Automatic analyzer

• US 20040057872A1
• Filed: 07/22/2003
• Published: 03/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Shibuya, Takeshi, Uchida, Hiroyasu, Kambara, Katsuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,771,656 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/64
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0443 for reagents
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0455 Coaxial carousels
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/025 having a carousel or turntable for reaction cells or cuvettes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1002 Reagent dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/109 with two horizontal degrees of freedom

Abstract

A reagent dispensing mechanism (15), first and second dispensing-mechanism transfer means (26, 27), and a second reagent vessel (reagent cassette) carrying-in/out mechanism (24), which are constructed by employing an XY-mechanism, are arranged so as to travel above a reagent table (25) to carry in/out a reagent cassette (22). As compared with the case where the reagent cassette carrying-in/out mechanism (24) is installed radially of the reagent table (25), the area of an automatic analyzer in the horizontal direction can be reduced and a reagent vessel (16) can be moved to a predetermined position in a shorter time by combining the rotation of the reagent table (25) with the movement of the XY-mechanism. Further, as compared the case of dispensing reagents from reagent vessels in a matrix pattern by using the reagent dispensing/transferring mechanism, the travel distance of the transferring mechanism can be shortened and so can be the travel time. Thus, an analyzer adaptable as a machine of high processing capability with a shorter cycle time can be constructed.

Claims

1. An automatic analyzer comprising a reagent table (25) on which a plurality of reagent vessels (16) are loadable, and a reagent dispensing mechanism (15) capable of sucking a reagent from said reagent vessels (16) and ejecting the reagent to a reaction vessel (14), said automatic analyzer further comprising:

reagent-dispensing-mechanism transfer means (26, 27) for moving said reagent dispensing mechanism (15) from a particular reagent sucking position (P5a, P5b) to a reagent ejecting position (P6a, P6b), in which the reagent is ejected to said reaction vessel (14), through a space above said reagent table (25),

reagent vessel carrying-in/out means (24, 26, 27) for performing carrying-in of said reagent vessel (16) from a reagent vessel movement standby position (P2) to a reagent vessel loading position (P3) and carrying-out of said reagent vessel (16) from the reagent vessel loading position (P3) to a reagent vessel unloading position (P4) through a space above said reagent table (25), and

control means (200) for controlling operations of said reagent table (25), said reagent dispensing mechanism (15), said reagent-dispensing-mechanism transfer means (26, 27), and said reagent vessel carrying-in/out means (24, 26, 27),

wherein said reagent table (25) includes a plurality of annular reagent vessel holders (38) arranged in a concentric relation, said plurality of annular reagent vessel holders (38) being driven for rotation independently of each other.

2. An automatic analyzer according to claim 1, further comprising reagent vessel carrying means (23) for carrying the reagent vessel (16) placed in a particular position (P1) to the reagent vessel movement standby position (P2), reading means (32) for reading specific information of the reagent, which is indicated on the reagent vessel (16) carried by said reagent vessel carrying means (23), and an information storage section (8) for storing the specific information of the reagent read by said reading means (32), wherein said control means (200) instructs the carrying-in of the reagent vessel (16) from the reagent vessel movement standby position (P2) to the reagent vessel loading position (P3) in accordance with the specific information of the reagent.

3. An automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein said control means (200) includes determining means (9) for determining whether the reagent vessel (16) on said reagent table (25) is to be carried out of said reagent table (25), and if it is determined that the reagent vessel (16) is to be carried out based on the expiration date of the reagent or the amount of remaining reagent calculated from the specific information of the reagent stored in said information storage section (8), said control means (200) carries the reagent vessel (16) on said reagent table (25) from the reagent vessel loading position (P3) to the reagent vessel unloading position (P4) by using said reagent vessel carrying-in/out means (24, 26, 27).

4. An automatic analyzer according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising display means (20) for displaying movement information of the reagent vessel (16) when the reagent vessel (16) is loaded onto or unloaded from said reagent table (25).

5. An automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein said control means (200) controls the operation of loading the reagent vessel (16) onto said reagent table (25) such that the reagent vessel is loaded in a vacant area in one of said annular reagent vessel holders (38) on the inner peripheral side with priority over a vacant area in another holder on the outer peripheral side.

6. An automatic analyzer according to claim 1, further comprising an annular reaction table (13) on which said reaction vessels (14) are placed, wherein said reaction table (13) is rotated under control of said control means (200), and two or more reagent dispensing mechanism (15) are controlled such that reagents to be added at different timings are added to said reaction vessels (14) during the same period in a rotation cycle in which said reaction table (13) is stopped.