Sample Analyzer

• US 20080240984A1
• Filed: 03/28/2008
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sysmex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sysmex Corporation
• Inventors: Takehara, Hisato, Okuzaki, Tomohiro, Wakamiya, Yuji
• Granted Patent: US 8,535,607 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/67
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/103 using disposable tips
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00663 of consumables
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00732 Identification of carriers, materials or components in automatic analysers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 Automated chemical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/113332 with conveyance of sample along a test line in a container or rack
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25 including sample preparation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

The present invention is to present a sample analyzer which is capable of prevent consumable part which does not adapt to the sample analyzer from being used and maintain measurement precision. The sample analyzer 10 includes barcode reader 60 for obtaining serial number for identifying pipette tip 80 from barcode 83; containing section 21a for containing pipette tips 80 used by a predetermined mechanism section; CPU 34a for obtaining a number of the pipette tips 80 which have been used by the mechanism section; CPU 51a for obtaining a number of the usable pipette tips 80; warning screens 76, 77, 79 for giving a predetermined warning to a user, when the number obtained by CPU 34a is in a predetermined relationship with the number obtained by CPU 51a.

Claims

1. A sample analyzer for analyzing a sample using a consumable part, comprising:

an identification information obtainer for obtaining group identification information for identifying a group of a plurality of consumable parts;

a consumable part holder for holding the consumable parts used by a predetermined mechanism section;

first consumable part number obtaining means for obtaining a number of the consumable parts which have been used by the mechanism section;

second consumable part number obtaining means for obtaining a number of the consumable parts included in the group, based on the group identification information obtained by the identification information obtainer; and

a warning section for giving a predetermined warning to a user, when the number obtained by the first consumable part number obtaining means is in a predetermined relationship with the number obtained by the second consumable part number obtaining means.

2. The sample analyzer of claim 1, wherein

the warning section gives the warning when the number obtained by the first consumable part number obtaining means exceeds the number obtained by the second consumable part number obtaining means.

3. The sample analyzer of claim 2, further comprising

determining means for determining presence or absence of an analysis order when the number obtained by the first consumable part number obtaining means exceeds the number obtained by the second consumable part number obtaining means;

and

analysis controlling means for prohibiting an analyzing operation of a sample after an analyzing operation based on the analysis order is completed, when the determining means determines that the analysis order is present.

4. The sample analyzer of claim 3, wherein

the analysis controlling means prohibits an analyzing operation of a sample when the determining means determines that the analysis order is not present.

5. The sample analyzer of claim 3, further comprising:

a consumable part supplier for supplying the consumable parts held by the consumable holder to the predetermined mechanism section; and

supply controlling means for controlling an operation of the consumable part supplier,

wherein

the supply controlling means controls the consumable part supplier so as to stop supplying a consumable part to the mechanism section after the analyzing operation based on the analysis order is completed, when the determining means determines that the analysis order is present.

6. The sample analyzer of claim 1, further comprising

number of times obtaining means for obtaining a number of times the group identification information is obtained by the identification information obtainer, wherein

the warning section gives the warning when the number of times obtained by the number of times obtaining means exceeds a predetermined number.

7. The sample analyzer of claim 1, wherein

the group identification information includes first collation information indicating that the consumable parts are adapted for the sample analyzer,

the sample analyzer further comprises

a memory for storing second collation information corresponding to the first collation information,

wherein

the warning section gives the warning when the first collation information obtained by the identification information obtainer does not correspond to the second collation information stored in the memory.

8. The sample analyzer of claim 7, wherein

the memory stores the group identification information obtained by the identification information obtainer;

and

the sample analyzer further comprises a memory controlling means for controlling the memory to store the group identification information and a type of the consumable parts corresponding to the group, when the first collation information obtained by the identification information obtainer corresponds to the second collation information stored in the memory and when the group identification information is not stored in the memory.

9. The sample analyzer of claim 7, wherein

the first and second collation information include manufacturer information indicating a manufacturer of the consumable part.

10. The sample analyzer of claim 1, further comprising

a consumable part supplier for supplying the consumable parts held by the consumable holder to the predetermined mechanism section,

wherein

the first consumable part number obtaining means obtains the number of the consumable parts which have been used by the mechanism section, based on a number of times the consumable part supplier supplies the consumable part to the mechanism section.

11. The sample analyzer of claim 1, further comprising

a consumable part supplier for supplying the consumable parts held by the consumable holder to the predetermined mechanism section,

wherein

the consumable part is a pipette tip;

the mechanism section comprises a dispenser for dispensing the sample; and

the first consumable part number obtaining means obtains the number of pipette tips which have been used by the mechanism section, based on a number of times the consumable part supplier supplies the pipette tip to the dispenser.

12. A sample analyzer for analyzing a sample using a consumable part, comprising:

an identification information obtainer for obtaining group identification information for identifying a group of a plurality of consumable parts;

a consumable part holder for holding the consumable parts used by a predetermined mechanism section;

number of times obtaining means for obtaining the number of times the group identification information is obtained by the identification information obtainer; and

a warning section for giving a predetermined warning to a user when the number of times obtained by the number of times obtaining means exceeds a predetermined number.

13. The sample analyzer of claim 12, wherein

the plurality of consumable parts are contained in a plurality of first containers, each of the first containers containing predetermined number of the consumable parts, and the plurality of first containers are contained in a second container comprising an identification information holder for holding the group identification information;

the identification information obtainer obtains the group identification information from the identification information holder; and

the warning section gives the warning when the number of times obtained by the number of times obtaining means exceeds the number of the first containers.

14. The sample analyzer of claim 12, wherein

the plurality of consumable parts are contained in a plurality of first containers, each of the first containers containing predetermined number of the consumable parts and comprising an identification information holder for holding the group identification information;

the identification information obtainer obtains the group identification information from the identification information holder; and

the warning section gives the warning when the number of times obtained by the number of times obtaining means exceeds the number of the first containers.

15. A sample analyzer for analyzing a sample using a consumable part, comprising:

an identification information obtainer for obtaining group identification information for identifying a group of a plurality of consumable parts;

determining means for determining whether the consumable parts are adapted for the sample analyzer based on the group identification information obtained by the identification information obtainer; and

a warning section for giving a predetermined warning to a user when the determining means determines that the consumable parts are not adapted for the sample analyzer.

16. The sample analyzer of claim 15, wherein

the group identification information includes first collation information indicating that the consumable parts are adapted for the sample analyzer,

the sample analyzer further comprises

a memory for storing second collation information corresponding to the first collation information,

wherein

the determining means determines that the consumable parts are not adapted for the sample analyzer when the first collation information obtained by the identification information obtainer does not correspond to the second collation information stored in the memory.

17. The sample analyzer of claim 15, further comprising

a consumable part holder for holding the consumable parts used by a predetermined mechanism section;

first consumable part number obtaining means for obtaining a number of the consumable parts which have been used by the mechanism section; and

second consumable part number obtaining means for obtaining a number of the consumable parts included in the group, based on the group identification information obtained by the identification information obtainer, wherein

the determining means determines that the consumable parts are not adapted for the sample analyzer when the number obtained by the first consumable part number obtaining means is in a predetermined relationship with the number obtained by the second consumable part number obtaining means.

18. The sample analyzer of claim 17, wherein

the determining means determines that the consumable parts are not adapted for the sample analyzer when the number of consumable parts obtained by the first consumable part number obtaining means exceeds the number obtained by the second consumable part number obtaining means.

19. A sample analyzer for analyzing a sample using a consumable part, comprising:

a container for containing a plurality of consumable parts;

a mechanism section which uses the consumable parts contained in the container;

first consumable part number obtaining means for obtaining a number of the consumable parts contained in the container;

second consumable part number obtaining means for obtaining a number of the consumable parts which have been used by the mechanism section; and

a warning section for giving a predetermined warning to a user when the number obtained by the second consumable part obtaining means exceeds the number obtained by the first consumable part number obtaining means.

20. The sample analyzer of claim 19, further comprising

difference obtaining means for obtaining a difference between the number obtained by the first consumable part number obtaining means and the number obtained by the second consumable part number obtaining means,

wherein

the warning section gives the warning when the difference obtained by the difference obtaining means becomes less than zero.