Test method and dispensing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11879902-B2
Application number	US-201917268347-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2019
Priority date	Sep 25, 2018
Publication date	Jan 23, 2024
Grant date	Jan 23, 2024

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a test method capable of efficiently performing a step of evaluating a surface state of a dispensing probe provided in a dispensing apparatus. In the test method according to the present invention, a first solution in which a coloring matter is dissolved is dispensed to a first container in advance by a first dispensing probe, a second solution in which a coloring matter is not dissolved is dispensed to a second container in advance by the first dispensing probe and then the first solution and the second solution are respectively sucked and discharged by a second dispensing probe. After that, a surface state of the second dispensing probe is evaluated by acquiring an amount of the coloring matter collected by the second solution (see FIG. 2 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A test method that evaluates a surface state of a dispensing probe provided in a dispensing apparatus that dispenses a liquid sample, the method comprising:
a first dispensing step of causing a first dispensing probe provided in the dispensing apparatus to dispense a first solution in which a coloring matter is dissolved to a first container;
a second dispensing step of causing the first dispensing probe to dispense a second solution in which a coloring matter is not dissolved to a second container different from the first container;
a first sucking and discharging step of causing a second dispensing probe different from the first dispensing probe provided in the dispensing apparatus to suck the first solution in the first container and discharge the sucked first solution from the second dispensing probe;
a second sucking and discharging step of causing the second dispensing probe to suck the second solution in the second container and discharge the sucked second solution from the second dispensing probe;
a step of calculating an amount of the coloring matter collected by the second solution, the coloring matter remaining on the second dispensing probe, by calculating an amount of the coloring matter contained in the second solution discharged from the second dispensing probe; and
a step of evaluating a surface state of the second dispensing probe based on the amount of the coloring matter collected by the second solution,
wherein the test method further comprises a first washing step of washing the first container by using a washing mechanism after the first sucking and discharging step is completed, and
wherein
at a time before the first dispensing step and the second dispensing step, the first solution and the second solution are contained in a bottle of which an inside is partitioned by a partition,
the first dispensing probe includes a first arm which is rotatably attached to a support column, and a second arm which is rotatably attached to the first arm,
in the first dispensing step, the first solution is dispensed to the first container from the bottle, and
in the second dispensing step, the second solution is dispensed to the second container from the bottle.

2. The test method according to claim 1 , in which the dispensing apparatus includes the first container and the second container on a rotatable disk, the method further comprising:
a step of causing the first dispensing probe to dispense the first solution to the first container, and then rotating the disk to a position in which the first dispensing probe is capable of dispensing the second solution to the second container; and
a step of causing the second dispensing probe to discharge the first solution, and then rotating the disk to a position in which the second dispensing probe is capable of sucking the second solution in the second container.

3. The test method according to claim 1 , further comprising a repeating step of repeating the first sucking and discharging step and the second sucking and discharging step to evaluate the surface state of the second dispensing probe repeatedly.

4. The test method according to claim 3 , further comprising a third dispensing step of causing the first dispensing probe to dispense the second solution to a third container different from the first container and the second container,
wherein in the repeating step, each step is performed in an order of the first sucking and discharging step, the second sucking and discharging step, the first sucking and discharging step, and a third sucking and discharging step of causing the second dispensing probe to suck the second solution in the third container and to discharge the sucked second solution from the second dispensing probe.

5. The test method according to claim 3 , wherein in the first sucking and discharging step, the first solution in the first container is used repeatedly by discharging the first solution sucked from the first container by the second dispensing probe to the first container.

6. The test method according to claim 1 , wherein
in the first sucking and discharging step, the first solution sucked from the first container by the second dispensing probe is discharged to an empty container, and
in the second sucking and discharging step, the second solution sucked from the second container by the second dispensing probe is discharged to the empty container.

7. The test method according to claim 1 , wherein the coloring matter is an acid coloring matter, and pH of the first solution is 2.0 or more and 6.0 or less.

8. The test method according to claim 7 , wherein the coloring matter is orange G.

9. The test method according to claim 1 , in which the dispensing apparatus further includes the washing mechanism that washes the first container and the second container, the method further comprising:
the first washing step of washing the first container by using the washing mechanism after the first sucking and discharging step is completed; and
the second washing step of washing the second container by using the washing mechanism after the second sucking and discharging step is completed,
wherein the first washing step and the second washing step are performed at the same time.

10. The test method according to claim 9 , wherein
the dispensing apparatus includes the first container and the second container on a rotatable disk, and the washing mechanism includes a first washing unit and a second washing unit which are disposed respectively along a circumference of the disk, and
in the first washing step and the second washing step, on the disk, each of the first container and the second container is disposed in a position in which the second washing unit is capable of washing the second container when the first washing unit washes the first container.

11. A test method that evaluates a surface state of a dispensing probe provided in a dispensing apparatus that dispenses a liquid sample, the method comprising:
a first dispensing step of causing a first dispensing probe provided in the dispensing apparatus to dispense a first solution in which a coloring matter is dissolved to a first container;
a second dispensing step of causing the first dispensing probe to dispense a second solution in which a coloring matter is not dissolved to a second container different from the first container;
a step of attaching the coloring matter to an outer surface of the second dispensing probe by immersing the second dispensing probe in the first solution and then pulling up the second dispensing probe from the first solution without sucking the first solution;
a step of immersing the second dispensing probe of which the outer surface the coloring matter is attached to in the second solution and then pulling up the second dispensing probe from the second solution without sucking the second solution;
a step of calculating an amount of the coloring matter introduced to the second solution from the coloring matter remaining on the outer surface of the second dispensing probe; and
a step of evaluating a surface state of the outer surface of the dispensing probe based on the amount of the coloring matter introduced to the second solution,
wherein
at a time before the first dispensing step and the second dispensing step, the first solution and the second solution are contained in a bottle of which an inside is partitioned by a partition,
the first dispensing probe includes a first arm which is rotatably attached to a support column, and a second arm which is rotatably attached to the first arm,
in the first dispensing step, the first solution is dispensed to the first container from the bottle, and

Assignees

• Hitachi High Tech Corp

Inventors

• Nojima Akihiro
• Mori Takamichi
• Yamazaki Isao
• Kawahara Tetsuji
• ARUGA Youichi

Classifications

• G01N35/00623 Primary

  of instruments · CPC title

• 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

• G01N35/1004 Primary

  Cleaning sample transfer devices · CPC title

• G01N2035/0437

  Cleaning cuvettes or reaction vessels · CPC title

• G01N2035/0446

  Combinations of the above · CPC title