Automatic analyzer and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10345321-B2
Application number	US-201615347894-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 10, 2016
Priority date	Nov 13, 2015
Publication date	Jul 9, 2019
Grant date	Jul 9, 2019

Abstract

The present disclosure includes an automatic analyzer and a method for the determination of a measurand dependent upon the concentration of one or more ingredients of a measuring fluid. The analyzer includes a measuring cell includes a cuvette and a sensing element, the sensing element including at least one radiation source and at least one detector configured to generate measurement signals, a control and evaluation unit that is connected to the sensing element to receive and process measurement signals of the sensing element, and a delivery and metering unit that can be controlled by the control and evaluation unit, where the control and evaluation unit is configured to control the delivery and metering unit to transport measuring fluid into the cuvette and to monitor the transport of the measuring fluid into the cuvette by means of the sensing element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An analyzer for the determination of a measurand dependent upon the concentration of one or more ingredients of a measuring fluid, comprising:
a measuring cell including a cuvette and a sensing element, the sensing element including a plurality of radiation sources structured to emit measuring radiation toward an at least one detector structured to generate measurement signals dependent upon an intensity of the measuring radiation impinging upon the detector, wherein the radiation sources and the detector are oriented toward each other and toward the cuvette such that the measuring radiation passes through the cuvette before impinging the detector;
a control and evaluation unit connected to the sensing element and configured to receive the measurement signals from the sensing element and to process the received measurement signals;
a sample receiving vessel configured to receive the measuring fluid, the sample receiving vessel connected to the cuvette via a liquid line system; and
a delivery and metering unit in communication with the control and evaluation unit, wherein the control and evaluation unit is configured to control the delivery and metering unit to transport measuring fluid from the sample receiving vessel into the cuvette and to monitor the transport of the measuring fluid into the cuvette using the sensing element, wherein, in performing a test operation, the control and evaluation unit excites the radiation sources, detects first measurement signals of the sensing element dependent upon an intensity of the measuring radiation when the cuvette is empty, controls the delivery and metering unit to transport a specified volume of the measuring fluid from the sample receiving vessel into the cuvette, concurrently or subsequently detect second measurement signals of the sensing element dependent upon an intensity of the measuring radiation, determines a first value from the first measurement signals by summation or weighted summation, determines a second value from the second measurement signals by summation or weighted summation, determines a test value from the first value and the second value, and determines whether the test value is within a specified tolerance value range of at least one reference value stored in a memory, wherein the control and evaluation unit outputs an error or warning message if the test value is outside the specified tolerance value range.

2. The analyzer of claim 1 , wherein the control and evaluation unit is configured to determine a deviation of the test value from the reference value by division or subtraction.

3. The analyzer of claim 1 , wherein the control and evaluation unit is configured to compare the test value to at least one reference value stored in a memory and to monitor the transport of the measuring fluid into the cuvette based upon the comparison.

4. The analyzer of claim 1 , the analyzer further comprising at least one liquid tank that contains a liquid, the at least one liquid tank connected to the cuvette via the liquid line system, wherein the control and evaluation unit is configured to detect a third measurement signal of the sensing element where the cuvette is empty, to control the delivery and metering unit to transport the liquid from the liquid tank into the cuvette, to detect a fourth measurement signal of the sensing element during or after transporting the liquid into the cuvette, and to monitor the transport of the liquid into the cuvette based upon the third and fourth measurement signals.

5. The analyzer of claim 4 , wherein the liquid is a standard solution, a cleaning liquid, or a reagent to be added to the measuring fluid to determine the measurand.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the test value is compared to at least one reference value stored in a memory, and wherein the transport of the measuring fluid is monitored based upon the comparison.

7. A method for monitoring a transport of measuring fluid into a cuvette of an automatic analyzer, comprising:
providing an analyzer comprising:
a measuring cell including a cuvette and a sensing element, the sensing element including plurality of radiation sources structured to emit measuring radiation toward an at least one detector structured to generate measurement signals dependent upon an intensity of the measuring radiation impinging upon the detector, wherein the radiation sources and the detector are oriented toward each other and toward the cuvette such that the measuring radiation passes through the cuvette before impinging the detector;
a control and evaluation unit connected to the sensing element and configured to receive the measurement signals from the sensing element and to process the received measurement signals;
a sample receiving vessel configured to receive the measuring fluid, the sample receiving vessel connected to the cuvette via a liquid line system; and

a delivery and metering unit in communication with the control and evaluation unit;
using the control and evaluation unit, controlling the delivery and metering unit to transport measuring fluid from the sample receiving vessel via the liquid line system into the cuvette;
using the control and evaluation unit, monitoring the transport of the measuring fluid into the cuvette with the sensing element; and performing a test operation by:
exciting the radiation sources to radiate measuring radiation into the cuvette and detecting first measurement signals dependent upon an intensity of the measuring radiation after passing through the cuvette where the cuvette is empty;

during or after controlling the delivery and metering unit to transport a specified volume of measuring fluid into the cuvette, exciting the radiation sources to radiate
measuring radiation into the cuvette and detecting second measurement signals dependent upon the intensity of the measuring radiation after passing through the cuvette;
determining a first value from the first measurement signals by summation or weighted summation;
determining a second value from the second measurement signals by summation or weighted summation;
determining a test value from the first value and the second value by subtraction or division;
determining whether the test value is within a specified tolerance range of at least one reference value stored in memory, and
outputting an error or warning message if the test value is outside the specified tolerance value range.

8. The method of claim 7 , the method further comprising, using the second measurement signals, detecting when a liquid-air boundary traversing the cuvette during the transporting of the measuring fluid into the cuvette passes a beam path extending between the at least one radiation source and the detector, the beam path extending substantially orthogonal to a direction of movement of the liquid-air boundary.

Assignees

• Endress Hauser Conducta Gmbh Co Kg

Inventors

• Gerlinger Anja
• Knopp Matthias
• Benkert Tilman

Classifications

• G01N21/11

  Filling or emptying of cuvettes · CPC title

• G01N35/10 Primary

  Devices for transferring samples {or any liquids} to, in, or from, the analysis apparatus, e.g. suction devices, injection devices {(G01N35/0099 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• G01N35/00712

  Automatic status testing, e.g. at start-up or periodic · CPC title

• G01N21/03

  Cuvette constructions · CPC title

• G01N21/274

  Calibration, base line adjustment, drift correction · CPC title