REAGENT PREPARING DEVICE, REAGENT PREPARING METHOD, AND SPECIMEN PROCESSING SYSTEM

• US 20100248208A1
• Filed: 03/29/2010
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sysmex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sysmex Corporation
• Inventors: Okubo, Koichi, Asahara, Tomoyuki, Oguro, Masahiko, Nakanishi, Noriyuki, Nakajima, Takayuki
• Granted Patent: US 10,161,950 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/3
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00663 of consumables
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1002 Reagent dispensers

Abstract

A reagent preparing device capable of supplying a predetermined reagent, which includes a first liquid and a second liquid different from the first liquid, to a measurement section for measuring a specimen using the reagent, comprising: a pressure generator for generating pressure to transfer liquid; a reagent preparing section for executing a preparation operation of the predetermined reagent using the pressure generated by the pressure generator; and a controller configured for performing operations comprising: determining whether or not the reagent preparing section is executing the preparation operation, and controlling the generation of the pressure by the pressure generator according to the determination result, is disclosed. A reagent preparing method and a specimen processing system are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A reagent preparing device capable of supplying a predetermined reagent, which includes a first liquid and a second liquid different from the first liquid, to a measurement section for measuring a specimen using the reagent, comprising:

a pressure generator for generating pressure to transfer liquid;

a reagent preparing section for executing a preparation operation of the predetermined reagent using the pressure generated by the pressure generator; and

a controller configured for performing operations comprising;

determining whether or not the reagent preparing section is executing the preparation operation, and

controlling the generation of the pressure by the pressure generator according to the determination result.

2. The reagent preparing device according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls the pressure generator to reduce magnitude of the pressure to be generated or to stop generation of the pressure to be generated when determined that the preparation operation is not executed.

3. The reagent preparing device according to claim 2, wherein the controller controls the pressure generator to stop generation of the pressure to be generated when determined that the preparation operation is not executed.

4. The reagent preparing device according to claim 3, wherein

the pressure generator comprises a pressure generation mechanism for generating the pressure, a drive source for operating the pressure generation mechanism, and a switch unit for switching whether or not to supply current to the drive source;

and

the controller stops the generation of the pressure by controlling the switching operation of the switch unit.

5. The reagent preparing device according to claim 1, wherein

the reagent preparing section comprises a reagent accommodation unit, connected to the measurement section, for accommodating the prepared predetermined reagent, and a reagent sensor for detecting whether or not the predetermined reagent of a predetermined amount is accommodated in the reagent accommodation unit;

and

the controller determines whether or not that the reagent preparing section is executing the preparation operation based on the detection result of the reagent sensor.

6. The reagent preparing device according to claim 5, wherein

the reagent preparing section further comprises a first liquid accommodation unit for accommodating the first liquid, a second liquid accommodation unit for accommodating the second liquid, a first liquid sensor for detecting whether or not the first liquid of a predetermined amount is accommodated in the first liquid accommodation unit, and a second liquid sensor for detecting whether or not the second liquid of a predetermined amount is accommodated in the second liquid accommodation unit;

and

the controller determines whether or not the reagent preparing section is executing the preparation operation based on the detection result of the reagent sensor, the detection result of the first liquid sensor, and the detection result of the second liquid sensor.

7. The reagent preparing device according to claim 1, wherein the controller determines whether or not the reagent preparing section is executing the preparation operation based on whether or not transfer of liquid for preparing the predetermined reagent has been completed.

8. The reagent preparing device according to claim 7, wherein the controller determines whether or not the reagent preparing section is executing the preparation operation based on whether or not transfer of the first liquid, the second liquid, and a mixed solution of the first liquid and the second liquid has been completed.

9. The reagent preparing device according to claim 5, wherein the controller controls the pressure generator to reduce magnitude of the pressure to be generated or to stop generation of the pressure to be generated when determined that the preparation operation is not executed, and controls the pressure generator to increase magnitude of the pressure to be generated when detected by the reagent detection sensor that the predetermined reagent of a predetermined amount is not accommodated after the pressure generated by the pressure generator is reduced or stopped.

10. The reagent preparing device according to claim 9, wherein

the reagent preparing section further comprises a pressure sensor for detecting the magnitude of pressure generated by the pressure generator;

and

the controller resumes the preparation operation by the reagent preparing section when the magnitude of the pressure detected by the pressure sensor reaches a predetermined range when controlling the pressure generator to increase the pressure generated by the pressure generator.

11. The reagent preparing device according to claim 2, wherein

the plurality of reagent preparing sections are connected to one pressure generator;

and

the controller controls the pressure generator to reduce magnitude of the pressure to be generated when determined that all the reagent preparing sections connected to the one pressure generator are not executing the preparation operation.

12. The reagent preparing device according to claim 2, wherein the controller controls the pressure generator to reduce magnitude of the pressure to be generated or to stop generation of the pressure to be generated when the reagent preparing device is in standby state in which the preparation operation is not executed.

13. A reagent preparing method of preparing a predetermined reagent, which includes a first liquid and a second liquid different from the first liquid, to be supplied to a measurement section for measuring a specimen using the reagent, comprising:

generating pressure to transfer liquid;

executing a preparation operation of the predetermined reagent using the generated pressure;

determining whether or not the preparation operation is being executed; and

controlling the generation of the pressure according to the determination result.

14. The reagent preparing method according to claim 13, wherein the control of the generation of the pressure is executed by reducing magnitude of the pressure to be generated or by stopping generation of the pressure to be generated when determined that the preparation operation is not executed.

15. The reagent preparing method according to claim 14, wherein the control of the generation of the pressure is executed by stopping generation of the pressure to be generated when determined that the preparation operation is not executed.

16. The reagent preparing method according to claim 13, wherein the determination on whether or not the preparation operation is being executed is executed based on whether or not the prepared predetermined reagent exists by a predetermined amount.

17. The reagent preparing method according to claim 16, wherein the determination on whether or not the preparation operation is being executed is executed based on whether or not the first liquid, the second liquid, and the prepared predetermined reagent exist by a predetermined amount.

18. The reagent preparing method according to claim 13, wherein the determination on whether or not the preparation operation is being executed is executed based on whether or not transfer of liquid for preparing the predetermined reagent has been completed.

19. The reagent preparing method according to claim 18, wherein the determination on whether or not the preparation operation is being executed is executed based on whether or not transfer of the first liquid, the second liquid, and a mixed solution of the first liquid and the second liquid has been completed.

20. A specimen processing system comprising:

a measurement section for measuring a specimen using a predetermined reagent, which includes a first liquid and a second liquid different from the first liquid;

a pressure generator for generating pressure to transfer liquid;

a reagent preparing section for executing a preparation operation of the predetermined reagent using the pressure generated by the pressure generator; and

a controller configured for performing operations comprising;

determining whether or not the reagent preparing section is executing the preparation operation, and

controlling the generation of the pressure by the pressure generator according to the determination result.