and the safety cover <NUM> is at the opened position (the second fully opened position), it is configured that the openable lid <NUM> is moved to the closed position (the first fully closed position) in association with the movement of the safety cover <NUM> from the opened position (the second fully opened position) to the closed position (the second fully closed position), thereby ensuring reliably closing the openable lid <NUM> provided in the opening for accessing the region that requires the environment control, such as the temperature adjustment and the light shielding, and covered by the cover. Accordingly, the analytical processing can be performed with the inside of the preprocessing region sufficiently light-shielded and temperature-adjusted, thereby ensuring reduced degradation of the accuracy of the analysis result.

A second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to <FIG>.

This embodiment employs an openable lid that rotates in the forward direction instead of the openable lid that rotates in the upward direction in the first embodiment.

<FIG> are drawings illustrating an incubator cover and an openable lid which are taken out. <FIG> is a front view in a case where the openable lid is at an opened position, and <FIG> is a top view in a case where the openable lid is at the opened position. In the drawings, the members similar to those in the first embodiment are attached with the same reference numeral, and their descriptions are omitted. Note that, in <FIG>, the state of the openable lid at the closed position is indicated by the dashed lines.

An openable lid <NUM> has one side (for example, an end on the left side) in the lateral direction supported swingably in the horizontal direction by a support shaft 37a configured to extend in the perpendicular direction.

The openable lid <NUM> is biased in the closing direction by a closing spring <NUM> stretched between a first spring hook portion <NUM> disposed in the incubator cover <NUM> and a second spring hook portion <NUM> disposed in the openable lid <NUM>. The openable lid <NUM> has a receiving claw <NUM> that extends along the rotationally opening direction and is formed in a hook shape with a protruding shape on the lower side of the distal end. The receiving claw <NUM> is secured by a lock claw <NUM> at the opened position (the first fully opened position), and thus, the opened position is maintained against the biasing force in the closing direction by the closing spring <NUM>. When the receiving claw <NUM> is not secured by the lock claw <NUM>, the openable lid <NUM> is moved to the closed position (the first fully closed position) by the biasing force by the closing spring <NUM>.

The lock claw <NUM> has one end pivotally supported swingably in the vertical direction about a horizontally arranged lock support shaft <NUM>, and has the other end formed into a hook shape with a protruding shape on the upper side and biased from the lower side by a lock spring <NUM>. Between the lock support shaft <NUM> and the distal end of the lock claw <NUM>, a cancellation convex portion <NUM> is disposed so as to extend upward. Pushing this cancellation convex portion <NUM> downward from above ensures moving the lock claw <NUM> downward. The receiving claw <NUM> and the lock claw <NUM> are arranged at positions to mesh with one another when the openable lid <NUM> is at the opened position. When the openable lid <NUM> is moved to the opened position, the lock claw <NUM> meshes with the receiving claw <NUM>, and thus, the opened position is maintained against the closing force by the closing spring <NUM>.

The safety cover <NUM> has an inner surface provided with a cancellation protrusion <NUM> such that the cancellation protrusion <NUM> extends downward. When the safety cover <NUM> is moved to the closed position (the second fully closed position), the cancellation protrusion <NUM> is brought into contact with the cancellation convex portion <NUM> and pushes it down, which pushes the lock claw <NUM> down to cancel the engagement with the receiving claw <NUM>, and the openable lid <NUM> is moved to the closed position (the first fully closed position) by the closing force by the closing spring <NUM>.

Thus, when the safety cover <NUM> is closed with the openable lid <NUM> of the incubator cover <NUM> at the opened position, the cancellation protrusion <NUM> is brought into contact with the cancellation convex portion <NUM> to release the engagement between the lock claw <NUM> and the receiving claw <NUM>, and the openable lid <NUM> is moved to the closed position (the first fully closed position) by the biasing force by the closing spring <NUM>. That is, when the openable lid <NUM> is at the opened position (the first fully opened position) and the safety cover <NUM> is at the opened position (the second fully opened position), the openable lid <NUM> is moved to the closed position (the first fully closed position) in association with the movement of the safety cover <NUM> from the opened position to the closed position (the second fully closed position).

Other configurations are similar to those in the first embodiment.

Claim 1:
An automatic analyzer comprising:
a housing which accommodates at least a portion of an analyzer analyzing a specimen to be analyzed;
an incubator (<NUM>);
an incubator cover (<NUM>) which is disposed to cover a preprocessing region provided on an operation surface (<NUM>) on the housing so as to include a portion of the analyzer, preprocessing region is a region requiring temperature adjustment and light shielding; and
an openable lid (<NUM>) which is disposed to openably cover an opening portion (<NUM>), provided in the incubatorcover (<NUM>) in order to access the inside from the outside of the preprocessing region, and which is provided to be rotatable between a first fully opened position and a first fully closed position with respect to the incubator cover (<NUM>) at an end of the opening portion (<NUM>), the openable lid (<NUM>) having an open holding function for holding the openable lid (<NUM>) by the first fully opened position in a case where one end of the openable lid (<NUM>) on a side distant from the center of rotation of the openable lid (<NUM>) is positioned higher than a reference height determined in advance, wherein the incubator cover (<NUM>) and the openable lid (<NUM>) are provided with heat-insulating properties and light-shielding properties;
characterized by further comprising
a second region cover (<NUM>) which is disposed to cover upper portions of the operation surface including the preprocessing region and the incubator cover (<NUM>), wherein the second region cover (<NUM>) is provided to be rotatable between a second fully opened position and a second fully closed position with respect to the housing at an end of the operation surface,
wherein the openable lid (<NUM>) is moved to the first fully closed position in association with movement of the second region cover (<NUM>) from the second fully opened position to the second fully closed position in a case where the openable lid (<NUM>) is at the first fully opened position and the second region cover (<NUM>) is at the second fully opened position.