Automated analyzer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11360108-B2
Application number	US-201816482979-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 18, 2018
Priority date	Feb 6, 2017
Publication date	Jun 14, 2022
Grant date	Jun 14, 2022

Abstract

It is necessary to dispose a plurality of units which have different target temperatures on an apparatus in a more integrated state in order to improve analysis performance and processing capacity per unit space of the apparatus. Therefore, it is necessary to mitigate influence of temperature exerted between units.
It is possible to reduce the temperature influence exerted between the units and thus efficiently control temperature by properly disposing the units in the apparatus, based on the relationship between a use environment temperature of the apparatus and a target temperature of each unit and temperature accuracy required for the unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An automated analyzer, comprising:
a first temperature control unit comprising a first measurement unit and a first temperature adjusting mechanism including a first heat exchange device;
a second temperature control unit comprising a second measurement unit having a photometric device configured to perform optical measurements and a second temperature adjusting mechanism which includes a second heat exchange device;
an air suction duct constructed to supply air sucked from an air suction port to the first heat exchange device and the second heat exchange device;
an air discharge duct formed separated from the air suction duct to discharge air from the first heat exchange device toward an air discharge port and to discharge air from the second heat exchange device toward the air discharge port; and
a control device configured to control the first temperature adjusting mechanism so that the first temperature control unit is set to a first target temperature and the second temperature adjusting mechanism so that the second temperature control unit is set to a second target temperature higher than the first target temperature,
wherein the first temperature control unit is disposed at a position closer to the air suction port than a position of the second temperature control unit, and
wherein the control device is further configured to
operate a sensor configured to measure a surrounding environment temperature external to the automated analyzer,
set in advance a predetermined surrounding environment temperature range, and
control the first temperature adjusting mechanism of the first temperature control unit so that the first temperature control unit is always set to a target temperature lower than the surrounding environment temperature range.

2. The automated analyzer according to claim 1 ,
wherein the control device is further configured to control switching between heating control and cooling control with respect to the temperature adjusting mechanism of the second temperature control unit depending on the surrounding environment temperature measured by the sensor.

3. The automated analyzer according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a third temperature control unit comprising an incubator or a thermostatic bath managed with temperature accuracy higher than those of the first and the second temperature control units, and
wherein the third temperature control unit is disposed at a position which does not overlap with the air discharge duct in a top plan view.

4. The automated analyzer according to claim 1 ,
wherein the air suction port of the air suction duct and the air discharge port of the air discharge duct of an air duct of the automated analyzer are provided on opposite sides of the air duct with respect to each other.

5. The automated analyzer according to claim 4 ,
wherein the air suction port of the air suction duct is disposed on a front surface side of the automated analyzer and the air discharge port of the air discharge duct is disposed on a rear surface side of the automated analyzer.

6. The automated analyzer according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a reagent storage apparatus,
wherein the reagent storage apparatus is positioned on a downstream side of air flow in the air suction duct as seen from the air suction port of the air suction duct and is positioned on an upstream side of air flow in the air discharge duct as seen from the air discharge port of the air discharge duct.

7. The automated analyzer according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first temperature control unit is a reagent storage apparatus configured to cool and store reagents used for an analysis of samples.

8. The automated analyzer according to claim 1 ,
wherein the photometric device of the second measurement unit of the second temperature control unit is configured to measure a reaction solution of the sample and the reagent.

9. The automated analyzer according to claim 3 ,
wherein the third temperature control unit is a reaction promotion unit comprising an incubator or a thermostatic bath constructed to promote a reaction of the sample and the reagent.

10. An automated analyzer, comprising:
a first temperature control unit comprising a first measurement unit and a first temperature adjusting mechanism which includes a first heat exchange device;
a second temperature control unit comprising a second measurement unit having a photometric device configured to perform optical measurements and a second temperature adjusting mechanism which includes a second heat exchange device;
an air suction duct constructed to supply air sucked from an air suction port to the first heat exchange device and the second heat exchange device;
an air discharge duct constructed to discharge air from the first heat exchange device toward an air discharge port and to discharge air from the second heat exchange device toward the air discharge port;
a control device configured to control the first temperature adjusting mechanism so that the first temperature control unit is set to a first target temperature and the second temperature adjusting mechanism so that the second temperature control unit is set to a second target temperature higher than the first target temperature; and
a third temperature control unit comprising an incubator or a thermostatic bath managed with temperature accuracy higher than those of the first and the second temperature control units,
wherein, in a top plan view, the first temperature control unit is disposed at a first position with respect to the air suction port, the second temperature control unit is disposed at a second position which is farther distanced from said air suction port than said first position, and the third temperature control unit is disposed at a third position which is farther distanced from said air suction port than said second position, and
wherein the control device is further configured to
operate a sensor configured to measure a surrounding environment temperature external to the automated analyzer,
set in advance a predetermined surrounding environment temperature range, and
control the first temperature adjusting mechanism of the first temperature control unit so that the first temperature control unit is always set to a target temperature lower than the surrounding environment temperature range.

11. The automated analyzer according to claim 10 ,
wherein the control device is further configured to control switching between heating control and cooling control with respect to the second temperature adjusting mechanism of the second temperature control unit depending on the surrounding environment temperature measured by the sensor.

12. The automated analyzer according to claim 10 ,
wherein the air suction port of the air suction duct and the air discharge port of the air discharge duct of an air duct of the automated analyzer are provided on opposite sides of the air duct with to each other.

13. The automated analyzer according to claim 12 ,
wherein the air suction port of the air suction duct is disposed on a front surface side of the automated analyzer and the air discharge port of the air discharge duct is disposed on a rear surface side of the automated analyzer.

14. The automated analyzer according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a reagent storage apparatus,
wherein the reagent storage apparatus is positioned on a downstream side of air flow in the air suction duct as seen from the air suction port of the air suction duct and is positioned on an upstream side of air flow in the air discharge duct as seen from the air discharge port of the a

Assignees

• Hitachi High Tech Corp

Inventors

• Okusa Takenori
• Yamashita Yoshihiro
• Sasaki Shunsuke

Classifications

• B01L7/02 Primary

  Water baths; Sand baths; Air baths · CPC title

• G01N35/00613 Primary

  Quality control · CPC title

• B01L2300/1838

  using fluid heat transfer medium · CPC title

• G01N2035/00366

  Several different temperatures used · CPC title

• G01N35/00

  Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor · CPC title