Sample analyzer and its components

• US 7,919,044 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2007
• Issued: 04/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sysmex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sysmex Corporation
• Inventors: Yoshida, Takashi, Yoshida, Noriyoshi, Takaoka, Hidenari, Fukuju, Toshikatsu, Nagai, Takaaki, Kaneko, Shuhei
• Primary Examiner(s): SIEFKE, SAMUEL P
• Application Number:
  US11/925,478
• Publication Number:
  US 20080063568A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,257 Days
• Field of Search: 422/55, 422/56, 422/63, 422/68.1, 422/81, 422/99
• US Class Current: 422/63
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/143 Quality control, feedback systems
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/02 Burettes; Pipettes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/06 Test-tube stands; Test-tube holders
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/13 Details pertaining to apertures
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/012 Red blood cells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/016 White blood cells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/018 Platelets
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/1024 Counting particles by non-optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1018 Detecting inhomogeneities, e.g. foam, bubbles, clots
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1032 Dilution or aliquotting
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1004 Cleaning sample transfer devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1016 Control of the volume dispensed or introduced
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1079 with means for piercing stoppers or septums

Abstract

A sample analyzer includes a liquid aspirator to be stuck into the closed container for aspirating a sample from a closed container; a preparing section for preparing an analysis sample using the aspirated sample; and an analyzing section for analyzing the prepared analysis sample; the liquid aspirator including an elongated pipe, the pipe having a liquid flow path extending therein and a plurality of communicating sections provided in an outer surface thereof, at least one of the communicating sections communicating between an inside and an outside of the container when the pipe is stuck into the container.

Claims

1. A blood cell analyzer, comprising;

a diluent chamber;

a first flow path for transporting a diluent contained in a diluent container to the diluent chamber;

a pump for supplying a negative pressure for transporting the diluent from the diluent container to the diluent chamber through the first flow path;

an air bubble sensor for detecting an air bubble in the first flow path;

a second flow path for communicating the diluent chamber and the pump which supplies the negative pressure to the diluent container through the second flow path, the diluent chamber and the first flow path;

a valve for opening and closing the second flow path; and

a controller for controlling the valve so that the valve closes the second flow path when the air bubble sensor of the first flow path has kept detecting the air bubble for a time period longer than a first predetermined time period.

2. The blood cell analyzer of claim 1, further comprising:

a preparing section for preparing an analysis sample using at least a blood sample and the diluent reagent contained in the diluent chamber, and

an analyzing section for analyzing the prepared analysis sample.

3. The blood cell analyzer of claim 1, further comprising:

a second chamber;

a third flow path for transporting a hemolyzing agent from a hemolyzing agent container to the second chamber;

a fourth flow path for communicating the second chamber and the pump;

a second valve for opening and closing the fourth flow path; and

a second air bubble sensor for detecting an air bubble in the third flow path,

wherein the pump supplies a pressure for transporting the hemolyzing agent from the hemolyzing agent container to the second chamber, and

wherein the controller controls the second valve so that the second valve closes the fourth flow path when the second air bubble sensor of the third flow path has kept detecting air bubble for a time period longer than a second predetermined time period.

4. The blood cell of claim 1, further comprising:

a display,

wherein the controller controls the display so that the display displays information indicating that the diluent container is empty when the air bubble sensor has kept detecting air bubble for the time period longer than the first predetermined time period.

10. The blood cell analyzer of claim 2, further comprising:

a blood cell detector for detecting blood cells in the analysis sample prepared by the preparing section,

wherein the preparing section comprises a mixing chamber for mixing at least the blood sample and the diluent supplied from the diluent chamber, and a pipette for aspirating the blood sample in a container and for discharging the aspirated blood sample to the mixing chamber, and

wherein the analyzing section analyzes a detected result by the blood cell detector.

11. The blood cell analyzer of claim 10, further comprising:

a second pump for supplying the diluent from the diluent chamber to the mixing chamber; and

a third pump for supplying the analysis sample from the mixing chamber to the blood cell detector.

5. A blood cell analyzer, comprising:

a diluent chamber;

a first flow path for transporting a diluent contained in a diluent container to the diluent chamber;

a pump for supplying a negative pressure for transporting the diluent from the diluent container to the diluent chamber through the first flow path;

a sensor for detecting whether the diluent exists or not in the first flow path;

a second flow path for communicating the diluent chamber and the pump which supplies the negative pressure to the diluent container through the second flow path, the diluent chamber and the first flow path;

a valve for opening and closing the second flow path; and

a controller for controlling the valve so that the valve closes the second flow path when the sensor has detected that the diluent does not exist in the first flow path.

6. The blood cell of claim 5, further comprising:

a preparing section for preparing an analysis sample using a sample and the diluent contained in the diluent chamber, and

an analyzing section for analyzing the prepared analysis sample.

7. The blood cell analyzer of claim 5, further comprising:

a second chamber;

a third flow path for transporting a hemolyzing agent from a hemolyzing agent container to the second chamber;

a fourth flow path for communicating the second chamber and the pump;

a second valve for opening and closing the fourth flow path; and

a second sensor for detecting whether the hemolyzing agent exists or not in the third flow path,

wherein the pump supplies a pressure for transporting the hemolyzing agent from the hemolyzing agent container to the second chamber, and

wherein the controller controls the second valve so that the second valve closes the fourth flow path when the second sensor has detected that the hemolyzing agent does not exist in the third flow path.

8. The blood cell analyzer of claim 5, further comprising:

a display,

wherein the controller controls the display so that the display displays information indicating that the diluent container is empty when the sensor has detected that the diluent does not exist in the flow path.

9. The blood cell analyzer of claim 5, wherein the controller controls the valve so that the valve closes the flow path when the sensor has kept detecting the detected result for a time period longer than a predetermined time period.

12. The blood cell analyzer of claim 6, further comprising:

a blood cell detector for detecting blood cells in the analysis sample prepared by the preparing section,

wherein the preparing section comprises a mixing chamber for mixing at least the blood sample and the diluent supplied from the diluent chamber, and a pipette for aspirating the blood sample in a container and for discharging the aspirated blood sample to the mixing chamber, and

wherein the analyzing section analyzes a detected result by the blood cell detector.

13. The blood cell analyzer of claim 12, further comprising:

a second pump for supplying the diluent from the diluent chamber to the mixing chamber; and

a third pump for supplying the analysis sample from the mixing chamber to the blood cell detector.