JP7343612B2 - automatic analyzer - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an automatic analyzer.

In automatic analyzers, in order to analyze the components of biological samples such as blood and urine, the sample and reagent are reacted to measure color development and luminescence. In order to cause the sample and reagent to react, each of the sample and reagent is dispensed from the supply container to the reaction container and analyzed. When dispensing, the tip of the dispensing probe is brought into contact with and immersed in the liquid to be dispensed, and the liquid to be dispensed is aspirated. The amount of liquid adhering increases, and there is a concern that cross-contamination with the next liquid to be dispensed may occur. For this reason, during dispensing, in order to reduce the amount of immersion of the dispensing probe, it is common to detect the liquid level of the liquid to be dispensed and to aspirate the liquid near the liquid surface. In this case, if there are bubbles or a liquid film above the liquid level of the liquid to be dispensed, the bubbles or liquid film will be judged as the liquid surface and suction will be performed without the dispensing probe touching the liquid to be dispensed. Therefore, there is a possibility that the required amount may not be dispensed and accurate analysis results may not be output.

Generally, automatic analyzers warn users to avoid analyzing samples containing bubbles or liquid films. However, due to failure of confirmation by the user or bubbles generated when dispensing the sample into the container for the automatic analyzer using the automatic pretreatment system, the sample may be input into the automatic analyzer with bubbles or liquid film still present. There is a possibility that it will be done.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2014-145621 (Patent Document 1) describes a technique for confirming the presence of bubbles or liquid film before dispensing a sample and, if present, defoaming using a defoamer.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-145621

In automatic analyzers, bubbles and liquid films on the liquid to be dispensed become an obstacle to accurately detecting the liquid level of the liquid to be dispensed, preventing the required amount from being dispensed and outputting accurate analysis results. However, bubbles and liquid films are generally only a warning to users. However, checking for bubbles and liquid films is a burden for the user, and there is also a concern that the user may fail to check. For this reason, it is desirable to perform defoaming treatment on the liquid to be dispensed before dispensing.

If the liquid to be dispensed is subjected to defoaming treatment before dispensing, a sufficient defoaming effect may not be obtained for the liquid to be dispensed, depending on the conditions of the defoaming treatment. If the antifoam treatment for the liquid to be dispensed is insufficient, the liquid will be dispensed with bubbles or a liquid film remaining on the liquid to be dispensed, and there is a risk that dispensing may not be performed properly. There is. If dispensing cannot be performed appropriately, the reliability of the analysis results obtained by the automatic analyzer will be reduced. Therefore, when dispensing after applying antifoaming treatment to the liquid to be dispensed, the antifoaming treatment reliably removes bubbles and liquid films on the liquid to be dispensed. It is desirable to prevent dispensing with bubbles or liquid film remaining on the top. Further, when dispensing the liquid to be dispensed after performing antifoaming treatment, there is a possibility that the liquid to be dispensed may be altered in quality by the antifoaming treatment, depending on the conditions of the antifoaming treatment. If the liquid to be dispensed is altered in quality by the defoaming treatment, the reliability of the analysis results by the automatic analyzer will be reduced. For this reason, when dispensing a liquid to be dispensed after antifoaming treatment, it is desirable to reduce as much as possible the risk that the liquid to be dispensed will be altered by the antifoaming treatment.

Other objects and novel features will become apparent from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings.

A brief overview of typical embodiments disclosed in this application will be as follows.

According to one embodiment, the automatic analyzer includes a determination unit that determines the presence or absence of bubbles in a liquid contained in a container, and an irradiation unit that irradiates ultrasonic waves to the liquid contained in the container. It is equipped with. The irradiation unit performs a first ultrasonic irradiation process on the liquid in the container, and the determination unit determines whether bubbles are present in the liquid in the container that has been subjected to the first ultrasonic irradiation process. Determine the presence or absence. If the determination unit determines that there are bubbles in the liquid in the container that has been subjected to the first ultrasonic irradiation treatment, the irradiation unit determines that the liquid that has been subjected to the first ultrasonic irradiation treatment has bubbles. A second ultrasonic irradiation treatment having a greater defoaming effect than the first ultrasonic irradiation treatment is performed on the liquid in the container.

According to the representative embodiment, the reliability of analysis results obtained by an automatic analyzer can be improved.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of an automatic analyzer in one embodiment. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of defoaming processing in the automatic analyzer of one embodiment. 1 is a flowchart showing the flow of defoaming processing in an automatic analyzer according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing how ultrasonic waves are irradiated onto a sample in the sample storage container while moving the sample storage container. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing how ultrasonic waves are irradiated from a horn to a sample in a sample storage container. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing how ultrasonic waves are irradiated from a horn to a sample in a sample storage container. FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of an automatic analyzer according to another embodiment. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of defoaming processing in an automatic analyzer according to another embodiment. 7 is a flowchart showing the flow of defoaming processing in an automatic analyzer according to another embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings. In addition, in all the drawings for explaining the embodiment, members having the same function are given the same reference numerals, and repeated explanation thereof will be omitted. Furthermore, in the following embodiments, descriptions of the same or similar parts will not be repeated in principle unless particularly necessary.

(Embodiment 1)
<Configuration of automatic analyzer>
With reference to FIG. 1, the configuration of the automatic analyzer in this embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of an automatic analyzer according to this embodiment. is shown.

As shown in FIG. 1, the automatic analyzer according to the present embodiment includes an apparatus control section 1 that controls the entire automatic analyzer, a bubble identification section 2, a bubble judgment section 3, and an ultrasonic analyzer that generates ultrasonic waves. It includes a sonic wave source 4, an ultrasonic source driver 5 that drives the ultrasonic source 4, an ultrasonic output controller 6 that controls the ultrasonic source driver 5, and a dispensing probe 7. There is. The automatic analysis device in this embodiment, including other components not shown, is controlled by the device control section 1.

The foam identification section 2 is connected to a foam determination section 3, and the foam determination section 3 is connected to the device control section 1. Further, the ultrasonic source 4 is connected to an ultrasonic source driving section 5, the ultrasonic source driving section 5 is connected to an ultrasonic output control section 6, and the ultrasonic output control section 6 is connected to an apparatus control section. Connected to 1. A horn 8 for amplifying the ultrasonic waves is attached to the tip of the ultrasonic wave source 4 . The dispensing probe 7 is connected to the device control section 1.

A sample (liquid) 10 to be analyzed by the automatic analyzer is placed in a sample storage container 11, and the sample storage container 11 is installed in a sample storage container installation section (sample rack) 12, and is connected to a transport section (transport mechanism), etc. is transported through the automatic analyzer. The sample 10 stored (accommodated) in the sample storage container 11 is a liquid, and is, for example, a biological sample such as blood or urine. Although usable containers for the sample storage container 11 are often specified depending on the automatic analyzer, various containers may be used. In addition, there is also an automatic analyzer that uses several sample storage containers 11 assembled together and installed in the sample storage container installation section 12, and an automatic analyzer that installs and analyzes a large number of sample storage containers 11 on a disk at once. There is also an automatic analyzer in which sample storage containers 11 are transported one by one.

Further, the sample storage container 11 itself or the sample storage container construction section 12 for installing the sample storage container 11 is provided with a bar code (not shown) for identifying the type of sample 10 in the sample storage container 11. You can also leave it there. In that case, in the automatic analyzer, the type of sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 can be recognized by stopping the sample storage container installation part 12 at the barcode reading position and reading the barcode with a barcode reader. can. At this barcode reading position, it is also possible to determine the presence or absence of bubbles in the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 and perform defoaming processing.

A sample 10 is stored in the sample storage container 11, but if bubbles 13 are present on the liquid surface (surface) of the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11, or if the sample 10 is A liquid film 14 may exist above the liquid level 10. The bubble identification unit 2 acquires information that makes it possible to determine whether bubbles 13 or liquid film 14 are present in the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 . For example, the sample storage container 11 is transported below the bubble identification section 2 by the sample storage container construction section 12, and the bubble identification section 2 detects the bubbles of the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 located below the bubble identification section 2. 13 or the liquid film 14 is present. Based on the information obtained by the bubble identifying section 2, the bubble determining section 3 determines whether there is a bubble 13 or a liquid film 14, and the result of the determination is notified to the device control section 1 from the foam determining section 3.

The information acquired by the bubble identification unit 2 is, for example, image data. For example, the bubble identification unit 2 includes an imaging unit capable of acquiring image data of the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11, and based on the image data acquired by the bubble identification unit 2, the bubble determination unit 3 The presence or absence of bubbles 13 or liquid film 14 within containment vessel 11 can be determined.

Here, for the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11, determining whether bubbles 13 on the liquid surface or a liquid film 14 above the liquid surface are present will be referred to as "determining the presence or absence of bubbles." This will be referred to as "Do." Therefore, when it is referred to as "determining the presence or absence of bubbles", it corresponds to determining the presence or absence of bubbles 13 or liquid film 14. Therefore, when determining the presence or absence of bubbles, if at least one of the bubbles 13 and the liquid film 14 is present, it is determined that there is a bubble, and if neither the bubbles 13 nor the liquid film 14 are present, it is determined that there is a bubble. It is determined that there is no such thing. The bubble identification section 2 acquires information that allows determining the presence or absence of bubbles in the sample storage container construction section 12, and based on that information, the bubble determination section 3 determines whether or not there are bubbles in the sample storage container construction section 12. Determine whether or not there is. Therefore, the combination of the foam identification section 2 and the foam determination section 3 can also be regarded as a determination section that determines the presence or absence of bubbles.

The ultrasonic generation source 4 is driven by an ultrasonic generation source driving section 5 to generate ultrasonic waves. Ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasound source 4 are irradiated from a horn 8 attached to the tip of the ultrasound source 4 . The ultrasonic source drive section 5 is controlled by an ultrasonic output control section 6. Therefore, the intensity or frequency of the ultrasound generated by the ultrasound source 4 can be controlled by the ultrasound output control section 6. The ultrasonic output control section 6 is controlled by the device control section 1.

Ultrasonic waves emitted from the horn 8 are emitted toward the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 located below the horn 8 . Since the ultrasonic waves are emitted from the horn 8, the horn 8 itself or the combination of the horn 8 and the ultrasonic generation source 4 can be regarded as an irradiation unit that irradiates the ultrasonic waves.

If bubbles 13 or liquid film 14 are present in the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 located below the horn 8 (that is, the sample 10 to which the ultrasonic waves from the horn 8 are irradiated), the irradiation is performed. Ultrasonic waves have the effect of extinguishing (disappearing or removing) the bubbles 13 or liquid film 14. Here, erasing the bubbles 13 on the liquid surface or the liquid film 14 above the liquid surface is referred to as "defoaming." Therefore, in this application, when the term "defoaming" is used, it includes not only the case of eliminating the bubbles 13 on the liquid surface, but also the case of eliminating the liquid film 14 above the liquid surface. The process of irradiating the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 with ultrasonic waves from the horn 8 can be regarded as a defoaming process (defoaming process using ultrasonic waves).

The dispensing probe (probe for dispensing) 7 is a dispensing probe for samples, and is controlled by the device control unit 1 to dispense the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 into another container (reaction container). do. That is, a part of the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 is aspirated by the dispensing probe 7, and the sample 10 aspirated by the dispensing probe 7 is discharged into another container (reaction container). As a result, a part of the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 is transferred to another container (reaction container) by the dispensing probe 7. A syringe (not shown) for aspirating and discharging the sample 10 is connected to the dispensing probe 7 . The automatic analyzer also has a reagent dispensing probe (not shown), and the reagent in the reagent storage container is dispensed into the reaction container using the reagent dispensing probe. . Thereby, the sample and the reagent can be mixed and reacted within the reaction container. The automatic analyzer also includes an analysis section (not shown), and this analysis section performs a predetermined analysis (for example, optical property analysis) on the liquid (reaction solution of sample and reagent) in the reaction container. measurement). This makes it possible to analyze the components of the sample.

The device control unit 1 can centrally control the detailed operations of each constituent unit of the automatic analysis device. Therefore, the device control unit 1 can appropriately control the timing of information acquisition by the foam identification unit 2, the timing of defoaming processing by ultrasonic waves, the timing of dispensing processing by dispensing probe 7, etc. . The device control unit 1 can also monitor the occurrence of an abnormal state in each component unit of the automatic analyzer, and can perform appropriate processing in the event of an abnormality.

<About the flow of defoaming treatment in the automatic analyzer>
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of the defoaming process in the automatic analyzer, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of the defoaming process in the automatic analyzer. In addition, in FIG. 2, illustration of the device control section 1, bubble determination section 3, ultrasonic generation source drive section 5, and ultrasonic output control section 6 shown in FIG. 1 is omitted.

A sample 10 is stored (accommodated) in the sample storage container 11 . First, before dispensing the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11, the apparatus control section 1 controls the transport section and the like to transport the sample storage container 11 to a position below the bubble identification section 2. Then, the bubble identification unit 2 and the bubble determination unit 3 determine whether there are bubbles in the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 (step S1 in FIGS. 2 and 3). Specifically, the bubble identification unit 2 acquires information about the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 (information that makes it possible to determine whether bubbles 13 or liquid film 14 are present), Based on the acquired information, the bubble determining section 3 determines the presence or absence of bubbles 13 or liquid film 14 in the sample storage container 11. The foam determining section 3 notifies the device control section 1 of the determination result. In FIG. 2, the acquisition of information, for example, the acquisition of image data, by the bubble identification unit 2 in step S1 is schematically shown with reference numeral 21.

The sample storage container 11 determined to be free of bubbles (no bubbles 13 or liquid film 14 present) in step S1 is not subjected to the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2, which will be described later, and the dispensing probe 7 is It is transported to a certain dispensing position, and dispensing processing using the dispensing probe 7 is performed.

On the other hand, if the sample storage container 11 is determined to have bubbles (the bubbles 13 or the liquid film 14 are present) in step S1, the apparatus control unit 1 will control the transport unit or the like based on the notification result from the bubble determination unit 3. is conveyed below the horn 8. Then, the apparatus control unit 1 controls the ultrasonic output control unit 6 to cause the ultrasonic source 4 to generate ultrasonic waves, so that the sample in the sample storage container 11 in which the bubbles 13 or the liquid film 14 are present is transmitted from the horn 8. Ultrasonic waves are irradiated toward 10. That is, the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 in which the bubbles 13 or the liquid film 14 are present is subjected to ultrasonic irradiation treatment (step S2 in FIGS. 2 and 3). The ultrasonic irradiation treatment in step S2 (first ultrasonic irradiation treatment) has a defoaming effect. In FIG. 2, the ultrasonic waves emitted from the horn 8 in step S2 are schematically shown with reference numeral 22.

The sample storage container 11 that has been subjected to the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in step S2 is transported to a position below the bubble identification section 2 by the device control section 1 controlling the transport section and the like. Then, the bubble identification unit 2 and the bubble determination unit 3 determine whether there are bubbles in the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 (step S3 in FIGS. 2 and 3). Specifically, the bubble identification unit 2 acquires information about the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 (information that makes it possible to determine whether bubbles 13 or liquid film 14 are present), Based on the acquired information, the bubble determining unit 3 determines whether there is a bubble 13 or a liquid film 14 in the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 that has been subjected to the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2. The foam determining section 3 notifies the device control section 1 of the determination result. In FIG. 2, the acquisition of information, for example, the acquisition of image data, by the bubble identification unit 2 in step S3 is schematically shown with reference numeral 23.

A sample storage container 11 determined to be free of bubbles (no bubbles 13 or liquid film 14 present) in step S3 (i.e., a sample storage container 11 in which bubbles 13 or liquid film 14 have disappeared by the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2) ) is not subjected to the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S4, which will be described later, and is later transported to a certain dispensing position where the dispensing probe 7 is used to perform a dispensing process using the dispensing probe 7.

On the other hand, the sample storage container 11 determined to have bubbles (the bubbles 13 or the liquid film 14 are present) in step S3 (i.e., the sample in which the bubbles 13 or the liquid film 14 did not disappear during the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2) The storage container 11) is conveyed below the horn 8 by the apparatus control section 1 controlling the conveyance section and the like based on the notification result from the bubble determination section 3. Then, the apparatus control unit 1 controls the ultrasonic output control unit 6 to cause the ultrasonic source 4 to generate ultrasonic waves, so that the sample in the sample storage container 11 in which the bubbles 13 or the liquid film 14 are present is transmitted from the horn 8. Ultrasonic waves are irradiated toward 10. That is, the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 in which the bubbles 13 or the liquid film 14 are present is subjected to ultrasonic irradiation treatment (step S4 in FIGS. 2 and 3). The ultrasonic irradiation treatment in step S4 (second ultrasonic irradiation treatment) has a defoaming effect. In FIG. 2, the ultrasonic waves emitted from the horn 8 in step S4 are schematically shown with reference numeral 24.

What is characteristic here is that the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S4 is greater than the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2. That is, the conditions for the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in step S2 and the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in step S4 are adjusted so that the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in step S4 has a greater defoaming effect than the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in step S2. Set.

The sample storage container 11 that has been subjected to the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in step S4 is transported to a position below the bubble identification section 2 by the device control section 1 controlling the transport section and the like. Then, the bubble identification unit 2 and the bubble determination unit 3 determine whether there are bubbles in the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 (step S5 in FIGS. 2 and 3). Specifically, the bubble identification unit 2 acquires information about the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 (information that makes it possible to determine whether bubbles 13 or liquid film 14 are present), Based on the acquired information, the bubble determining unit 3 determines whether there is a bubble 13 or a liquid film 14 in the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 that has been subjected to the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S4. The foam determining section 3 notifies the device control section 1 of the determination result. In FIG. 2, the acquisition of information, for example, the acquisition of image data, by the bubble identification unit 2 in step S5 is schematically shown with reference numeral 25.

A sample storage container 11 determined to be free of bubbles (no bubbles 13 or liquid film 14 present) in step S5 (i.e., a sample storage container 11 in which bubbles 13 or liquid film 14 have disappeared by the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S4) ) is not subjected to the next ultrasonic irradiation process, but is later transported to a dispensing position where the dispensing probe 7 is located, and dispensing processing using the dispensing probe 7 is performed.

On the other hand, the sample storage container 11 determined to have bubbles (the bubbles 13 or the liquid film 14 are present) in step S5 (i.e., the sample in which the bubbles 13 or the liquid film 14 did not disappear during the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S4) For the containment vessel 11), the above step S4 (ultrasonic irradiation treatment) and the above step S5 (determination of the presence or absence of bubbles) are repeated until it is determined that there is no bubble.

An upper limit for the number of repetitions (cycle number) of steps S4 and S5 is set in advance, and even if step S4 and step S5 are repeated up to the upper limit number of times, it is determined that there are bubbles (i.e., bubbles 13 or liquid film 14). has not disappeared), appropriate abnormality processing (abnormality handling processing) can be performed on the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 without performing dispensing processing using the dispensing probe 7. The upper limit of the number of repetitions can be set to an arbitrary number, and can also be set according to the characteristics of the sample. The upper limit of the number of repetitions can be entered in any way, for example, by selecting a numerical value on the operation screen or by directly inputting the numerical value.

Further, the upper limit of the number of repetitions (cycle number) of step S4 and step S5 can be set to a plurality of times (for example, two or three times, etc.), but it can also be set to one time. If the upper limit of the number of repetitions is one, after performing step S1, step S2, step S3, step S4, and step S5 in order, the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 determined to have bubbles in step S5 is , no further ultrasonic irradiation treatment is applied.

Furthermore, when Step S4 and Step S5 are repeated a plurality of times (multiple cycles), the defoaming effect of the repeated ultrasonic irradiation treatment in Step S4 is maintained at the same level without changing the conditions for the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in Step S4. I can do it. For example, when repeating step S4 and step S5 twice, the conditions for ultrasonic irradiation are the same in the first step S4 and the later step S4, so that the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in the first step S4, The defoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in the subsequent step S4 can be made to the same level. This can also be applied to step S4a of Embodiment 2, which will be described later.

As another form, the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in step S5 can be increased each time step S4 and step S5 are repeated. For example, when repeating step S4 and step S5 twice, the ultrasonic irradiation conditions are changed between the first step S4 and the subsequent step S4, so that the antifoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in the first step S4 is It is also possible to increase the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in the subsequent step S4. This can also be applied to step S4a of Embodiment 2, which will be described later.

Note that the sample storage container 11 that is determined to be free of bubbles in step S1, step S3, or step S5 is moved to the dispensing position where the sample dispensing probe 7 is located by the device control unit 1 controlling the transport unit and the like. The sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 is dispensed into another container (reaction container) using the dispensing probe 7. That is, a part of the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 is aspirated by the dispensing probe 7, and the sample 10 aspirated by the dispensing probe 7 is discharged into another container (reaction container). Further, the reagent in the reagent storage container is dispensed into the reaction container using a reagent dispensing probe (not shown). As a result, the sample and reagent are mixed and reacted within the reaction container. Thereafter, a predetermined analysis (for example, measurement of optical properties) is performed on the liquid (reaction solution of the sample and reagent) in the reaction container. This makes it possible to analyze the components of the sample.

Further, step S3 (determining the presence or absence of bubbles again) can be performed immediately after the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2, but after the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2, the dispensing process for other samples can be performed. It may be carried out after carrying out a series of steps (for example, at the timing of re-analysis).

In addition, methods for determining the presence or absence of bubbles 13 and liquid film 14 include a method of determining from images etc. (the method described in Embodiment 1), a method of determining from the suction status and discharge status during dispensing (the method described in Embodiment 1), Although the method described in Section 2) is conceivable, any method can be used as long as the presence or absence of bubbles 13 and liquid film 14 can be determined.

<About ultrasonic irradiation treatment>
The ultrasonic irradiation processing in step S2 and step S4 is performed to extinguish (disappear, remove) the bubbles 13 or liquid film 14 in the sample storage container 11. There are various treatments that have an antifoaming effect, and among them, ultrasonic irradiation treatment can be performed without contact, has a high antifoaming effect, and is easy to suppress deterioration of the sample. Furthermore, it is relatively easy to equip an automatic analyzer with the equipment necessary for ultrasonic irradiation. Therefore, in this embodiment, ultrasonic irradiation treatment is employed as the defoaming treatment, and the ultrasonic irradiation treatment is performed in step S2 and step S4.

However, even when ultrasonic irradiation treatment is adopted as defoaming treatment, there is a possibility (risk) that the sample will be altered by the ultrasonic irradiation treatment. That is, as the sample is irradiated with ultrasonic waves, there is a possibility that the chemical properties of the sample may change. If the sample is altered by the ultrasonic irradiation treatment, there is a possibility that subsequent analysis of the sample (for example, component analysis) may not be performed accurately. For example, deterioration of a sample can cause errors in sample analysis results. This leads to a decrease in the reliability of the analysis results obtained by the automatic analyzer.

Therefore, even when ultrasonic irradiation treatment is adopted as defoaming treatment, it is desirable to suppress deterioration of the sample due to ultrasonic irradiation treatment. However, when attempting to suppress the deterioration of the sample due to ultrasonic irradiation treatment, the defoaming effect of ultrasonic irradiation treatment also decreases. In other words, ultrasonic irradiation treatment with a small antifoaming effect is less likely to cause deterioration of the sample due to ultrasonic irradiation treatment, and ultrasonic irradiation treatment with a large antifoaming effect is likely to cause deterioration of the sample due to ultrasonic irradiation treatment. Highly sexual. This is because increasing the defoaming effect of ultrasonic irradiation treatment leads to an increase in the energy applied to the sample, which increases the temperature of the sample and makes it easier for the sample to change in quality. In other words, there is a trade-off relationship between the magnitude of the defoaming effect of ultrasonic irradiation treatment and the possibility (risk) of deterioration of the sample due to ultrasonic irradiation treatment.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2 and the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S4 are performed so that the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S4 has a greater defoaming effect than the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2. The conditions for each process are set.

Unlike this embodiment, it is assumed that ultrasonic irradiation treatment having the same degree of defoaming effect is performed in step S2 and step S4, and this case will be referred to as the first study example below. . In the case of the first study example, by making the conditions of the ultrasonic irradiation treatment the same in step S2 and step S4, the magnitude of the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in step S2 and the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in step S4 can be adjusted. The magnitude of the defoaming effect is the same for both.

However, in the case of this first study example, the magnitude of the antifoaming effect is the same in step S2 and step S4, so if ultrasonic irradiation treatment with a small antifoaming effect is performed in step S2, it will inevitably occur in step S2. The antifoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in S4 also becomes small, and on the other hand, if the ultrasonic irradiation treatment with a large antifoaming effect is performed in step S2, the antifoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in step S4 will inevitably become large. .

Here, when ultrasonic irradiation treatment is performed, large bubbles disappear more easily than small bubbles. Therefore, large bubbles can be easily eliminated by ultrasonic irradiation treatment, which has a small defoaming effect, but small bubbles are difficult to eliminate by ultrasonic irradiation treatment, which has a small defoaming effect. For this reason, when ultrasonic irradiation treatment with a small antifoaming effect is performed, large bubbles can be eliminated, but small bubbles remain without disappearing. On the other hand, when ultrasonic irradiation treatment with a strong antifoaming effect is performed, not only large bubbles but also small bubbles can be extinguished.

In the first study example, when ultrasonic irradiation treatment with a small defoaming effect is performed in both step S2 and step S4, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the sample is altered by the ultrasonic irradiation treatment. However, in this case, the ultrasonic irradiation treatment, which has a small antifoaming effect, does not have a sufficient antifoaming effect, and even if the ultrasonic irradiation treatment is performed, the bubbles tend to remain without disappearing. If ultrasonic irradiation treatment with a small anti-foaming effect is performed in step S2, small bubbles will remain even if the large bubbles disappear, but since ultrasonic irradiation treatment with a small anti-foaming effect will be performed in step S4 as well, It is difficult to eliminate the small bubbles remaining in step S2 by the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S4. For this reason, relatively small bubbles tend to remain without disappearing even after the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2 and the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S4 are performed. Therefore, even if the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2 and the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S4 are performed, there is a high possibility that the bubbles 13 or the liquid film 14 will remain in the sample storage container 11. For the sample in the sample storage container 11 in which bubbles 13 or liquid film 14 remain, the dispensing process using the dispensing probe 7 cannot be performed accurately. The possibility that the bubbles 13 or the liquid film 14 will remain must be reduced.

In the first study example, when ultrasonic irradiation treatment with a large antifoaming effect is performed in both step S2 and step S4, not only large bubbles but also small bubbles can be extinguished by ultrasonic irradiation treatment. Although the possibility that the bubbles 13 or the liquid film 14 remain in the sample storage container 11 after the sonic irradiation treatment is reduced, the possibility that the sample will be altered by the ultrasonic irradiation treatment increases.

In contrast, in the present embodiment, the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in step S4 has a greater defoaming effect than the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in step S2. Therefore, the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2 can be made small, and the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S4 can be made larger than the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2.

In this embodiment, by reducing the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2, it is possible to reduce the possibility (risk) that the sample will be altered by the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2. By reducing the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2, even if large bubbles can be eliminated by the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2, relatively small bubbles tend to remain. Since the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S4 is made larger than the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2, smaller bubbles can be extinguished in step S4 compared to step S2. Therefore, the relatively small bubbles remaining without being eliminated by the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2 can be eliminated by the ultrasonic irradiation process (step S4), which has a greater defoaming effect than in step S2. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to reduce the possibility that bubbles 13 or liquid film 14 will remain in sample storage container 11 even after performing the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S4.

Here, in the sample storage container 11, there may be cases where only large bubbles are present without small bubbles, and cases where small bubbles are present. In this embodiment, if there are no small bubbles but only large bubbles in the sample storage container 11, the large bubbles can be eliminated by the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2, and therefore, the process in step S4 is performed. Ultrasonic irradiation treatment is not performed. Therefore, if there are only large bubbles and no small bubbles in the sample storage container 11, the ultrasonic irradiation treatment (step S2) with a small antifoaming effect is performed, but the ultrasonic irradiation treatment with a large antifoaming effect is performed. Since the sonic irradiation treatment (step S4) is not performed, the possibility (risk) that the sample will be altered by the ultrasonic irradiation treatment can be sufficiently reduced. On the other hand, if there are small bubbles in the sample storage container 11, the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2 can eliminate large bubbles but not small bubbles; Can eliminate bubbles. Therefore, if there are small bubbles in the sample storage container 11, by performing ultrasonic irradiation treatment (step S4) with a large antifoaming effect, any remaining bubbles may be removed while allowing the possibility of deterioration of the sample. The possibility of this occurring can be reduced.

In other words, in this embodiment, when there are no small bubbles and only large bubbles in the sample storage container 11, ultrasonic irradiation treatment (with a small defoaming effect) that can eliminate large bubbles ( Only step S2) is performed. On the other hand, if small bubbles are present in the sample storage container 11, in addition to ultrasonic irradiation treatment (step S2) with a small anti-foaming effect, ultrasonic irradiation with a large anti-foaming effect that can eliminate small bubbles is performed. Processing (step S4) is also performed. As a result, if there are no small bubbles and only large bubbles in the sample storage container 11, the ultrasonic irradiation treatment (step S4), which has a large defoaming effect, can be omitted, which may cause deterioration of the sample. It is possible to reduce the In addition, if small bubbles exist in the sample storage container 11, the small bubbles can be eliminated by ultrasonic irradiation treatment (step S4), which has a large antifoaming effect, so the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in step S4 is performed. Also, the possibility that bubbles 13 or liquid film 14 will remain in sample storage container 11 can be reduced.

In the case of the first study example, if the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation treatment is reduced in both step S2 and step S4, compared to this embodiment, the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in step S4 is performed. There is a high possibility that the bubbles 13 or the liquid film 14 will remain in the sample storage container 11 later. In addition, in the case of the first study example, if the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation treatment is increased in both step S2 and step S4, if there are small bubbles in the sample storage container 11, Ultrasonic irradiation treatment, which has a strong defoaming effect, is performed both in the case where there are no small bubbles in the container 11 and only large bubbles. That is, irrespective of the size of the bubbles in the sample storage container 11, ultrasonic irradiation treatment with a large defoaming effect is performed. For this reason, the possibility of deterioration of the sample due to ultrasonic irradiation treatment increases.

In this embodiment, the ultrasonic irradiation treatment with a large antifoaming effect (step S4) is performed after the ultrasonic irradiation treatment with a small antifoaming effect (step S2), so the ultrasonic irradiation treatment with a large antifoaming effect is performed. The number of samples to which (step S4) is applied can be reduced. That is, when there are no small bubbles and only large bubbles in the sample storage container 11, the ultrasonic irradiation treatment (step S4), which has a large defoaming effect, is not performed. Therefore, the possibility of deterioration of the sample can be reduced.

In this embodiment, it is possible to reduce the possibility that bubbles 13 or liquid film 14 will remain in sample storage container 11 after performing the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S4. Therefore, sample dispensing processing can be performed accurately. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the possibility of deterioration of the sample due to ultrasonic irradiation treatment can be reduced. Therefore, the reliability of the analysis results obtained by the automatic analyzer can be improved.

Next, factors for controlling the defoaming effect of ultrasonic irradiation treatment will be explained. In this embodiment, the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2 and the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S4 are performed so that the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S4 has a greater defoaming effect than the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2. Each condition is set. There are the following four factors (first to fourth factors) that contribute to the magnitude of the defoaming effect of ultrasonic irradiation treatment.

The first factor is the intensity of the ultrasound. Note that the intensity of ultrasonic waves corresponds to the amplitude of the ultrasonic waves. A high intensity of ultrasonic waves means that the amplitude of the ultrasonic waves is large. Furthermore, since the sound pressure of an ultrasound is also related to the amplitude of the ultrasound, the intensity of the ultrasound can also be regarded as the sound pressure of the ultrasound. A high intensity of ultrasound means that the amplitude of the ultrasound is high, and as a result, the sound pressure of the ultrasound is high. The greater the intensity of the ultrasonic waves, the greater the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic waves. Therefore, by making the intensity of the ultrasonic waves in the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S4 larger than the intensity of the ultrasonic waves in the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2, the ultrasonic irradiation process is extinguished in step S4 rather than in step S2. The foaming effect can be increased. Further, the intensity of the ultrasonic waves can be set as the intensity of the ultrasonic waves emitted from the horn 8, and the intensity of the ultrasonic waves emitted from the horn 8 in step S4 is higher than the intensity of the ultrasonic waves emitted from the horn 8 in step S2. All you have to do is increase the intensity of the ultrasonic waves.

In the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2, the intensity of the ultrasonic waves can be set so as to break bubbles with a diameter of 1 mm or more, for example. The intensity of the ultrasonic wave required to burst a bubble with a diameter of 1 mm is calculated using Laplace's equation P, where the internal pressure of the bubble (bubble) is P, the atmospheric pressure is P0, the surface tension of the sample is γ, and the radius of the bubble is R. It can be estimated by -P0=4γ/R. If the main component of foam is water, the surface tension of water is approximately 73 mN/m. When this is applied, the intensity of ultrasonic waves required to break a bubble with a diameter of 1 mm is approximately 600 Pa (sound pressure).

In step S2, when the intensity of the ultrasonic wave is set to 600 Pa, it can be estimated that the bubbles remaining after the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2 are bubbles with a diameter of less than 1 mm. Therefore, in the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S4, the intensity of the ultrasonic wave can be set so that bubbles with a diameter of 0.5 mm or more can be broken. The intensity is about 1200 Pa (sound pressure).

The intensity of the ultrasonic waves in step S2 and step S4 can be set to an optimal value in consideration of the size of bubbles that are likely to occur on the liquid surface of the sample. Moreover, in order to change the intensity of the ultrasonic waves in step S2 and step S4, various methods can be applied, such as a method of changing the sound pressure level from the sound source (ultrasonic wave generation source 4). When changing the sound pressure level, the ultrasonic generation source drive section 5 uses one that can change the sound pressure level. In that case, the ultrasonic generator drive unit 5 may be able to change the sound pressure level in a wide variety of ways, but may also be able to set at least two types of sound pressure levels.

The second factor is the ultrasound irradiation time. When irradiating ultrasonic waves toward the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11, the longer the irradiation time of the ultrasonic waves, the greater the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic waves. Therefore, by making the ultrasonic irradiation time in the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S4 longer than the ultrasonic irradiation time in the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2, the ultrasonic irradiation process is performed in step S4 rather than in step S2. The defoaming effect of can be increased. The ultrasonic irradiation time in step S2 can be, for example, about 0.5 to 5 ms (milliseconds), and the ultrasonic irradiation time in step S2 can be, for example, 100 ms (milliseconds) or more.

Furthermore, in step S4, since the ultrasonic irradiation time is made longer, the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 can be irradiated with ultrasonic waves while the sample storage container 11 is being moved (moved). . FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing how the sample 10 inside the sample storage container 11 is irradiated with ultrasonic waves while the sample storage container 11 is moved. In FIG. 4, the horn 8 is attached to the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 while moving the sample storage container 11 by moving the sample storage container construction part 12 that erects the sample storage container 11 as shown by the arrow. Ultrasonic waves are emitted from the Although the arrows in FIG. 4 indicate the case where the movement direction is reciprocating movement, the movement direction may be a single direction.

By irradiating the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 with ultrasonic waves from the horn 8 while moving the sample storage container 11, the ultrasonic waves are locally concentrated and irradiated on the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11. It is possible to prevent uneven irradiation of ultrasonic waves on the surface of the sample in the sample storage container 11 from occurring. In step S4, the ultrasonic irradiation process is performed for a long irradiation time and has a large defoaming effect, which may lead to deterioration of the sample. By irradiating the sample with ultrasonic waves, uneven irradiation of the ultrasonic waves on the surface of the sample in the sample storage container 11 can be suppressed, and the possibility that the sample will change in quality can be reduced.

The third factor is the ultrasound frequency. When irradiating ultrasonic waves toward the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11, the greater (higher) the frequency of the ultrasonic waves, the greater the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic waves. Therefore, by making the frequency of the ultrasonic waves in the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S4 larger (higher) than the frequency of the ultrasonic waves in the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2, ultrasonic irradiation can be performed in step S4 rather than in step S2. The defoaming effect of the treatment can be increased. In steps S2 and S4, the frequency of the ultrasonic waves emitted from the horn 8 is preferably within the range of 20 kHz to 100 kHz, which is said to propagate in the air. The frequency of the ultrasonic waves in step S2 can be, for example, about 20 kHz, and the frequency of the ultrasonic waves in step S2 can be, for example, about 35 kHz. In step S4, it is also possible to irradiate ultrasonic waves while changing the frequency.

The fourth factor is the distance from the horn 8 (ultrasonic irradiation unit) to the sample 10. 5 and 6 are explanatory diagrams showing how ultrasonic waves are irradiated from the horn 8 to the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11. In the case of FIG. The distance to the sample 10 is shortened.

When irradiating ultrasonic waves from the horn 8 toward the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11, the ultrasonic waves propagate in the space (in the air) between the horn 8 and the sample 10, but until they reach the sample 10. During this period, the intensity of the ultrasonic wave gradually attenuates. As shown in FIG. 6, if the distance from the horn 8 to the sample 10 is short, the degree of attenuation of the ultrasonic intensity is small; however, if the distance from the horn 8 to the sample 10 is long, as shown in FIG. The degree of attenuation of the intensity increases. Therefore, if the intensity of the ultrasonic waves immediately after being emitted from the horn 8 is the same in the cases of FIG. 5 and FIG. In the case of FIG. 5 in which the distance from 8 to the sample 10 is long, the attenuation of the intensity of the ultrasonic wave is greater, and therefore the intensity of the ultrasonic wave that has reached the sample 10 is smaller. Therefore, when irradiating ultrasonic waves from the horn 8 toward the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11, by increasing the distance from the horn 8 to the sample 10, it is possible to reduce the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic waves. can. Therefore, by performing step S2 as shown in FIG. 5 and performing step S4 as shown in FIG. 6, the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation process can be made greater in step S4 than in step S2.

That is, the distance from the horn 8 to the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 in the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S4 is longer than the distance from the horn 8 to the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 in the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2. By making it shorter, the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation treatment can be made greater in step S4 than in step S2. The distance from the horn 8 to the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 in the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S4 is made shorter than the distance from the horn 8 to the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 in the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2. For this purpose, the height position of the horn 8 in step S4 may be set lower than the height position of the horn 8 in step S2. The difference between the distance from the horn 8 to the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 in the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2 and the distance from the horn 8 to the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 in the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S4 is , for example, 40 mm or more.

Among the first to fourth factors described above, the first factor (intensity of ultrasonic waves) contributes most to the magnitude of the defoaming effect of ultrasonic irradiation treatment. Therefore, it is preferable to adjust the magnitude of the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in step S2 and step S4 by the first factor among the first to fourth factors, which is the intensity of the ultrasonic wave. For this reason, it is preferable that the intensity of the ultrasonic waves in the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S4 be greater than the intensity of the ultrasonic waves in the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2. Thereby, in step S2, the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation process can be reduced, and in step S4, the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation process can be made more accurately than in step S2.

Further, it is relatively easy to adjust the ultrasonic irradiation time. Therefore, when adjusting the magnitude of the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in step S2 and step S4 by the second factor of the first to fourth factors, which is the ultrasonic irradiation time, it is necessary to automatically The control device can be simplified.

Furthermore, in order to change the frequency of ultrasonic waves, it is necessary to prepare an ultrasonic generation source that can change the frequency, or to prepare a plurality of ultrasonic generation sources that can generate a single frequency. Therefore, from the viewpoint of simplifying the automatic control device, the ultrasonic waves in step S2 and step S4 are affected by the first factor, second factor, and fourth factor rather than the third factor (ultrasonic frequency). It is advantageous to adjust the magnitude of the defoaming effect of the irradiation treatment.

Furthermore, the fourth factor is that the height position of the horn 8 can be adjusted by adjusting it, so there is no need to make any changes to the ultrasonic generation mechanism. Therefore, adjusting the fourth factor is advantageous from the viewpoint of simplifying the automatic control device. However, the fourth factor has a smaller contribution to the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation treatment than the first to third factors. That is, compared to the first to third factors, it is difficult for the fourth factor to ensure a difference in defoaming effect between step S2 and step S4. Therefore, in order to reduce the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in step S2 and to make the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation treatment larger in step S4 than in step S2, it is necessary to It is more advantageous to adjust the first factor, the second factor, and the third factor than the distance (distance), and it is most advantageous to adjust by the first factor.

Furthermore, by adjusting one of the first to fourth factors in step S2 and step S4 and making the other factors common, ultrasonic waves can be The defoaming effect of irradiation treatment can be increased. In this case, the conditions for step S2 and step S4 can be easily set. As another form, by adjusting two or more of the first to fourth factors in step S2 and step S4, the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation treatment can be made more effective in step S4 than in step S2. You can also make it bigger.

<Modified example>
Next, a modification of the flow of defoaming processing in the automatic analyzer of this embodiment will be described. The modification corresponds to the case where step S1 is omitted in FIGS. 2 and 3 above. That is, in the case of the modified example, the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2 is performed without performing step S1.

In the case of the modified example, before dispensing the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11, the apparatus control section 1 controls the transport section etc. to open the sample storage container 11 without performing step S1. It is conveyed below the horn 8. Then, the apparatus control unit 1 controls the ultrasonic output control unit 6 to cause the ultrasonic source 4 to generate ultrasonic waves, so that the sample in the sample storage container 11 in which the bubbles 13 or the liquid film 14 are present is transmitted from the horn 8. Ultrasonic waves are irradiated toward 10. That is, the ultrasonic irradiation process of step S2 is performed on the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 in which the bubbles 13 or the liquid film 14 are present. After the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2, the modification example is also basically the same as the cases shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, so a repeated explanation thereof will be omitted here.

In addition, in a modified example, step S2 (ultrasonic irradiation treatment) and step S3 (determination of the presence or absence of bubbles) can be performed sequentially for each sample storage container 11, but step S2 (ultrasonic irradiation treatment) can be performed for multiple It is also possible to perform step S3 (determining the presence or absence of bubbles) on a plurality of sample storage containers 11 at the same time after performing the step S3 on the sample storage containers 11 at once.

In the case of the modified example, the step S1 (determining the presence or absence of bubbles) is not performed before the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2. That is, in the case of the modified example, the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2 is performed on the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 without determining whether or not the bubbles 13 or the liquid film 14 are present in the sample storage container 11. is being carried out. Therefore, in the case of the modified example, the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2 is applied to the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 where the bubbles 13 or the liquid film 14 are present, and also to the sample 10 where the bubbles 13 or the liquid film 14 are not present. This is also performed for the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11.

In the case of the modified example, the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in step S2 is made small, and the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in step S4 is made larger than that in step S2, so that the sample is While reducing the possibility (risk) of deterioration, it is possible to reduce the possibility that bubbles remain unerased in step S4. Therefore, the reliability of the analysis results obtained by the automatic analyzer can be improved.

However, in the case of the modified example, since step S1 is not performed, the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2 is also applied to the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 where there are no bubbles 13 or liquid film 14. . On the other hand, when step S1 is also performed (FIGS. 2 and 3), the ultrasonic irradiation process of step S2 is not performed on the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 where there are no bubbles 13 or liquid film 14. No need to worry. Therefore, from the viewpoint of preventing as much as possible deterioration of the sample due to ultrasonic irradiation treatment, the case where step S1 is performed (FIGS. 2 and 3) is more advantageous than the modified example where step S1 is not performed. be. By performing the above step S1, the ultrasonic irradiation process of step S2 is not applied to the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 in which no bubbles 13 or liquid film 14 are present, so that no bubbles 13 or liquid film 14 are present. It is possible to eliminate the possibility (risk) that a sample in a sample storage container 11 that does not exist will be altered in quality by ultrasonic irradiation.

(Embodiment 2)
With reference to FIG. 7, the configuration of the automatic analyzer according to the second embodiment will be described. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an automatic analyzer according to the second embodiment, and corresponds to FIG. 1 of the first embodiment.

The automatic analyzer in the second embodiment (FIG. 7) differs from the automatic analyzer in the first embodiment (FIG. 1) in the following points. That is, in the first embodiment described above, the bubble identification section 2 and the dispensing probe 7 are provided separately, and the information acquired by the bubble identification section 2 is acquired when the dispensing probe 7 aspirates or dispenses the sample. It wasn't something to do. On the other hand, in the second embodiment, the bubble identification section 2 and the dispensing probe 7 are connected to each other, and when the dispensing probe 7 performs the dispensing process, specifically, the dispensing probe 7 When sucking or discharging a sample, the bubble identification section 2 acquires information (information that enables it to determine whether or not bubbles 13 or liquid film 14 are present).

That is, in the second embodiment, the bubble identification section 2 acquires information obtained when the dispensing probe 7 sucks or dispenses the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11; Based on the information, the bubble determining section 3 determines whether there is a bubble 13 or a liquid film 14, and the bubble determining section 3 notifies the apparatus control section 1 of the determination result. For example, the suction speed or suction pressure when the dispensing probe 7 suctions the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 may be different depending on whether the bubbles 13 or the liquid film 14 are present or not. ing. When there are no bubbles 13 or liquid film 14 in the sample storage container 11, the tip of the dispensing probe 7 is immersed in the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11, and the sample 10 is drawn into the dispensing probe at a predetermined suction speed. 7 is attracted. On the other hand, if bubbles 13 or liquid film 14 are present in the sample storage container 11, the position of the liquid surface of the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 will be misidentified, and the tip of the dispensing probe 7 will be The sample 10 in the container 11 is not immersed, and the dispensing probe 7 sucks air instead of the sample 10. The bubble identification unit 2 acquires information (such as suction speed or suction pressure) that can determine the difference between the two, and based on the information acquired by the bubble identification unit 2, the bubble determination unit 3 determines whether the bubbles in the sample storage container 11 are 13 or the presence or absence of the liquid film 14 can be determined.

The other configurations of the automatic analyzer according to the second embodiment (FIG. 7) are similar to those of the automatic analyzer according to the first embodiment (FIG. 1), so a repeated explanation thereof will be omitted here. . Further, in FIG. 7, the sample dispensing position and the position at which the sample is irradiated with ultrasonic waves are shown as separate positions, but they may be at the same position.

Next, the flow of defoaming processing in the automatic analyzer of the second embodiment will be explained with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of defoaming processing in the automatic analyzer according to the second embodiment, and FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the flow of defoaming processing in the automatic analyzer according to the second embodiment. , respectively correspond to FIGS. 2 and 3 of the first embodiment. In addition, in FIG. 8, illustration of the device control section 1, bubble identification section 2, bubble judgment section 3, ultrasonic generation source drive section 5, and ultrasonic output control section 6 shown in FIG. 7 is omitted. .

A sample 10 is stored (accommodated) in the sample storage container 11 . First, the apparatus control section 1 controls the transport section and the like to transport the sample storage container 11 to a dispensing position where the dispensing probe 7 is located. Then, the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 is dispensed into another container (reaction container) using the dispensing probe 7. That is, a part of the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 is aspirated by the dispensing probe 7, and the sample 10 aspirated by the dispensing probe 7 is discharged into another container (reaction container). As a result, a part of the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 is transferred to another container (reaction container) by the dispensing probe 7. When the sample 10 is aspirated or discharged by the dispensing probe 7, the bubble identification unit 2 collects information (information that enables it to determine whether bubbles 13 or liquid film 14 are present in the sample storage container 11). ), and based on the acquired information, the bubble determination unit 3 determines the presence or absence of bubbles (the presence or absence of bubbles 13 or liquid film 14) in the sample storage container 11 (step S1a in FIGS. 8 and 9). The foam determining section 3 notifies the device control section 1 of the determination result.

For sample storage containers 11 for which it is determined in step S1a that there are no bubbles (no bubbles 13 or liquid film 14 are present), the dispensing process is normally completed. That is, the sample dispensed (transferred) from the sample storage container 11 that was determined to be bubble-free in step S1a to the reaction container using the dispensing probe 7 is reacted with a reagent later and then analyzed. Served.

On the other hand, for the sample storage container 11 for which it is determined in step S1a that there are bubbles (the bubbles 13 or the liquid film 14 are present), the dispensing process is stopped. Then, the device control unit 1 controls the conveyance unit etc. based on the notification result from the bubble determination unit 3, so that the sample storage container 11 determined to have bubbles in step S1a is conveyed below the horn 8. . Then, the apparatus control unit 1 controls the ultrasonic output control unit 6 to cause the ultrasonic source 4 to generate ultrasonic waves, so that the sample in the sample storage container 11 in which the bubbles 13 or the liquid film 14 are present is transmitted from the horn 8. Ultrasonic waves are irradiated towards 10. That is, the sample 10 in the sample 10 storage container 11 in which the bubbles 13 or the liquid film 14 are present is subjected to ultrasonic irradiation treatment (step S2a in FIGS. 8 and 9). The ultrasonic irradiation treatment in step S2a (first ultrasonic irradiation treatment) has a defoaming effect. In FIG. 8, the ultrasonic waves emitted from the horn 8 in step S2a are schematically shown with reference numeral 31.

Further, after performing the dispensing process in step S1a and determining the presence or absence of bubbles for the plurality of sample storage containers 11, the sample storage container in which the bubbles 13 or the liquid film 14 are present among the plurality of sample storage containers 11 is determined. 11 can also be transported below the horn 8 and subjected to the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in step S2a.

The sample storage container 11 that has been subjected to the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2a is transported to a dispensing position where the dispensing probe 7 is located by the apparatus control section 1 controlling the transport section and the like. Then, the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 that has been subjected to the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in step S2a is dispensed into another container (reaction container) using the dispensing probe 7. That is, a part of the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 subjected to the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in step S2a is aspirated by the dispensing probe 7, and the sample 10 aspirated by the dispensing probe 7 is transferred to another container (reaction container). ). As a result, a portion of the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 that has been subjected to the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in step S2a is transferred to another container (reaction container) by the dispensing probe 7. When the sample 10 is aspirated or discharged by the dispensing probe 7, the bubble identification unit 2 collects information (information that enables it to determine whether bubbles 13 or liquid film 14 are present in the sample storage container 11). ), and based on the acquired information, the bubble determination unit 3 determines the presence or absence of bubbles (the presence or absence of bubbles 13 or liquid film 14) in the sample storage container 11 subjected to the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2a. (Step S3a in FIGS. 8 and 9). The foam determining section 3 notifies the device control section 1 of the determination result.

A sample storage container 11 determined to be free of bubbles (no bubbles 13 or liquid film 14 present) in step S3a (i.e., a sample storage container 11 in which bubbles 13 and liquid film 14 have disappeared by the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2a) ), the dispensing process ends normally. That is, the sample dispensed (transferred) from the sample storage container 11 determined to be free of bubbles to the reaction container using the dispensing probe 7 in step S3a is reacted with a reagent later and then analyzed. Served.

On the other hand, the sample storage container 11 determined to have bubbles (the bubbles 13 or the liquid film 14 are present) in step S3a (i.e., the sample in which the bubbles 13 or the liquid film 14 did not disappear in the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2a) Dispensing processing for the containment vessel 11) is discontinued. Then, the device control unit 1 controls the transport unit etc. based on the notification result from the bubble determination unit 3, so that the sample storage container 11 determined to have bubbles in step S3a is transported below the horn 8. Ru. Then, the apparatus control unit 1 controls the ultrasonic output control unit 6 to cause the ultrasonic source 4 to generate ultrasonic waves, so that the sample in the sample storage container 11 in which the bubbles 13 or the liquid film 14 are present is transmitted from the horn 8. Ultrasonic waves are irradiated towards 10. That is, the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 in which the bubbles 13 or the liquid film 14 are present is subjected to ultrasonic irradiation treatment (step S4a in FIGS. 8 and 9). The ultrasonic irradiation treatment in step S4a (second ultrasonic irradiation treatment) has a defoaming effect. In FIG. 8, the ultrasonic waves emitted from the horn 8 in step S4a are schematically shown with reference numeral 32.

The ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2a in the second embodiment is basically the same as the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2 in the first embodiment. Further, the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S4a in the second embodiment is basically the same as the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S4 in the first embodiment. Therefore, similarly to the first embodiment, in the second embodiment as well, the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S4a is greater than the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2a.

The sample storage container 11 that has been subjected to the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in step S4a is transported to a dispensing position where the dispensing probe 7 is located by the apparatus control section 1 controlling the transport section and the like. Then, the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 that has been subjected to the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in step S4a is dispensed into another container (reaction container) using the dispensing probe 7. That is, a part of the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 subjected to the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in step S4a is aspirated by the dispensing probe 7, and the sample 10 aspirated by the dispensing probe 7 is transferred to another container (reaction container). ). As a result, a portion of the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 that has been subjected to the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in step S4a is transferred to another container (reaction container) by the dispensing probe 7. When the sample 10 is aspirated or discharged by the dispensing probe 7, the bubble identification unit 2 collects information (information that enables it to determine whether bubbles 13 or liquid film 14 are present in the sample storage container 11). ), and based on the acquired information, the bubble determination unit 3 determines the presence or absence of bubbles (the presence or absence of bubbles 13 or liquid film 14) in the sample storage container 11 that has been subjected to the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S4a. (Step S5a in FIGS. 8 and 9). The foam determining section 3 notifies the device control section 1 of the determination result.

A sample storage container 11 determined to be free of bubbles (no bubbles 13 or liquid film 14 present) in step S5a (i.e., a sample storage container 11 in which bubbles 13 and liquid film 14 have disappeared by the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S4a) ), the dispensing process ends normally. That is, the sample dispensed (transferred) from the sample storage container 11 determined to be free of bubbles to the reaction container using the dispensing probe 7 in step S5a is later reacted with a reagent and then analyzed. Served.

On the other hand, the sample storage container 11 determined to have bubbles (the bubbles 13 or the liquid film 14 are present) in step S5a (i.e., the sample in which the bubbles 13 or the liquid film 14 did not disappear in the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S4a) Dispensing processing for the containment vessel 11) is discontinued. Then, the sample storage container 11 determined to have bubbles in step S5a is subjected to step S4a (ultrasonic irradiation treatment) and step S5a (determination of the presence or absence of bubbles). Repeat until

An upper limit for the number of repetitions (cycle number) of step S4a and step S5a is set in advance, and if it is determined that there are bubbles even after repeating step S4a and step S5a up to the upper limit number of times, the sample storage container Appropriate abnormality processing (abnormality handling processing) can be performed for the sample 10 in 11. The upper limit of the number of repetitions can be set to any number of times.

Note that the reagent in the reagent storage container is transferred to the reaction container into which the sample 10 of the sample storage container 11 determined to be free of bubbles in step S1a, step S3a, or step S5a is dispensed using the reagent dispensing probe. (not shown). As a result, the sample and reagent are mixed and reacted within the reaction container. Thereafter, a predetermined analysis (for example, measurement of optical properties) is performed on the liquid (reaction solution of the sample and reagent) in the reaction container. This makes it possible to analyze the components of the sample.

Further, step S3 (determining the presence or absence of bubbles due to re-dispensing) can be performed immediately after the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2, but it is possible to perform step S3 immediately after the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2. This may be performed after the dispensing process has been performed for other samples (for example, at the timing of reanalysis).

Similarly to the first embodiment, in the second embodiment, the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2a is made smaller, and the antifoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S4a is made larger than in step S2a. By doing so, it is possible to reduce the possibility (risk) that the sample will change in quality due to the ultrasonic irradiation treatment, and to reduce the possibility that bubbles remain unerased in step S4a. Therefore, the reliability of the analysis results obtained by the automatic analyzer can be improved.

Furthermore, in the case of the second embodiment, compared to the first embodiment described above, the equipment constituting the bubble identification section 2 can be simplified. For example, in the case of the second embodiment, the bubble identification section 2 does not require any equipment (imaging equipment) for obtaining image data.

On the other hand, in the case of the first embodiment, the number of times of transport between the dispensing position and the ultrasonic irradiation processing position can be reduced, so the overall processing time is shorter than in the case of the second embodiment. Can be shortened.

Next, a modification of the flow of defoaming processing in the automatic analyzer of the second embodiment will be described. The modified example corresponds to the case where step S1a is omitted in FIGS. 8 and 9 above. That is, in the case of the modified example, the ultrasonic irradiation process of step S2a is performed without performing step S1a.

In the case of the modified example, before performing the dispensing process using the dispensing probe 7, the apparatus control unit 1 controls the transport unit and the like to transport the sample storage container 11 below the horn 8. Then, the apparatus control unit 1 controls the ultrasonic output control unit 6 to cause the ultrasonic source 4 to generate ultrasonic waves, so that the sample in the sample storage container 11 in which the bubbles 13 or the liquid film 14 are present is transmitted from the horn 8. Ultrasonic waves are irradiated towards 10. That is, the ultrasonic irradiation process of step S2a is performed on the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 in which the bubbles 13 or the liquid film 14 are present. After the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2a, the modification example is also basically the same as that shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, so repeated explanation will be omitted here.

Further, in the modified example, step S2a (ultrasonic irradiation treatment) and step S3a (dispensing and determination of the presence or absence of bubbles) can be performed sequentially for each sample storage container 11, but step S2a (ultrasonic irradiation treatment) ) can be performed on a plurality of sample storage containers 11 all at once, and then step S3a (dispensing and determining the presence or absence of bubbles) can be performed on the plurality of sample storage containers 11 all at once.

In the case of the modified example, the dispensing process of the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 and the above step S1a (determining the presence or absence of bubbles) are not performed before the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2a. That is, in the case of the modified example, the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2a is performed on the sample in the sample storage container 11 without determining whether the bubbles 13 or the liquid film 14 are present in the sample storage container 11. are giving. Therefore, in the case of the modified example, the ultrasonic irradiation process in step S2a is applied to the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 where the bubbles 13 or the liquid film 14 are present, and also to the sample 10 where the bubbles 13 or the liquid film 14 are not present. This is also performed for the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11.

In the case of the modified example, the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in step S2a is made smaller, and the defoaming effect of the ultrasonic irradiation treatment in step S4a is made larger than in step S2a, so that the sample is While reducing the possibility (risk) of deterioration, it is possible to reduce the possibility that bubbles remain unerased in step S4a. Therefore, the reliability of the analysis results obtained by the automatic analyzer can be improved.

However, in the case of the modified example, the above-mentioned step S1a is not performed, so the ultrasonic irradiation treatment of step S2a is also applied to the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 where there are no bubbles 13 or liquid film 14. . On the other hand, when step S1a is also performed (FIGS. 8 and 9), the ultrasonic irradiation process of step S2a is not performed on the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 where there are no bubbles 13 or liquid film 14. No need to worry. Therefore, from the viewpoint of preventing as much as possible deterioration of the sample due to ultrasonic irradiation treatment, the case where step S1a is performed (FIGS. 8 and 9) is more advantageous than the modified example where step S1a is not performed. be. By performing the above step S1a, the ultrasonic irradiation process of step S2a is not applied to the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 in which no bubbles 13 or liquid film 14 exist, so that no bubbles 13 or liquid film 14 are present. It is possible to eliminate the possibility (risk) that the sample 10 in the sample storage container 11 that does not exist is altered by ultrasonic irradiation.

On the other hand, in the case of the modified example, the number of times of transportation from the dispensing position to the ultrasonic irradiation processing position can be reduced by not performing step S1a, so the overall processing time can be shortened.

The invention made by the present inventor has been specifically explained based on the embodiments thereof, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified in various ways without departing from the gist thereof. Needless to say.

For example, in Embodiments 1 and 2 above, a case has been described in which the ultrasonic defoaming treatment is performed on the sample 10 housed in the sample storage container 11. It can also be applied when performing defoaming treatment using ultrasonic waves. Therefore, the technical idea described in Embodiments 1 and 2 above can be applied to a case where a liquid contained in a container is subjected to defoaming treatment using ultrasonic waves in an automatic analyzer.

1 Apparatus control section 2 Bubble identification section 3 Bubble judgment section 4 Ultrasonic generation source 5 Ultrasonic generation source drive section 6 Ultrasonic output control section 7 Dispensing probe 8 Horn 10 Sample 11 Sample storage container 12 Sample storage container construction section 13 Foam 14 Liquid film

Claims (11)

a determination unit that determines the presence or absence of bubbles in the liquid contained in the container;
an irradiation unit that irradiates ultrasonic waves to the liquid contained in the container;
Equipped with
The irradiation unit performs a first ultrasonic irradiation process on the liquid in the container,
After the first ultrasonic irradiation treatment, the determination unit determines the presence or absence of bubbles in the liquid in the container in which the first ultrasonic irradiation treatment was performed,
If the determination unit determines that there are bubbles in the liquid in the container that has been subjected to the first ultrasonic irradiation process, after the first ultrasonic irradiation process, the irradiation unit An automatic analyzer that performs a second ultrasonic irradiation process having a greater defoaming effect than the first ultrasonic irradiation process on the liquid in the container that has been subjected to the first ultrasonic irradiation process. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1,
The second ultrasonic irradiation process has a higher intensity of ultrasonic waves than the first ultrasonic irradiation process. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1,
The second ultrasonic irradiation process uses a higher frequency of ultrasonic waves than the first ultrasonic irradiation process. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1,
In the automatic analyzer, the second ultrasonic irradiation process requires a longer ultrasonic irradiation time than the first ultrasonic irradiation process. The automatic analyzer according to claim 4,
In the second ultrasonic irradiation process, the liquid in the container is irradiated with ultrasonic waves while moving the container. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1,
The second ultrasonic irradiation process is an automatic analyzer in which the distance from the irradiation part to the liquid is shorter than that in the first ultrasonic irradiation process. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1,
The determination unit determines the presence or absence of bubbles in the liquid in the container before the first ultrasonic irradiation treatment is performed,
The first ultrasonic irradiation process is performed on the liquid in the container determined to have bubbles in the automatic analyzer. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1,
The automatic analysis device is characterized in that the determination section does not determine whether or not bubbles are present in the liquid in the container before the first ultrasonic irradiation treatment is performed. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1,
The determination unit is an automatic analysis device that determines the presence or absence of bubbles in the liquid in the container that has been subjected to the second ultrasonic irradiation process. The automatic analyzer according to claim 9,
comprising a dispensing probe for dispensing the liquid contained in the container,
If the determination unit determines that there are no bubbles in the liquid in the container that has been subjected to the second ultrasonic irradiation process, the dispensing probe is configured to perform the second ultrasonic irradiation process. An automatic analyzer for dispensing the liquid in the container. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1,
comprising a dispensing probe for dispensing the liquid contained in the container,
When the determination unit determines that there are no bubbles in the liquid in the container that has been subjected to the first ultrasonic irradiation process, the dispensing probe is configured to perform the first ultrasonic irradiation process. An automatic analyzer for dispensing the liquid in the container.

Images