Automated analyzer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020264201-A1
Application number	US-201816476884-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 31, 2018
Priority date	Mar 7, 2017
Publication date	Aug 20, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

An automated analyzer is provided with one or more dispensing lines 109, 209 that are each for loading and unloading, at one end thereof, a sample rack 101 having placed therein one or more sample containers accommodating a sample for analysis and for conveying the sample rack back and forth from a dispensing position for dispensing the sample from the sample containers and sample rack removal parts 111, 211 that are provided adjacent to the other ends of the dispensing lines 109, 209 and provide and receive sample racks to and from the dispensing lines 109, 209. According to this configuration, it is possible to convey an urgent sample while suppressing device complexity, preventing cost from increasing, and also maintaining speed.

First claim

1 . An automated analyzer comprising:
one or more dispensing lines that are each configured to load and unload, at one end thereof, a sample rack mounted with one or more sample containers housing a sample for analysis and to convey the sample rack back and forth to a dispensing position for dispensing the sample from the sample containers; and a sample rack removal part that is provided adjacent to the other end side of the dispensing lines and provides and receives the sample rack to and from the dispensing lines.

2 . The automated analyzer according to claim 1 further comprising:
a conveying line provided separately from the dispensing lines and configured to convey the sample rack back and forth;
a rack rotor having one or more slots on which the sample rack is capable of being mounted and configured to provide and receive the sample rack between one end of the conveying line and one end of the one or more dispensing lines;
an analysis unit having the dispensing lines and configured to analyze and measure components contained in the sample;
a sample identification device configured to read analysis request information related to the sample in the sample container mounted on the sample rack conveyed through the conveying line; and
a control unit configured to load an urgent sample rack in the conveying line from one end of the dispensing line via the rack rotor after moving the sample rack in the dispensing line from the other end of the dispensing line to the sample rack removal part when the sample identification device reads analysis request information of the urgent sample rack that is mounted with the sample container housing an urgent sample and has a higher degree of urgency of analysis and measurement than the sample rack and the sample rack is present in the dispensing line.

3 . The automated analyzer according to claim 1 , wherein
the sample rack removal part is a removal line provided so as to continuously convey the sample rack back and forth between the sample rack removal part and the other ends of the dispensing lines.

4 . The automated analyzer according to claim 2 , wherein
the control unit conveys the urgent sample rack to the dispensing line via the slot that is mounted with the sample rack moved to the sample rack removal part and is empty when the sample rack is loaded into the dispensing line.

5 . The automated analyzer according to claim 2 , wherein
the control unit mounts another urgent sample rack in an empty slot other than the slot where the urgent sample rack in the dispensing line is mounted when the urgent sample rack is present in the dispensing line, when there are two or more empty slots in the rack rotor, and when the sample identification device reads analysis request information of the other urgent sample rack.

6 . The automated analyzer according to claim 2 further comprising:
an urgent sample rack loading unit provided adjacent to the conveying line and configured to load the urgent sample rack;
a sample rack supply unit provided adjacent to the conveying line and closer to one end of the conveying line than the urgent sample rack loading unit and configured to supply the sample rack;
a sample rack storage unit provided adjacent to the conveying line and closer to the one end of the conveying line than the sample rack supply unit and configured to store the sample rack; and
an urgent sample rack wait area provided on the conveying line and closer to the other end of the conveying line than the sample rack storage unit and configured to cause the urgent sample rack to temporarily wait therein, wherein
the control unit causes another urgent sample rack to wait in the urgent sample rack wait area, stores the urgent sample rack of the dispensing line in the sample rack storage unit via the rack rotor and the conveying line, and then mounts the other urgent sample rack on the empty slot of the rack rotor when the urgent sample rack is present in the dispensing line, there is only one empty slot in the rack rotor, and the sample identification device reads analysis request information of the other urgent sample rack.

7 . The automated analyzer according to claim 1 further comprising:
a conveying line provided separately from the dispensing lines and configured to convey the sample rack back and forth;
a rack rotor having one or more slots on which the sample rack can be mounted and configured to provide and receive the sample rack between one end of the conveying line and one end of the dispensing lines;
an analysis unit having the dispensing lines and configured to analyze and measure components contained in the sample;
a sample identification device configured to read analysis request information related to the sample in the sample container mounted on the sample rack conveyed through the conveying line; and
a control unit that loads an urgent sample rack in the conveying line from one end of the dispensing line via the rack rotor meanwhile moving the sample rack in the conveying line from the other end of the dispensing line to the sample rack removal part when the sample identification device reads analysis request information of the urgent sample rack that is mounted with the sample container housing the urgent sample and has a higher degree of urgency of analysis and measurement than the sample rack and the sample rack is presents in the dispensing line.

8 . The automated analyzer according to claim 2 , wherein
the sample rack determined to be reexamined is preferentially conveyed to the analysis unit.

9 . The automated analyzer according to claim 2 , wherein
the control unit conveys the sample rack to the analysis unit capable of measuring a measurement item having a predetermined high priority among measurement items included in the analysis request information read by the sample identification device.

Assignees

• Hitachi High Tech Corp

Inventors

• Makino Akihisa
• Akutsu Masashi
• Mishima Hiroyuki
• Yasui Akihiro

Classifications

• G01N2035/0484

  Belt or chain · CPC title

• G01N2035/047

  diverging, e.g. sending carriers to different analysers · CPC title

• G01N2035/0462

  Buffers [FIFO] or stacks [LIFO] for holding carriers between operations · CPC title

• G01N2035/0439

  Rotary sample carriers, i.e. carousels · CPC title

• G01N2035/0415

  moving in two dimensions in a horizontal plane · CPC title