Automated analyzer
View Patent ↗Disclosed is an automated analyzer intended for qualitative/quantitative analysis of blood, urine, and other biological samples, and including a reagent disk for mounting a plurality of reagent containers thereon, wherein any errors in liquid-level measurement due to oscillation of a reagent liquid surface during rotation of the reagent disk are minimized, even when reagent containers of a large capacity are mounted. If a predetermined constant cycle time is defined as one unit, the reagent disk with reagent containers mounted thereon is transported to a liquid-level detection position using at least two units when a liquid level of a reagent is measured.
1. An automated analyzer comprising:
a plurality of reagent containers that accommodate a reagent;
a plurality of reaction containers that accommodate an analysis item to be analyzed, which includes the reagent and a sample, both the reagent and the sample are dispensed into the plurality of reaction containers;
a probe that pipettes the reagent from the reagent container;
information transmission means that transmits information about the reagent which is provided on the reagent container;
information reading means that reads the reagent information from the information transmission means;
a reagent container transport mechanism that mounts the plurality of the reagent containers, and transports the reagent and containers;
a control mechanism that operationally controls the reagent container transport mechanism in units of a predetermined constant cycle time; and
a photometer configured to measure an absorbance value of the analysis item in the plurality of reaction containers;
the automated analyzer further comprising:
a liquid-level detection mechanism provided in at least one of reagent container stopping positions on the reagent container transport mechanism, and configured to detect a liquid level of the reagent accommodated in the reagent container;
wherein, the control mechanism is configured to transport using at least two successive cycles, one of the plurality of reagent containers that is to be subjected to detection of the liquid level of the reagent to the at least one reagent container stopping positions at which the liquid-level detection mechanism is provided, and measure a liquid volume of the reagent in the reagent container by the liquid-level detection mechanism;
wherein, the control mechanism is configured to, determine an insertion depth of the probe below a liquid level on the basis of the measured liquid volume and a suction quantity of the reagent;
wherein, the control mechanism is configured to analyze the analysis item on the basis of the absorbance value measured by the photometer; and
wherein, the moving distance of the reagent container in the last cycle of the at least two successive cycles is equivalent to a rotational moving distance corresponding to one reagent container in the reagent container transport mechanism.
2. The automated analyzer according to claim 1 ,
wherein a moving distance of the reagent container in the at least two successive cycles of time is such that a moving distance of the reagent container in the first of the cycles is longer than a moving distance of the reagent container in any of the cycles following the first cycle.
3. The automated analyzer according to claim 1 ,
wherein the at least two successive cycles are two cycles of time.
4. The automated analyzer according to claim 1 ,
wherein when the reagent container is moved in the at least two successive cycles, operation of the reagent container in the last of the cycles is started after at least 1.5 seconds from the cycle immediately preceding the last cycle.
5. An automated analyzer comprising:
a plurality of reagent containers that accommodate a reagent;
a plurality of reaction containers that accommodate an analysis item to be analyzed, which includes the reagent and a sample, both the reagent and the sample are dispensed into the plurality of reaction containers;
a probe that pipettes the reagent from the reagent container;
information transmission means that transmits information about the reagent which is provided on the reagent container;
information reading means that reads the reagent information from the information transmission means;
a reagent container transport mechanism that mounts the plurality of the reagent containers, and transports the reagent containers;
a control mechanism that operationally controls the reagent container transport mechanism in units of a predetermined constant cycle time; and
a photometer configured to measure an absorbance value of the analysis item in the plurality of reaction containers;
the automated analyzer further comprising:
a liquid-level detection mechanism provided in at least one of reagent container stopping positions on the reagent container transport mechanism, and configured to detect a liquid level of the reagent accommodated in the reagent container;
wherein, the control mechanism is configured to, transport, using at least two successive cycles, one of the plurality of reagent containers that is to be subjected to detection of the liquid level of the reagent to the at least one reagent container stopping positions at which the liquid-level detection mechanism is provided, and measure a liquid volume of the reagent in the reagent container by the liquid-level detection mechanism;
wherein, the control mechanism is configured to, determine an insertion depth of the probe below a liquid level on the basis of the measured liquid volume and a suction quantity of the reagent;
wherein, the control mechanism is configured to analyze the analysis item on the basis of the absorbance value measured by the photometer;
wherein, a moving distance of the reagent container in the at least two successive cycles of time is such that a moving distance of the reagent container in the first of the cycles is longer than a moving distance of the reagent container in any of the cycles following the first cycle; and
wherein an angular velocity of the reagent container in the last cycle of the at least two successive cycles is equal to or less than 0.3 radians per second.