Analyzing apparatus, solid-liquid separation device and solid-liquid separation method

Abstract

An analyzing apparatus is described, a representative one of which includes: rotatable table arranged with a plurality of holes for accommodating the reaction container which includes a specimen and a reagent; and a container transferring section, arranged on the rotatable table, for transferring the reaction container.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the entire configuration of an immune analyzing device according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the entire configuration of the immune analyzing device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of a pipette chip supplied by a pipette chip supplying device of the immune analyzing device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control unit of the immune analyzing device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an emergency specimen and chip conveying unit of the immune analyzing device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an emergency specimen and chip conveying unit of the immune analyzing device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a front view showing a specimen dispensing arm and a chip releasing unit of the immune analyzing device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a front view of a cuvette supplied by a cuvette supplying device of the immune analyzing device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a primary reaction unit of the immune analyzing device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view showing the primary reaction unit of the immune analyzing device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a BF separating unit of the immune analyzing device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a stirring part of the BF separating unit of the immune analyzing device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 13 is a cross sectional view showing the stirring part of the BF separating unit of the immune analyzing device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged perspective view showing a cleaning part of the BF separating unit of the immune analyzing device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged perspective view showing the cleaning part and a nozzle cleaning section of the BF separating unit of the immune analyzing device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 16 is a view showing a measurement flow of the immune analyzing device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 17 is a frame format view showing the reaction between the antigen of the specimen and various reagents measured in the immune analyzing device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view explaining the analysis operation of the BF separating unit of the immune analyzing device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 19 is a perspective view explaining the analysis operation of the BF separating unit of the immune analyzing device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 20 is a frame format view explaining the analysis operation of the BF separating unit of the immune analyzing device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 21 is a frame format view explaining the analysis operation of the BF separating unit of the immune analyzing device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 22 is a perspective view explaining the analysis operation of the BF separating unit of the immune analyzing device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

Claims

1. An analyzing apparatus comprising: a rotatable table arranged with a plurality of holes for accommodating the reaction container which includes a specimen and a reagent; anda container transferring section, arranged on the rotatable table, for transferring the reaction container.

2. The analyzing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of holes are arranged in a circular ring shape, and the container transferring section is arranged at substantially the center of the circular ring formed by the plurality of holes.

3. The analyzing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the container transferring section is configured so as to move the reaction container in the vertical direction, in the circumferential direction of the rotatable table, and in the radial direction of the rotatable table.

4. The analyzing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a dispensing unit for dispensing the specimen or the reagent into the reaction container; anda control unit for controlling the operation of the dispensing unit, the rotatable table and the container transferring section; whereinthe control unit controls the operation of the container transferring section so that the container transferring section and the dispensing unit do not contact each other.

5. The analyzing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the container transferring section comprises a gripping part for gripping the reaction container, a vertical movement mechanism part for moving the gripping part in the vertical direction, a rotational movement mechanism part for moving the gripping part in the circumferential direction and a radial movement mechanism part for moving the holding part in the radial direction.

6. The analyzing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the container transferring section comprises an stirring mechanism part for stirring the specimen and the reagent in the reaction container which is gripped by the gripping part.

7. The analyzing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the control unit controls the dispensing unit, the gripping part and the stirring mechanism part so as to dispense the specimen and the reagent into the reaction container, grippe the reaction container dispensed with the specimen and the reagent, and stirring the reaction container dispensed with the specimen and the reagent.

8. The analyzing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the stirring mechanism part comprises a vibrating portion for generating vibration to stir the specimen and the reagent in the reaction container.

9. The analyzing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reagent contains magnetic particles for capturing the target substance in the specimen; the apparatus further comprises a separation processing unit for collecting the magnetic particles captured the target substance and removing a residue other than the magnetic particles in the reaction container; andthe container transferring section transfers the reaction container from the rotatable table to the separation processing unit.

10. A solid-liquid separation device used in an analyzer for analyzing a target substance comprising: a holding part for holding a reaction container containing a reacted sample prepared by reacting a biological sample and a reagent containing magnetic particles for capturing a target substance in the biological sample;a collecting part for collecting the magnetic particles captured the target substance in the reaction container held by the holding part;a removing part for removing a residue other than the magnetic particles collected by the collecting part in the reaction container held by the holding part;a supplying part for supplying washing liquid into the reaction container removed the residue; anda stirring part for stirring the magnetic particles and the washing liquid under no collecting of the magnetic particles in the reaction container.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the stirring part comprises a gripping part for gripping the reaction container, a moving part for moving the gripping part gripping the reaction container on the upper side of the holding part and a vibrating part for generating vibration to stir the magnetic particles and the washing liquid in the reaction container gripped by the moved gripping part.

12. An analyzing apparatus comprising: a reaction processing unit for reacting a biological sample and a reagent containing magnetic particles for capturing a target substance in the biological sample in a reaction container;a separation processing unit comprises a holding part for holding the reaction container, a collecting part for collecting the magnetic particles captured the target substance in the reaction container held by the holding part and a removing part for removing a residue other than the magnetic particles collected by the collecting part in the reaction container held by the holding part; anda container transferring section comprises a gripping part for gripping the reaction container accommodating the reacted sample prepared by the reaction processing unit, a stirring part for stirring the reacted sample in the reaction container gripped by the gripping part and a moving part for moving the gripping part gripping the reaction container from the reaction processing unit to the separation processing unit.

13. The analyzing apparatus according to claim 12, the stirring part comprises a vibrating part for generating vibration to stir the reacted sample in the reaction container gripped by the gripping part.

14. The analyzing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the separation processing unit further comprises a discharging part for suctioning and discharging the residue.

15. The analyzing apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a second reaction processing section for reacting a second reagent containing labeled substance that binds with the target substance and the magnetic particles separated by the separation processing unit in the reaction container.

16. The analyzing apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a second separation processing part for separating the magnetic particles and a residue other than the magnetic particles in the reaction container transferred from the second reaction processing section.

17. The analyzing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the rotatable table comprises a plurality of holes for accommodating the reaction container, the holes being arranged in a circular ring shape.

18. A solid-liquid separation method comprising the steps of: providing a reaction container containing a reaction product comprising magnetic particles captured a target substance and a residue other than the magnetic particles;collecting the magnetic particles in the reaction container;removing the residue in the reaction container under collecting the magnetic particles;releasing the collection of the magnetic particles;supplying washing liquid into the reaction container;stirring the magnetic particles and the washing liquid in the reaction container;collecting the magnetic particles in the reaction container; andremoving the washing liquid in the reaction container.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the steps of: supplying washing liquid into the container removed the residue; andremoving the washing liquid in the container.

20. The method according to claim 18, the target substance is antigen.