Automated analyzer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11953513-B2
Application number	US-201917274993-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2019
Priority date	Oct 2, 2018
Publication date	Apr 9, 2024
Grant date	Apr 9, 2024

Abstract

An automated analyzer is provided that includes a sample probe for dispensing a substance to be dispensed into a plurality of reaction vessels for causing a sample to be analyzed to react with a reagent, a measurement unit (e.g., light source, spectrophotometer, and control device) for measuring a reaction liquid produced from the sample and reagent in a reaction vessel, a cleaning tank for probe cleaning, and a control device for controlling the operation of the probe, measurement unit, and cleaning tank. The cleaning tank includes a cleaning pool for storing cleaning water for immersing and cleaning the probe and a drying tank for sucking up the cleaning water on the surface of the probe after the probe has been immersed in the cleaning water of the cleaning water pool and cleaned. As a result, it is possible to reduce the amount of cleaning water used to clean the probe.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An automated analyzer comprising:
a probe configured to dispense an object into a plurality of reaction vessels for reacting a sample with a reagent;
a measurement unit configured to measure a reaction liquid mixture of the sample and the reagent in the reaction vessel;
a cleaning tank configured to clean the probe; and
a control device configured to control an operation of the probe, an operation of the measurement unit, and an operation of the cleaning tank, wherein the cleaning tank includes:
a cleaning pool configured to store an amount of cleaning water for immersing and cleaning the probe by inserting the probe from above;
a supply valve configured to supply cleaning water from a pump to the cleaning pool by switching between a shut off state where a first supply of cleaning water to the cleaning pool is shut off by the supply valve to a flow state where the first supply of cleaning water is supplied to the cleaning pool by the supply valve;
a drying tank provided apart from a side of the cleaning pool and configured to suction cleaning water adhering to a surface of the probe in a tip end direction of the probe by inserting the probe from above; and wherein
the control device is configured to
insert the probe into the cleaning pool, to immerse the probe and to clean the probe in the first supply of cleaning water in the shut off state,
to pull the probe out of the cleaning pool after immersing and cleaning the probe in the first supply of cleaning water, and
to move the probe and to insert the probe into the drying tank after pulling the probe out of the cleaning pool, and to suction cleaning water on the surface of the probe,

wherein the cleaning tank includes an outer cleaning unit configured to clean an outer surface of the probe by pouring a second supply of cleaning water on the probe after the cleaning water on the surface of the probe is suctioned by the drying tank.

2. The automated analyzer according to claim 1 , wherein the control device is configured to control the drying tank such that the drying tank suctions cleaning water on the surface of the probe, and discharges cleaning water from the probe.

3. The automated analyzer according to claim 1 , wherein the control device is configured to control the drying tank such that the drying tank suctions cleaning water on the surface of the probe after the outer cleaning unit cleans the probe.

4. An automated analyzer comprising:
a probe configured to dispense an object into a plurality of reaction vessels for reacting a sample with a reagent;
a measurement unit configured to measure a reaction liquid mixture of the sample and the reagent in the reaction vessel;
a cleaning tank configured to clean the probe; and
a control device configured to control an operation of the probe, an operation of the measurement unit, and an operation of the cleaning tank, wherein the cleaning tank includes:
a cleaning pool configured to store an amount of cleaning water for immersing and cleaning the probe by inserting the probe from above;
a supply valve configured to supply cleaning water from a pump to the cleaning pool by switching between a shut off state where a first supply of cleaning water to the cleaning pool is shut off by the supply valve to a flow state where the first supply of cleaning water is supplied to the cleaning pool by the supply valve;
a drying tank provided apart from a side of the cleaning pool and configured to suction cleaning water adhering to a surface of the probe in a tip end direction of the probe by inserting the probe from above; and wherein
the control device is configured to
insert the probe into the cleaning pool, to immerse the probe and to clean the probe in the first supply of cleaning water in the shut off state,
to pull the probe out of the cleaning pool after immersing and cleaning the probe in the first supply of cleaning water, and
to move the probe and to insert the probe into the drying tank after pulling the probe out of the cleaning pool, and to suction cleaning water on the surface of the probe,

wherein in the cleaning pool of the cleaning tank, a pump for supplying cleaning water is configured to supply cleaning water from a position lower than a liquid level of cleaning water stored in the cleaning pool.

5. An automated analyzer comprising:
a probe configured to dispense an object into a plurality of reaction vessels for reacting a sample with a reagent;
a measurement unit configured to measure a reaction liquid mixture of the sample and the reagent in the reaction vessel;
a cleaning tank configured to clean the probe; and
a control device configured to control an operation of the probe, an operation of the measurement unit, and an operation of the cleaning tank, wherein the cleaning tank includes:
a cleaning pool configured to store an amount of cleaning water for immersing and cleaning the probe by inserting the probe from above;
a supply valve configured to supply cleaning water from a pump to the cleaning pool by switching between a shut off state where a first supply of cleaning water to the cleaning pool is shut off by the supply valve to a flow state where the first supply of cleaning water is supplied to the cleaning pool by the supply valve;
a drying tank provided apart from a side of the cleaning pool and configured to suction cleaning water adhering to a surface of the probe in a tip end direction of the probe by inserting the probe from above; and wherein
the control device is configured to
insert the probe into the cleaning pool, to immerse the probe and to clean the probe in the first supply of cleaning water in the shutoff state,
to pull the probe out of the cleaning pool after immersing and cleaning the probe in the first supply of cleaning water, and
to move the probe and to insert the probe into the drying tank after pulling the probe out of the cleaning pool, and to suction cleaning water on the surface of the probe,

wherein the control device is further configured to supply cleaning water to the cleaning pool in a state where the probe is immersed in previously supplied cleaning water of the cleaning pool.

6. The automated analyzer according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning tank includes a plurality of cleaning pools.

7. The automated analyzer according to claim 1 , wherein
the cleaning tank is disposed between the cleaning pool and the outer cleaning unit.

8. An automated analyzer comprising:
a probe configured to dispense an object into a plurality of reaction vessels for reacting a sample with a reagent;
a measurement unit configured to measure a reaction liquid mixture of the sample and the reagent in the reaction vessel;
a cleaning tank configured to clean the probe; and
a control device configured to control an operation of the probe, an operation of the measurement unit, and an operation of the cleaning tank, wherein the cleaning tank includes:
a cleaning pool configured to store an amount of cleaning water for immersing and cleaning the probe by inserting the probe from above;
a supply valve configured to supply cleaning water from a pump to the cleaning pool by switching between a shut off state where a first supply of cleaning water to the cleaning pool is shut off by the supply valve to a flow state where the first supply of cleaning water is supplied to the cleaning pool by the supply valve;
a drying tank provided apart from a side of the cleaning pool and configured to suction cleaning water adhering to a surface of the probe in a tip end direction of the probe by inserting the probe from above; and wherein
the control device is configured to
insert the probe into the cleaning pool, to immerse the probe and to clean the probe in the first

Assignees

• Hitachi High Tech Corp

Inventors

• FUKUSHI Yudai
• Mori Takamichi

Classifications

• G01N35/1004 Primary

  Cleaning sample transfer devices · CPC title

• B01L3/0282

  mounted within a receptacle (wash bottles B01L3/10) · CPC title

• B01L3/502

  with fluid transport, e.g. in multi-compartment structures · CPC title

• B01L13/02

  for receptacle or instruments · CPC title

• B01L2200/025

  Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other · CPC title