Automatic analysis system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9535081-B2
Application number	US-201214129598-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2012
Priority date	Jun 30, 2011
Publication date	Jan 3, 2017
Grant date	Jan 3, 2017

Abstract

There is provided an automatic analysis system that dispenses samples and reagents into a plurality of reaction vessels to cause reaction and to measure the liquid resulting from the reaction. The system implements a method of handling capped sample containers such as vacuum blood collection tubes along transfer routes. A sample container opening/closing mechanism is provided which removes the caps of the sample containers prior to sample dispensing and which closes the sample containers following sample dispensing using the same corresponding caps as before the dispensing. Also provided is an opening/closing mechanism that retains and manages the caps removed from the sample containers, as well as a transport unit capable of selecting one of the transport routes which fits the identified sample containers so as to close them with the fit caps. This invention thus provides a container opening/closing system that improves throughput of the sample collection process in conjunction with the automatic analysis system performing the sample container opening/closing process.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An automatic analysis system equipped with a transport unit which retains and transports sample containers having removable caps, the automatic analysis system comprising:
a sample probe which pipets samples contained in the sample containers; and
a plurality of cap opening/closing units, each of which opens and closes the caps of the sample containers,
wherein the transport unit includes:
a first transport line which transports the sample containers, which have had their caps removed, to a sample line adjacent to the sample probe;
a second transport line which transports the sample containers from the sample line, having undergone pipetting of the samples by the sample probe, away from the sample probe; and
a third transport line which connects to the first transport line and the second transport line, transports the sample containers to and from the cap opening/closing units which are adjacent to the third transport line,
wherein each of the plurality of cap opening/closing units retains the caps opened by performing a cap opening process on given samples and closes the retained caps by carrying out a cap closing process on the same samples,
wherein the third transport line has a plurality of transport lines arranged in parallel to transport the samples to a position where the caps thereof may be opened and closed by the plurality of cap opening/closing units.

2. The automatic analysis system according to claim 1 , further comprising a control unit which controls each of the cap opening/closing units in such a manner as to perform:
a cap opening process on the caps of the sample containers transported from the first transport line to the third transport line; and
a cap closing process on the caps of the sample containers transported from the second transport line to the third transport line.

3. The automatic analysis system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a storage medium which stores sample information identifying the samples;
a plurality of ID reading units which read the sample information of the samples before the cap opening/closing units perform the cap opening process and which read the sample information when the samples are transported from the second transport line to the third transport line, and
wherein the control unit determines the cap opening/closing unit which should perform the cap closing process based on the result of the reading by at least one of the plurality of ID reading units.

4. The automatic analysis system according to claim 1 , wherein each of the cap opening/closing units include chuck mechanisms;
wherein each of the cap opening/closing units has the plurality of chuck mechanisms arranged as a block in a plurality of rows; and
wherein each of the chuck mechanisms arranged in the block, respectively, perform the opening and closing processes on a plurality of caps simultaneously.

5. The automatic analysis system according to claim 4 , wherein the third transport line has the plurality of transport lines arrayed corresponding to the cap opening/closing means arranged in a plurality of rows.

6. The automatic analysis system according to claim 1 ,
wherein a type of the cap attached to a given sample container is identified;
wherein cap opening/closing methods classified by the cap type are stored in a storage medium;
wherein a determination is made as to whether or not the cap opening/closing process may be performed based on the type of cap identified; and
wherein, given a sample container for which the cap opening/closing process may be performed according to the determination, a control unit causes the cap opening/closing method corresponding to the sample container in question to be retrieved from the storage medium and implemented to execute the cap opening/closing process, and
wherein, given a sample container for which the cap opening/closing process may not be performed according to the determination, the control unit causes the cap opening/closing method corresponding to the sample container in question to be retrieved from the storage unit and implemented to execute the cap opening process, causes a cap that is appropriate to close the sample container to be supplied, and/or causes the cap closing process to be performed to close the sample container with the appropriate cap.

7. The automatic analysis system according to claim 6 ,
wherein the sample containers are allowed to wait on the second transport line, and
wherein the control unit instructs to change the order in which the sample containers are transported, based, at least in part, on the identified cap type of the caps attached to the sample containers.

8. The automatic analysis system according to claim 1 ,
wherein a cap opened/closed state of the sample containers is detected, and
wherein, based on the detected opened/closed state of the sample containers, when the opening or closing of a particular cap has failed, the opening or closing of that particular cap is repeated.

9. The automatic analysis system according to claim 1 , wherein the third transport line allows the sample containers to move thereon in reciprocating motion.

Assignees

• Yamagata Toshiki
• Takahashi Kenichi
• Sasaki Takahiro
• Yamaguchi Shigeki
• Hitachi High Tech Corp

Inventors

• Yamagata Toshiki
• Takahashi Kenichi
• Sasaki Takahiro
• Yamaguchi Shigeki

Classifications

• G01N35/04

  Details of the conveyor system {(G01N35/021 - G01N35/028 take precedence)} · CPC title

• G01N35/026 Primary

  having blocks or racks of reaction cells or cuvettes · CPC title

• G01N2035/0415

  moving in two dimensions in a horizontal plane · CPC title

• G01N35/02 Primary

  using a plurality of sample containers moved by a conveyor system past one or more treatment or analysis stations {(G01N35/0098 and G01N35/0099 take precedence)} · CPC title

• G01N2035/00287

  movable lid/cover for sample or reaction tubes · CPC title