Analyzer and method of testing analyzer

• US 20030057970A1
• Filed: 10/04/2002
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARKRAY, Inc
• Original Assignee: ARKRAY, Inc
• Inventors: Shiraki, Yasunori, Nishimura, Hideki
• Granted Patent: US 7,247,231 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/722
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/4165 for pH meters

Abstract

This invention relates to an analyzer X1 which uses a test piece having a first terminal portion and a second terminal portion for measuring the concentration of a specific component in a sample liquid supplied to the test piece, and a method of testing this device. The analyzer X1 comprises a set portion in which the test piece is set; a first measurement terminal 40a for electrical contact with the first terminal portion, and a second measurement terminal 40b for electrical contact with the second terminal portion; and a measurement electrical circuit 6 to measure the parameters necessary to compute the concentration of the specified component. In this invention, tests of the measurement electrical circuit 6 are performed with a check piece 4′ set in the set portion instead of a test piece. Tests of the measurement electrical circuit 6 are performed by applying a plurality of electrical conditions to the check piece 4′, and are based on the plurality of electrical responses obtained from the measurement electrical circuit 6 when the electrical conditions are applied separately.

Claims

1. An analyzer for measuring a concentration of a specific component in a sample liquid supplied to the test piece with use of a test piece which has a first terminal portion and a second terminal portion, the analyzer comprising a set portion in which the test piece is set, a first measurement terminal for electrical connection to the first terminal portion and a second measurement terminal for electrical connection to the second terminal portion, and a measurement electrical circuit to measure parameters necessary to compute the concentration of the specific component;

the analyzer further comprising test means to test the measurement electrical circuit using a check piece instead of the test piece;

wherein the test means applying a plurality of electrical conditions to the check piece for testing the measurement electrical circuit based on a plurality of electrical responses obtained from the measurement electrical circuit when the electrical conditions are applied individually.

2. The analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the test means tests the measurement electrical circuit by comparing each of the electrical responses with ideal electrical responses for each of the electrical conditions.

3. The analyzer according to claim 1, which is designed to measure a potential difference arising between a reference liquid having a known concentration of the specific component and the sample liquid having an unknown concentration of the specific component.

4. The analyzer according to claim 3, wherein the check piece has a first conducting portion for contact with the first measurement terminal and a second conducting portion for contact with the second measurement terminal, the first conducting portion and the second conducting portion being electrically insulated from each other when the check piece is not set in the set portion.

5. The analyzer according to claim 3, wherein a plurality of standard voltages are set as the plurality of electrical conditions.

6. The analyzer according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of standard voltages are at least two selected from the group consisting of a positive value, zero, and a negative value.

7. The analyzer according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the plurality of standard voltages is applied by supplying the voltage from a power supply to the first conducting portion while grounding the second conducting portion.

8. The analyzer according to claim 7, wherein the voltage of the power supply is controlled by a regulator within the device.

9. The analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the measurement electrical circuit measures a current value when a constant voltage is applied across the first terminal portion and the second terminal portion.

10. The analyzer according to claim 9, wherein the check piece has a first conducting portion for contact with the first measurement terminal and a second conducting portion for contact with the second measurement terminal, the first conducting portion and the second conducting portion being electrically connected.

11. The analyzer according to claim 9, wherein a plurality of standard currents are set as the plurality of electrical conditions.

12. The analyzer according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of standard currents includes a positive value and zero.

13. The analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the measurement electrical circuit has a response measurement instrument to measure the electrical responses, the response measurement instrument being calibrated by applying electrical conditions to the response measurement instrument.

14. The analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the check plate is incorporated into the device from outside the device at the time of performing tests of the measurement electrical circuit.

15. The analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the check plate is incorporated into the device in advance.

16. A method of testing an analyzer for measuring a concentration of a specific component in a sample liquid supplied to a test piece having a first terminal portion and a second terminal portion;

the analyzer comprising a set portion in which the test piece is set, a first measurement terminal for electrical connection to the first terminal portion, a second measurement terminal for electrical connection to the second terminal portion, and a measurement electrical circuit which measures parameters necessary to compute the concentration of the specific component, the method comprising;

a first step for applying an electrical condition to the check piece;

a second step for measuring an electrical response obtained from the measurement electrical circuit when the electrical condition is applied; and

a third step for comparing the electrical response with an ideal electrical response obtainable when the electrical condition is applied to the check piece;

wherein the first through third steps are performed separately for each of a plurality of electrical conditions.

17. The analyzer testing method according to claim 16, wherein the measurement electrical circuit has a response measurement instrument for measuring the electrical response, the method further comprising, prior to the first step, a step for applying electrical conditions to the response measurement instrument and calibrating the response measurement instrument.

18. The analyzer testing method according to claim 16, wherein a plurality of standard voltages are set as the plurality of electrical conditions.

19. The analyzer testing method according to claim 16, wherein a plurality of standard currents are set as the plurality of electrical conditions.