Automatic analysis system, control device, and cleaning method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023061622-A1
Application number	US-202017794998-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 6, 2020
Priority date	Feb 7, 2020
Publication date	Mar 2, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

To obtain a highly reliable measurement result, this invention is characterized by comprising: an automated analyzer (100) having a sample probe (122) for drawing in and discharging a sample and a sample probe cleaning unit (110) having a sample dispensing unit (121) for at least moving the sample probe (122) from the position of a sample container (152) in which the sample is accommodated to the position of a reaction container (131) into which the sample is to be dispensed, and being configured to carry out first cleaning in which cleaning water is discharged around the sample probe (122) between the drawing in of the sample from the sample container (152) and the discharging of the sample into the reaction container (131); and a controller (200) for controlling the discharging and stopping of the cleaning water in the first cleaning for a prescribed inspection item.

First claim

1 . An automatic analysis system comprising:
an automatic analysis unit including
a probe unit configured to perform aspiration and ejection of a sample,
a probe moving unit configured to move the probe unit at least from a position of a sample container in which the sample is stored to a position of a reaction vessel into which the sample is dispensed, and
a cleaning unit configured to perform first cleaning in which a cleaning liquid is ejected to a periphery of the probe unit between the aspiration of the sample from the sample container and the ejection of the sample to the reaction vessel; and
a control unit configured to control ejection and stop of the cleaning liquid in the first cleaning in a predetermined inspection item.

2 . The automatic analysis system according to claim 1 , wherein
the control unit is configured to
cause, when an inspection performed by the automatic analysis unit is a first inspection which is a specific inspection, the cleaning unit to perform the first cleaning, and
cause, when an inspection performed by the automatic analysis unit is a second inspection which is an inspection other than the first inspection, the cleaning unit to perform second cleaning in which the cleaning liquid is not ejected to the outside of the probe unit between the aspiration of the sample from the sample container and the ejection of the sample to the reaction vessel.

3 . The automatic analysis system according to claim 2 , wherein
the control unit is configured to
perform the first cleaning after all the second cleaning is performed.

4 . The automatic analysis system according to claim 1 , wherein
the control unit is configured to
perform, in the first cleaning, cleaning of the probe unit after movement of the probe unit is stopped.

5 . The automatic analysis system according to claim 4 , wherein
the cleaning unit is configured to
eject the cleaning liquid from a lower side to an upper side, and
the control unit is configured to
perform, in the first cleaning, the ejection of the cleaning liquid before the probe unit reaches a position of the cleaning unit.

6 . The automatic analysis system according to claim 1 , wherein
the control unit is configured to
perform, in the first cleaning, cleaning of the probe unit without stopping movement of the probe unit.

7 . The automatic analysis system according to claim 6 , wherein
after starting the movement of the probe unit at a first movement speed which is a predetermined movement speed, the control unit is configured to set a movement speed of the probe unit to a second movement speed lower than the first movement speed before the cleaning of the probe unit is performed.

8 . The automatic analysis system according to claim 1 , wherein
the control unit is configured to adjust an aspiration time of the sample in the probe unit in accordance with an inspection performed by the automatic analysis unit, and the shorter the aspiration time is, the longer the time for cleaning performed in the first cleaning is.

9 . The automatic analysis system according to claim 1 , wherein
in the first cleaning, the control unit is configured to perform 11-th cleaning of ejecting the cleaning liquid to the periphery of the probe unit and 12-th cleaning of ejecting the cleaning liquid to the periphery of the probe unit after the ejection of the sample to the reaction vessel is completed between the aspiration of the sample from the sample container and the ejection of the sample to the reaction vessel, the first cleaning is divided into a plurality of cycles, and the 11-th cleaning and the 12-th cleaning are performed in different cycles.

10 . The automatic analysis system according to claim 9 , wherein
the 11-th cleaning and the 12-th cleaning are executed at the same timing in the cycles in which each of the 11-th cleaning and the 12-th cleaning is executed.

11 . A control device in an automatic analysis system, the automatic analysis system including
an automatic analysis device including
a probe unit configured to perform aspiration and ejection of a sample,
a probe moving unit configured to move the probe unit at least from a position of a sample container in which the sample is stored to a position of a reaction vessel into which the sample is dispensed, and
a cleaning unit configured to eject a cleaning liquid, and
a control device configured to control ejection and stop of the cleaning liquid in a predetermined inspection item, the control device in the automatic analysis system comprising: an acquisition unit configured to acquire information related to an inspection performed by the automatic analysis device; and a cleaning control unit configured to cause, when the inspection performed by the automatic analysis device is a first inspection which is a specific inspection, the cleaning unit to perform first cleaning in which the cleaning liquid is ejected to a periphery of the probe unit between the aspiration of the sample from the sample container and the ejection of the sample to the reaction vessel, and to cause, when the inspection performed by the automatic analysis device is a second inspection which is an inspection other than the first inspection, the cleaning unit to perform second cleaning in which the cleaning liquid is not ejected to the outside of the probe unit between the aspiration of the sample from the sample container and the ejection of the sample to the reaction vessel.

12 . A cleaning method executed by a control device provided in an automatic analysis system,
the automatic analysis system including
an automatic analysis device including
a probe unit configured to perform aspiration and ejection of a sample,
a probe moving unit configured to move the probe unit at least from a position of a sample container in which the sample is stored to a position of a reaction vessel into which the sample is dispensed, and
a cleaning unit configured to eject a cleaning liquid, and

a control device configured to control ejection and stop of the cleaning liquid in a predetermined inspection item,
the cleaning method executed by the control device comprising: an acquisition step of acquiring information related to an inspection performed by the automatic analysis device; a first cleaning step of causing, when the inspection performed by the automatic analysis device is a first inspection which is a specific inspection, the cleaning unit to perform first cleaning in which the cleaning liquid is ejected to a periphery of the probe unit between the aspiration of the sample from the sample container and the ejection of the sample to the reaction vessel; and a second cleaning step of causing, when the inspection performed by the automatic analysis device is a second inspection which is an inspection other than the first inspection, the cleaning unit to perform second cleaning in which the cleaning liquid is not ejected to the outside of the probe unit between the aspiration of the sample from the sample container and the ejection of the sample to the reaction vessel.

Assignees

• Hitachi High Tech Corp

Inventors

• Mori Takamichi
• Kameyama Hiroki
• Ito Takumi
• Takahashi Kenichi
• OOTAKI Tomotada

Classifications

• G01N35/1004 Primary

  Cleaning sample transfer devices · CPC title

• G01N35/1016

  Control of the volume dispensed or introduced · CPC title