JP2603727B2 - Automatic dispensing device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic dispensing apparatus that weighs and dispenses a sample such as serum or urine collected in a sample tube into an analysis tube according to an analysis item.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an outline of the configuration of the automatic dispensing apparatus, in which 11 is a sample tube unit, 12 is a sample tube, 13 is a disposable chip, 14 is a dispensing mechanism, and 15 is an analysis tube (sample tube or the like). Test tube, etc.), 16 is an input unit, 17 is a label reading unit, and 18 is a data processing control unit.

The automatic dispensing apparatus shown in FIG. 4 includes a cup holder section A, a turntable section B, a rack section C, and the like each accommodating the analysis tube 15, and when the sample tube unit 11 is set, the sample tube unit 11 Is transported to the dispensing mechanism 14, and samples such as serum and urine are automatically dispensed from the sample tube 12 according to the analysis items.

The sample tube unit 11 is a set of a sample tube 12 and a disposable chip 13 used for dispensing the sample tube 12, and the disposable chip 13 is attached to a dispensing mechanism 14 when dispensing, and is attached to a predetermined analysis tube. Dispensing is performed, and after dispensing, the sample is returned to the sample tube unit 11 again.

The data processing control unit 18, for example, when the information on the analysis item for each sample is given in advance from the host computer, determines the dispensing volume for each analysis tube according to the analysis item for each sample, and The information on the dispensing amount is given to the control of the transport and dispensing of the sample tube unit 11. In the dispensing operation, the label reading unit 17 reads the ID information (specimen identification information) of the sample tube unit 11 while the sample tube unit 11 is being transported along the path a → b → c. The dispensing amount is designated for each dispensing mechanism 14, and each analysis tube 15 is dispensed by the dispensing mechanism 14 of the cup holder A, the turntable B, and the rack C.
Dispense into In addition, d to h indicate the feed directions of the analysis tubes after dispensing, respectively.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

In the case of the above-described multi-channel automatic analyzer, the number of sampling positions is plural, and thus the number of sampling points differs depending on the request content of the analysis item of the sample. That is, the dispensing of a sample into an analysis tube by the above-described automatic dispensing device is generally performed for each analysis device, but the analysis tube of each analysis device has four to six sampling numbers, and each sampling position is different. Then, several to eight items of analysis are performed. Therefore, the sample dead volume corresponding to the number of samples in the analyzer is an amount α generated at each sampling point,
Since the minimum amount β required for sampling regardless of the sampling location is used, the conventional dispensing apparatus uses a fixed value represented by D = number of sampling locations × α + β regardless of the analysis item of the sample. The sample dead volume D was previously set in the dispenser. Therefore, when the number of samplings is small due to the specified analysis item, an extra amount is included as the sample dead volume. For this reason, for example, when the number of analysis tubes to be dispensed in a wide variety of analysis items increases, a problem arises in that the sample collection amount is insufficient.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and has as its object to provide an automatic dispensing apparatus that minimizes a necessary amount of sample dead volume for dispensing.

[Means for solving the problem]

To this end, the present invention provides an automatic dispensing apparatus that weighs and dispenses a sample collected in a sample tube into an analysis tube according to an analysis item, and includes a dead volume setting unit, and the dead volume setting unit samples from the analysis tube. In order to store the minimum required first dead volume and the required second dead volume per sampling for each analyzer, and to dispense based on specified analysis items, analyzer sampling for each analysis tube The number of samples is multiplied by the second dead volume to obtain the total dead volume of the analytical tube for dispensing the sum with the first dead volume, and the amount obtained by adding the used sample amount to the total dead volume is determined. It is something to note.

[Action]

In the automatic dispensing apparatus of the present invention, the value obtained by multiplying the number of samplings by the second dead volume and adding the first dead volume is defined as the total dead volume, which is added to the used sample amount and dispensed. The amount is the minimum required dead volume according to the number of samplings, and does not include extra dead volume. Therefore, waste of the sample can be reduced, and the analysis items can be diversified.

〔Example〕

 Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a view showing one embodiment of an automatic dispensing apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a view showing an example of a dispensing amount reference table.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a host computer, 2 denotes an automatic text device, 3-1, 3-2,..., An automatic analyzer, and 4 denotes an input / output device.

In FIG. 1, an input / output device 4 is for inputting analysis items and analysis conditions, outputting analysis results, and the like. The host computer 1 controls and manages the entire system, controls input / output of the input / output device 4, and operates the automatic dispensing device 2, the automatic analyzers 3-1, 3-2,.
Dispensing and analysis control are performed by giving an operation command. For example, when an analysis item is input from the input / output device 4, the host computer 1 transfers the dispensing information to the automatic dispensing device 2 according to the input. In the automatic dispensing apparatus 2, when a sample tube containing a sample such as a collected serum or urine is set, the label of the sample tube is read to identify the sample. Calculate the dispensed volume and dispense it into the analytical tube. In the setting of the dispensed volume in this case, the present invention provides a minimum dead volume required for each sampling as α, a minimum required dead volume for sampling as an analysis tube as β, and a sampling number as α: nx Let α + β be the dead volume and the total volume of the sample used V
Is added (V + n × α + β) as the dispensed amount.

As described above, an analyzer generally has a plurality of sampling points, and analysis over a plurality of analysis items is performed at each sampling point. Therefore, the present invention provides an analysis item and sampling as shown in FIG.
No. (sampling location) and a correspondence table between the sampling No., the dispensed amount there, and the analyzer as shown in FIG. Then, the minimum dead volume can be added from this table to determine the dispensed amount. That is, the minimum required dead volume α for each sampling is determined for each analyzer. Therefore, for all the specified analysis items, referring to the above table and obtaining the number n of the sampling numbers for each analyzer, the dispensed volume V at the sampling number, the number n of the sampling numbers, and the dead volume From the product of α and the total sum of the basic dead volume β of the analysis tube, the optimum dispensing amount of the analysis tube set in the analyzer can be determined.

Next, an example of processing for determining a dead volume will be described.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an example of processing for determining a dead volume for each analyzer from a designated analysis item.

In the processing example shown in FIG.
The memory having a storage area such as the analysis device number, the dispensing amount, etc. is cleared, and thereafter, for each analysis item, for example, the second
The sampling number is read by referring to the table shown in FIG. If the sampling number is the first time, the sampling number is stored, and the analyzer number is further checked. When the analyzer No. is the first time, the analyzer No. is stored, and the used sample amount and the dead volumes α and β are added and stored. But,
If the sampling number has already been stored, the dispensed amount at that sampling point has been added, so the process of adding the dispensed amount (step) is not performed. If the sampling number is not stored but the analyzer No. is already stored, a sampling point will be added, so the used sample amount and the dead volume α are added (step). Become. When such processing is completed for all analysis items,
The dispensed amount stored in the memory is the amount to be dispensed corresponding to each analyzer.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible. For example, even if the host computer 1 determines the dispensing amount, the automatic dispensing device 2
(The data processing control unit 18 shown in FIG. 4).
In the former case, when the label of the sample tube is read by the label reading unit, the dispensing amount may be inquired from the automatic dispensing apparatus 2 to the host computer 1 based on the identification content, and in the latter case. , The information on the analysis items is transferred from the host computer 1 to the automatic dispensing device 2,
What is necessary is just to determine each dispensed amount in the automatic dispensing apparatus 2. In the above embodiment, a table is used. However, it goes without saying that the format of the table can be freely modified. In addition, the sampling No. and the analyzer N
Regarding o., the determination may be made depending on whether the flag is controlled or not.

〔The invention's effect〕

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, information on the number of sampling points of the analyzer is obtained from each analysis item, and when the dispensing device receives the dispensing information, the analyzer is targeted for the sample. Since the sampling location of (1) determines the sample dead volume by judging some of them, it is possible to determine the minimum required sample dead volume. Therefore, in the past, the maximum value of the sample dead volume of the analyzer to be dispensed was set to a fixed value and it was dispensed for all samples, but the dead volume at the reduced sampling point can be reduced. In addition, useless sample dispensing can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of an automatic dispensing device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a dispensing amount reference table, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an example of a process for determining a volume, and FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an outline of a configuration of an automatic dispensing apparatus. 1 ... host computer, 2 ... automatic middle device, 3-
1, 3-2,..., Automatic analyzer, 4.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An automatic dispensing device for weighing and dispensing a sample collected in a sample tube into an analysis tube according to an analysis item, comprising a dead volume setting means, wherein the dead volume setting means is used for sampling from the analysis tube. The minimum number of the first dead volume required and the second dead volume required for each sampling for each analyzer are stored, and the number of analyzer samplings for each analysis tube to be dispensed based on the specified analysis item. Is multiplied by the second dead volume to obtain the total dead volume of the analytical tube for dispensing the sum with the first dead volume, and the amount obtained by adding the used sample amount to the total dead volume is dispensed. Automatic dispensing device characterized by performing.