Automatic analysis apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11467174-B2
Application number	US-201716083584-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 19, 2017
Priority date	Mar 28, 2016
Publication date	Oct 11, 2022
Grant date	Oct 11, 2022

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to constantly keep a state in a flow cell steady by filling a detection flow channel with a liquid. The configuration of the present invention for solving the aforementioned problem is as follows. Specifically, the present invention is an automatic analysis apparatus provided with a detection unit including a flow cell that accommodates a liquid serving as an analysis subject; a suction nozzle that is positioned upstream of the flow cell and that sucks the liquid to be introduced into the flow cell; a pump that is positioned downstream of the flow cell and that supplies the liquid to the flow cell; flow channels that connect the flow cell, the suction nozzle, and the pump; a power source; and a power-cutting instructing unit that gives an instruction to cut the power supply at least to the pump. The automatic analysis apparatus is characterized by being provided with a control unit that performs first liquid supply processing when the power-cutting instruction from the power-cutting instructing unit is not received, and that performs second liquid supplying processing when the power-cutting instruction from the power-cutting instructing unit is received, thus supplying the liquid to the flow cell.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An automatic analysis apparatus comprising:
a detection unit including a flow cell configured to accommodate a reaction liquid serving as an analysis subject;
a suction nozzle configured to suck the reaction liquid into the flow cell via a flow channel;
an atmosphere releasing vessel comprising an opening and configured to evaporate any liquid disposed therein via the opening and to discharge any liquid disposed therein;
a pump configured to supply a pumped liquid to the flow cell and the atmosphere releasing vessel;
a drain tank that stores the liquid discharged from the atmosphere releasing vessel;
a power-cutting instructing unit configured to transmit a power-cutting instruction to cut a power supply to the pump;
a table configured to adjust a position of a tank and an auxiliary container, the table comprising:
a vertical drive mechanism that moves the table in a vertical direction;
a rotating mechanism that rotates the table; and
a positional adjustment mechanism that holds a constant vertical position of the table after cutting the power supply; and

a control unit configured to:
execute, while the power-cutting instruction from the power-cutting instruction unit is not received, first liquid supplying processing to:
cause the suction nozzle to be inserted into the tank using the vertical drive mechanism of the table,
cause the pump to supply the pumped liquid to the suction nozzle via the flow channel,
terminate the supply of the pumped liquid to the suction nozzle via the flow channel, and
transition the automatic analysis apparatus to a standby state, and

execute second liquid supplying processing in response to receipt of the power-cutting instruction from the power-cutting instructing unit to:
cause the suction nozzle to be inserted into the tank by raising the tank using the vertical drive mechanism of the table, and
cause the pump to supply the pumped liquid to the flow cell and suction nozzle via the flow channel,
cause the pump to supply the pumped liquid to the auxiliary container,
rotate positions of the tank and the auxiliary container using the rotating mechanism of the table,
cause the suction nozzle to be inserted into the auxiliary container by raising the auxillary container using the vertical drive mechanism of the table, and
stop supply of power to the automatic analysis apparatus, wherein
the suction nozzle, the flow cell, the atmosphere releasing vessel, and the drain tank are connected in sequence via the flow channel;
the flow cell is disposed at a position higher than positions of the auxiliary container, the suction nozzle, the atmosphere releasing vessel, and the drain tank in a gravity direction; and
the atmosphere releasing vessel is disposed at a position higher than a position of the drain tank in a gravity direction.

2. The automatic analysis apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the control unit controls the pump to repetitively supply the pumped liquid to the flow cell at a time interval, wherein
the time interval is based on an elapsed duration to which the flow channel is no longer filled with any liquid due to evaporation from the atmosphere releasing vessel.

3. The automatic analysis apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the vertical drive mechanism includes a motor and a vertical drive belt that transmits a drive of the motor to the table;
the positional adjustment mechanism is a counterweight attached to the vertical drive belt; and
the counterweight is balanced to match a combined weight of the table, the tank, and the vertical drive mechanism.

4. The automatic analysis apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the positional adjustment mechanism includes an elastic body that holds the table at a constant predetermined vertical position.

5. A method of maintaining an automatic analysis apparatus, the method comprising:
accommodating, using a flow cell of a detection unit, a reaction liquid serving as an analysis subject;
sucking, using a suction nozzle, the reaction liquid into the flow cell via a flow channel;
evaporating, using an atmosphere releasing vessel comprising an opening, any liquid disposed therein via the opening;
discharging from the atmosphere releasing vessel any liquid disposed therein;
supplying, using a pump, a pumped liquid to the flow cell and to the atmosphere releasing vessel;
storing the liquid discharged from the atmosphere releasing vessel using a drain tank, wherein
the suction nozzle, the flow cell, the atmosphere releasing vessel, and the drain tank are connected in sequence via the flow channel;
the flow cell is placed at a position upper than positions of an auxiliary container, the suction nozzle, the atmosphere releasing vessel, and the drain tank in a gravity direction; and
the atmosphere releasing vessel is placed at a position upper than a position of the drain tank in a gravity direction; and

executing, using a control unit configured to perform first and second liquid supplying processing, the first liquid supplying processing comprising:
inserting the suction nozzle into a tank using a vertical drive mechanism of a table;
supplying the pumped liquid to the suction nozzle via the flow channel using the pump after the inserting;
terminating the supply of the pumped liquid to the suction nozzle via the flow channel;
causing the suction nozzle to be removed from the tank after the terminating using the vertical drive mechanism of the table; and
transitioning the automatic analysis apparatus to a standby state; and

executing, using the control unit, the second liquid supplying processing in response to receiving a power-cutting instruction, comprising:
inserting the suction nozzle into the tank by raising the tank using the vertical drive mechanism of the table;
supplying the pumped liquid to the flow cell and suction nozzle via the flow channel;
supplying the pumped liquid to the auxiliary container;
rotating the table on which the tank and the auxiliary container are disposed using a rotating mechanism to adjust positions of the tank and the auxiliary container with respect to the suction nozzle;
immersing the suction nozzle in the pumped liquid contained in the auxiliary container by raising the auxillary container using the vertical drive mechanism of the table;
stopping supply of power to the automatic analysis apparatus;
holding a constant vertical position of the table using a positional adjustment mechanism after the stopping the supply of power to the automatic analysis apparatus.

6. The maintenance method according to claim 5 , wherein the first liquid processing further comprises:
controlling the pump, using the control unit to repetitively supply the pumped liquid to the flow cell at a time interval, wherein
the time interval is based on an elapsed duration to which the flow channel is no longer filled with any liquid due to evaporation from the atmosphere releasing vessel.

7. The maintenance method according to claim 5 , wherein
the vertical drive mechanism includes a motor and a vertical drive belt that transmits a drive of the motor to the table;
the positional adjustment mechanism is a counterweight attached to the vertical drive belt; and
the counterweight is balanced to match a combined weight of the table, the tank, and the vertical drive mechanism.

8. The maintenance method according to claim 5 , wherein
the positional adjustment mechanism includes an elastic body that holds the table at a constant predetermined position.

Assignees

• Hitachi High Tech Corp

Inventors

• Kabe Yoshihiro
• Sakashita Yukinori
• Kambara Katsuhiro
• Sakazume Taku
• Fukugaki Tatsuya

Classifications

• G01N35/10

  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

• G01N35/08

  using a stream of discrete samples flowing along a tube system, e.g. flow injection analysis · CPC title

• G01N35/1004 Primary

  Cleaning sample transfer devices · CPC title