Hematology analyzer

• US 5,266,269 A
• Filed: 03/27/1992
• Issued: 11/30/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nihon Kohden Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nihon Kohden Corporation
• Inventors: Niiyama, Yoshihiro, Yoshikawa, Katsumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Housel, James C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, LIEN THUY
• Application Number:
  US07/859,030
• Time in Patent Office: 613 Days
• Field of Search: 422/63, 422/64, 422/73, 73/64.56, 73/61.41, 73/864.11, 73/864.81, 73/864.21, 220/23.86, 220/23.83, 220/478, 220/479, 220/400
• US Class Current: 422/73
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/38 Diluting, dispersing or mixing samples
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00544 using fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1032 Dilution or aliquotting
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/49 Blood chemical methods for determining blood cell populations G01N33/5094; chemical analysis of blood groups or blood types G01N33/80

Abstract

A hematology analyzer includes a first measuring container having a first sensing device, a second measuring container having a second sensing device, a first auxiliary container diluting blood collected by a sampling nozzle and being arranged so as to allow the first diluted blood solution to flow into the first measuring container; a second auxiliary container further diluting the first diluted blood solution collected in the first auxiliary container by the sampling nozzle and being arranged so as to allow the second diluted blood solution to flow into the second measuring container, and first blood cells contained in the first diluted blood solution poured into the first measuring container from the first auxiliary container are measured by the first sensing device, and second blood cells contained in the second diluted blood solution poured into the second measuring container from the second auxiliary container are measured by the second sensing device.

Claims

1. A diluting apparatus for use in a hematology analyzer that analyzes a sample of blood, the apparatus comprising:

a first measuring container;

a second measuring container;

first auxiliary container means for diluting blood collected by a sampling nozzle from the sample of blood with a diluting solution to form a first diluted blood solution flowing into said first measuring container; and

second auxiliary container means for further diluting a portion of said first diluted blood solution with said diluting solution to form a second diluted blood solution flowing into said second measuring container, said first diluted blood solution being transmitted from said first auxiliary container means to said second auxiliary container means by said sampling nozzle;

wherein said first and second auxiliary container means are arranged to allow said first and second diluted blood solutions to pour into said first and second measuring container, respectively, and wherein said first and second auxiliary container means each have an upper opening portion, and said first and second auxiliary container means re rotatably coupled to said first and second measuring container to pour said first and second diluted blood solutions into said first and second measuring container respectively.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second measuring containers have constricted flow paths for said first and second diluted blood solutions poured from said first and second auxiliary containers, respectively, to allow said first and second diluted blood solutions to be dashed into said first and second measuring containers, respectively, such that the diluted blood solutions are mixed.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a first measurement means for detecting the number of white blood cells and a second measurement means for detecting the number of red blood cells.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said first measuring container has a liquid injecting portion for injecting a liquid toward said flow path of said first measuring container.

5. A diluting apparatus for use in forming diluted blood samples from a single whole blood sample, the apparatus comprising:

a sample distributor distributing dilution fluid and said blood sample;

first and second main chambers; and

first and second subchambers, respectively coupled to said first and second main chambers, each receiving at least said blood sample from said sample distributor, wherein said sample distributor pours a portion of said dilution fluid and said blood sample from a position above said first subchamber into said first subchamber, said first subchamber having a lower portion formed such that said portion of dilution fluid and the blood sample thus poured form a swirling stream, thereby mixing said portion of dilution fluid and the blood sample to form a first diluted blood sample;

wherein said first and second main chambers respectively include first and second measuring vessels for receiving diluted blood samples from said first and second subchambers, respectively and wherein said first and second subchambers are respectively coupled to said first and second main chambers such that said subchambers are rotated to respectively pour said first and second diluted blood samples into said first and second main chambers.

6. The diluting apparatus of claim 5, wherein said sample distributor transfers a portion of said first diluted blood sample formed in said first subchamber into said second subchamber, together with the remaining portion of said dilution fluid, said second subchamber having a lower portion formed such that said remaining portion of dilution fluid and the portion of said first blood sample form a swirling stream, thereby forming a second diluted blood sample.

7. The diluting apparatus of claim 6, wherein said first and second main chambers have bottom sloped surfaces forming fluid paths to said first and second measuring vessels, said paths being constricted such that said first and second diluted blood samples respectively form swirling streams in said first and second measuring vessels.