Automatic Analysis Apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019145997-A1
Application number	US-201716083584-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 19, 2017
Priority date	Mar 28, 2016
Publication date	May 16, 2019
Grant date	—

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

1 .- 10 . (canceled)

11 . An automatic analysis apparatus comprising:
a detection unit including a flow cell that accommodates a liquid serving as an analysis subject; a suction nozzle that sucks the liquid to be introduced into the flow cell; a container that accommodates the liquid to be sucked by the suction nozzle; a pump that supplies the liquid to the flow cell; a tank that stores the discharged liquid; an atmosphere releasing part for atmospheric releasing; a power-cutting instructing unit that gives an instruction to cut a power supply to the pump; a control unit that executes first liquid supplying processing when the power-cutting instruction from the power-cutting instructing unit is not received, and that executes second liquid supplying processing when the power-cutting instruction from the power-cutting instructing unit is received, wherein the nozzle, the flow cell, the atmosphere releasing part, and the tank are connected in sequence via a flow channel for the liquid; the flow cell is placed at a position upper than positions of the container, the suction nozzle, the atmosphere releasing part, and the tank in a gravity direction; the atmosphere releasing part is placed at a position upper than a position of the tank in a gravity direction; and in the second liquid supplying processing, the control unit cuts the power supply after supplying the liquid to the flow cell to immerse the suction nozzle in the liquid contained in the container.

12 . The automatic analysis apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the control unit controls the pump to supply the liquid to the flow cell at a fixed time interval in the first liquid supplying processing.

13 . The automatic analysis apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising a table which places the container at a desired position, wherein in the second liquid supplying processing, the control unit supplies the liquid into the container before cutting the power supply.

14 . The automatic analysis apparatus according to claim 13 , further comprising:
a vertical drive mechanism that moves the table in a vertical direction; and a positional adjustment mechanism that holds a vertical position of the table in cutting the power supply.

15 . The automatic analysis apparatus according to claim 14 ,
wherein the vertical drive mechanism includes a motor and a vertical drive belt that transmits a drive of the motor to the table; and the positional adjustment mechanism is a counterweight attached to the vertical drive belt.

16 . The automatic analysis apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the positional adjustment mechanism includes an elastic body that holds the table at a predetermined position.

17 . A maintenance method of an automatic analysis apparatus, the automatic analysis apparatus including:
a detection unit having a flow cell that accommodates a liquid serving as an analysis subject; a suction nozzle that sucks the liquid to be introduced into the flow cell; a container that accommodates the liquid to be sucked by the suction nozzle; a pump that supplies the liquid to the flow cell; a tank that stores the discharged liquid; and an atmosphere releasing part for atmospheric releasing, wherein the nozzle, the flow cell, the atmosphere releasing part, and the tank are connected in sequence via a flow channel for the liquid; the flow cell is placed at a position upper than positions of the container, the suction nozzle, the atmosphere releasing part, and the tank in a gravity direction; the atmosphere releasing part is placed at a position upper than a position of the tank in a gravity direction; first liquid supplying processing is executed when a power-cutting instruction is not received; second liquid supplying processing is executed when the power-cutting instruction is received; and in the second liquid supplying processing, the power supply is cut after supplying the liquid to the flow cell to immerse the suction nozzle in the liquid contained in the container.

18 . The automatic analysis apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein in the first liquid supplying processing, the liquid is supplied to the flow cell at a fixed time interval.

19 . The automatic analysis apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the second liquid supplying processing includes a first step of supplying the liquid into the flow cell, a second step of filling the container with the liquid, and a third step of inserting the suction nozzle into the container.

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

• G01N35/1004 Primary

  Cleaning sample transfer devices · CPC title

• G01N35/08

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

• G01N35/00712

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