Pre-heating unit and clinical chemistry analyzer

Abstract

A pre-heating unit (PH) 100 comprises a heater (101), a PH-body (102), a tube-like flow path (103), a heat conductor (104), and a cover (105). The PH-body (102) is heated by the heater (101). The tube-like flow path (103) is arranged in a groove (102a) and allows a liquid to flow. The groove (102a) is formed by extending in an axial direction with respect to an external peripheral surface (102b). The heat conductor (104) comprises a metal member covering the external peripheral surface (102b) and the tube-like flow path (103). The cover comprises an elastic member covering the heat conductor (104) and having a lower thermal conductivity than the heat conductor (104).

Description

PRE-HEATING UNIT AND CLINICAL CHEMISTRY ANALYZER

[0001] This disclosure relates to a pre-heating unit and a clinical chemistry analyzer.

[0002] Conventionally, in a chemical analyzer such as a clinical chemistry analyzer used for an automatic analysis of specific components present in a sample such as a body fluid or a human tissue, it is necessary to maintain a cuvette at a constant temperature (e.g., 37 degrees Celsius) during the reaction between the sample and a reagent in the cuvette. Therefore, to prevent the cuvette's temperature from decreasing during an automatic cleaning of the cuvette, a technology is employed that heats the cleaning liquid (such as detergents, cleaning agents, or water) to a constant temperature using a pre-heating unit (see, e.g., JP 6,255,272 B2).

[0003] JP 6,255,272 B2 discloses a technology to fix a tube with a resin cover from an outside of the tubular body in which a heater is embedded, while the tube through which a liquid flows is adhered to the outer periphery.

[0004] However, in the above technology of the related art, the heating efficiency of the liquid cannot be said to be high because the heat of the heater is taken away by the cover and the temperature of the liquid becomes difficult to rise. Thus, there is a room for improvement in terms of efficiently heating the liquid.

[0005] Accordingly, the present disclosure proposes a pre-heating unit and a clinical chemistry analyzer capable of efficiently heating a liquid.

[0006] In order to solve the problems described above, the pre-heating unit according to the present disclosure comprises a heater, a PH-body, a tube-like flow path, a heat conductor, and a cover. The PH-body is heated by the heater. The tube-like flow path is arranged in a groove and allows a liquid to flow. The groove is formed by extending in an axial direction with respect to an external peripheral surface. The heat conductor is composed of a metal member covering the external peripheral surface and the tube-like flow path. The cover is composed of an elastic member covering the heat conductor and having a lower thermal conductivity than the heat conductor. Thus, the pre-heating unit can efficiently heat the liquid.

[0007] The heat conductor, according to the present disclosure, is a split member divided along the axial direction. Thus, the pre-heating unit can facilitate the work when mounting the heat conductor on the main body.

[0008] The heat conductor, according to the present disclosure, is a member having a slit formed along the axial direction. Thus, the pre-heating unit can efficiently heat the liquid.

[0009] Further, the heat conductor, according to the present disclosure, is fixed by pressing the tube-like flow path to the bottom of the groove. Thus, the pre-heating unit can efficiently heat the liquid.

[0010] The cover, according to the present disclosure, is made of a heat shrinking tube, and the heat conductor is fixed in the heat shrink state. Thus, the pre-heating unit can efficiently heat the liquid.

[0011] Further, the heat conductor, according to the present disclosure, has a smaller heat shrink capacity than the cover. Thus, the pre-heating unit can efficiently heat the liquid.

[0012] Further, the heat conductor, according to the present disclosure, has a smaller heat capacity than the PH-body. Thus, the pre-heating unit can efficiently heat the liquid.

[0013] The heat conductor, according to the present disclosure, includes at least an iron member. Thus, the pre-heating unit can efficiently heat the liquid.

[0014] The heat conductor according to the present disclosure is composed of a first metal portion having a first heat capacity on an inner peripheral side and a second metal portion having a second heat capacity greater than the first heat capacity on the outer peripheral side. Thus, the pre-heating unit can efficiently heat the liquid.

[0015] The pre-heating unit according to the present disclosure further includes a fuse for cutting off a power supply to the heater when the temperature of the heat conductor exceeds a threshold value. Thus, the pre-heating unit can prevent the temperature of the liquid from becoming too high with high accuracy.

[0016] According to the present disclosure, an analyzer is provided with the pre-heating unit having the above configuration. Thereby, the analyzer can efficiently heat the liquid.

[0017] Fig. 1 is a top view showing a schematic configuration of a clinical chemistry analyzer according to an embodiment. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a pre-heating unit. Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the pre-heating unit. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the pre-heating unit. Fig. 5 is an end view of the pre-heating unit. Fig. 6 is an illustration of a configuration of a heat conductor. Fig. 7 is an illustration of another configuration of the heat conductor.

[0018] Hereinafter, illustrative embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present specification and the figures, elements similar to those described in previous figures may be denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions may be omitted accordingly.

[0019] Fig. 1 is a top view showing a schematic configuration of a clinical chemistry analyzer 1 according to an embodiment. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the clinical chemistry analyzer 1 includes a sample container 2 and an incubation reaction control unit 3. The sample container 2 reacts a sample such as serum, plasma, or urine with a reagent to obtain a reaction liquid, and measures an absorbance of the reaction liquid. The incubation reaction control unit 3 determines the amount of a component of the sample, such as a cholesterol, based on the absorbance measured by the sample container 2. That is, the clinical chemistry analyzer 1 analyzes the sample by a colorimetric analysis method. The clinical chemistry analyzer 1 is used, for example, for testing various test items, such as the cholesterol levels, on the sample. The clinical chemistry analyzer 1 is an example of an analyzer.

[0020] The incubation reaction control unit 3 includes a control unit, a storage unit, a display unit, and an operation unit (neither of which is shown). The control unit includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM (Random Access Memory). The incubation reaction control unit 3 is communicatively connected to the sample container 2. The incubation reaction control unit 3 may be constituted by, for example, a personal computer.

[0021] The sample container 2 includes a chassis unit (CHS) 10, a sample container unit (ASP) 11, a reagent container unit (RCU) 12, an incubation reaction unit (IRU) 13, a sample pipette unit (SPT) 14, reagent pipette units (RPT) 15 and 16, mixing units (MIX) 17 and 18, a detector unit (DTR) 19, a wash unit (WU) 20, a control unit (CNU) 21, a Pump Unit (PP) 50, and a pre-heating unit (PH) 100.

[0022] The sample container unit (ASP) 11 has a substantially circular rotation tray (rotation table) 31 in a plan view. The rotation tray (rotation table) 31 is supported by the chassis unit (CHS) 10 so as to be rotatable about the rotation center axis O1 along a vertical direction of the chassis unit (CHS) 10 (a height direction of the chassis unit (CHS) 10). The rotation tray (rotation table) 31 is rotated about the rotation center axis O1 by a driving mechanism (not shown). The rotation tray (rotation table) 31 can hold a plurality of sample tubes 32. The plurality of sample tubes 32 are arranged around a rotation center axis O1 and set on the rotation tray (rotation table) 31, and rotate integrally with the rotation tray (rotation table) 31. Fig. 1 shows a part of the plurality of sample tubes 32. In addition, the sample container unit (ASP) 11 may have a plurality of rotation support portions rotatable independently of each other around the rotation center axis O1.

[0023] The sample tube 32 houses a sample. A bar code (not shown) indicating an identification information of the sample tube 32 is attached to the sample tube 32, and the bar code is read by a bar code reader (not shown) provided at a position facing the sample tube 32 in the sample container unit (ASP) 11.

[0024] The reagent container unit (RCU) 12 has a substantially circular rotation tray (rotation table) 33 in a plan view. The rotation tray (rotation table) 33 is supported by the chassis unit (CHS) 10 so as to be rotatable about a rotation center axis O2 along the vertical direction of the chassis unit (CHS) 10. The rotation tray (rotation table) 33 is rotated about the rotation center axis O2 by a driving mechanism (not shown). The rotation tray (rotation table) 33 can hold a plurality of reagent bottles 34. The plurality of reagent bottles 34 are arranged around the rotation center axis O2 and set on the rotation tray (rotation table) 33, and rotate integrally with the rotation tray (rotation table) 33. Fig. 1 shows a part of the plurality of the reagent bottles 34. In addition, the reagent container unit (RCU) 12 may have a plurality of rotary supports that can rotate independently of each other around the rotation center axis O2.

[0025] The reagent bottle 34 houses the reagent. The reagent bottle 34 is provided with a bar code (not shown) indicating an identification information of the reagent bottle 34, and the bar code is read by a bar code reader (not shown) provided at a position facing the reagent bottle 34 in the reagent container unit (RCU) 12.

[0026] The incubation reaction unit (IRU) 13 has a substantially circular rotation tray (rotation table) 35 in a plan view. The rotation tray (rotation table) 35 is supported by the chassis unit (CHS)10 so as to be rotatable about a rotation center axis O3 along the vertical direction of the chassis unit (CHS) 10. The rotation tray (rotation table) 35 is rotated about the rotation center axis O3 by a drive mechanism (not shown). The rotation tray (rotation table) 35 is provided with a plurality of cuvettes 36 having an optical transparency. The cuvettes 36 are arranged around the rotation center axis O3 and rotate integrally with the rotation tray (rotation table) 35. Fig. 1 shows a portion of the cuvettes 36. Specimens and reagents are dispensed into the cuvettes 36. The sample and the reagent react in the cuvette 36 to form a reaction liquid. The temperature in the incubation reaction unit (IRU) 13 is kept at a temperature suitable for proceeding the reaction between the sample and the reagent.

[0027] The sample pipette unit (SPT) 14 has a pipette 37 and a driving mechanism 38. The pipette 37 is rotated by the driving mechanism 38 about a rotation center axis Ax4 along the vertical direction of the chassis unit (CHS) 10 between a position above the sample container unit (ASP) 11 (above the chassis unit (CHS) 10 in the height direction) and a position above the incubation reaction unit (IRU) 13 (above the chassis unit (CHS) 10 in the height direction). The pipette 37 is moved along the vertical direction of the chassis unit (CHS) 10 by the driving mechanism 38. The pipette 37 is connected to the pump unit (PP) 50 for performing a suction operation and a discharge operation of the sample. After the sample in the sample tube 32 is sucked by the pipette 37 inserted into the sample tube 32, the sample pipette unit 14 can insert the pipette 37 into the cuvette 36 and discharge (dispense) the sample from the pipette 37 into the cuvette 36.

[0028] The reagent pipette units (RPT) 15 and 16 have pipettes 39 and 40 and the driving mechanisms 41 and 42, respectively. The pipettes 39 and 40 are rotated about the rotation center axes Ax5 and Ax6 along the vertical direction of the chassis unit (CHS) 10 between a position above the reagent container unit (RCU) 12 (above the chassis unit (CHS) 10 in the height direction) and the position above the incubation reaction unit (IRU) 13 (above the chassis unit (CHS) 10 in the height direction) by the driving mechanisms 41 and 42, respectively. The pipettes 39 and 40 are moved along the vertical direction of the chassis unit (CHS) 10 by the driving mechanisms 41 and 42. Further, several pump units (PP) 50 for performing a reagent suction operation and a reagent discharge operation are connected to the pipettes 39 and 40, respectively. The reagent pipette units (RPT) 15 and 16 can respectively suck the reagent in the reagent bottle 34 by pipettes 39 and 40 inserted into the reagent bottle 34, insert the pipettes 39 and 40 into the cuvette 36, and discharge (dispense) the reagent from the pipettes 39 and 40 into the cuvette 36.

[0029] The detector unit (DTR) 19 has a lamp unit 45 and a light receiving part (not shown). The lamp unit 45 is positioned outside the incubation reaction unit (IRU) 13 and irradiates the cuvette 36 with light such as halogen light. The light receiving part receives the light passing through the cuvette 36 and measures the intensity of the received light. The detector unit (DTR) 19 determines the absorbance of the reaction liquid in the cuvette 36 based on an intensity of the light measured by the light receiving part. The lamp unit 45 is configured to switch a wavelength of the emitted light. Therefore, the detector unit (DTR) 19 can measure an absorbance of a plurality of kinds of light having different wavelengths from each other.

[0030] The mixing units (MIX) 17 and 18 have stirring parts (not shown) that can be inserted into the cuvette 36. The mixing units (MIX) 17 and 18 stir the sample or reagent dispensed into the cuvette 36 by rotating the stirring part inserted into the cuvette 36.

[0031] The wash unit (WU) 200 removes (discards) the reaction liquid in the cuvette 36 and washes the inside of the cuvette 36.

[0032] The control unit (CNU) 21 includes, for example, a CPU, a ROM and a RAM. The control unit (CNU) 21 performs various operations and controls each part of the sample container 2.

[0033] A plurality of pump units (PP) 50 are provided and connected to pipettes 37, 39, and 40. The pump units (PP) 50 are, for example, incorporated into drive mechanisms 38, 41, and 42. The pump units (PP) 50 may be provided inside the chassis unit (CHS) 10 and outside the drive mechanisms 38, 41, 42.

[0034] In the pump units (PP) 50, the pipettes 37, 39, and 40 are connected to a pump (not shown), and the pressure for sucking and ejecting the pipettes 37, 39, and 40 is generated by a reciprocating motion of the pump.

[0035] The pre-heating unit (PH) 100 heats the cleaning liquid for cleaning the cuvette 36 to a constant temperature (For example, 37 degrees Celsius), and sends the heated cleaning liquid to the wash unit (WU) 200. The cleaning liquid is, for example, a detergent (detergents such as acid detergents and alkaline detergents), a cleaning liquid (cleaning agent such as sodium hypochlorite), and a water (pure, etc.). In the following, the cleaning liquid is simply referred to as a liquid. Thus, when the cuvette 36 is washed with the liquid, the temperature of the cuvette 36 can be reduced. As a result, the temperature of the reaction liquid dispensed into the cuvette 36 can be prevented from decreasing, and thus the measurement result can be stabilized.

[0036] Next, the configuration of the pre-heating unit (PH) 100 will be described in detail with the reference to Figs. 2 to 5. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the pre-heating unit (PH) 100. Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the pre-heating unit (PH) 100. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the pre-heating unit (PH) 100. Fig. 5 is an end view of the pre-heating unit (PH) 100.

[0037] As shown in Figs. 2 to 5, the pre-heating unit (PH) 100 includes a heater 101, a PH-body 102, a flow path 103, a heat conductor 104, a cover 105, and a temperature sensor 106. In Figs. 2 and 3, the heater 101, the flow path 103, the cover 105, and the temperature sensor 106 are not shown.

[0038] For the heater 101, for example, a cartridge heater having a structure in which a heating element wrapped with a nichrome wire around an external peripheral surface of a ceramic cylindrical body is stored in a metal pipe is used. As shown in Fig. 5, the heater 101 is inserted into a hole formed along a longitudinal direction in the center of one end face of the PH-body 102. The means for fixing the heater 101 to the hole can be a mechanical means such as a caulking or an IMO screw, or a means such as fixing to the PH-body 102 through a flange provided on the heater 101, or a means such as adhesion. The insertion length of the heater 101 into the PH-body 102 is appropriately set according to the heat capacity of the PH-body 102 and the performance of the heater 101. A heat diffusion compound or the like may be interposed between the heater 101 and the hole to improve the thermal conductivity.

[0039] The PH-body 102 is composed of, for example, a columnar (e.g., a cylindrical) metal member incorporating the heater 101. The PH-body 102 is heated by the heater 101. The metal of the PH-body 102 is a material having a high thermal conductivity such as aluminum, aluminum alloy, copper or copper alloy. On the external peripheral surface 102b of the PH-body 102, a spiral groove 102a is formed which extends in an axial direction, for example, in a spiral shape. Specifically, the spiral groove 102a has a U-shaped or semicircular cross-sectional shape so that the flow path 103 comes into a close contact with the bottom of the spiral groove 102a. Preferably, the depth of the spiral groove 102a is such that a portion of the flow path 103 protrudes slightly from the external peripheral surface 102b of the PH-body 102 so that the flow path 103 is pressed toward the bottom of the spiral groove 102a when the heat conductor 104 is attached. A plurality of grooves 102a are formed so that a plurality of flow paths 103 can be arranged. The pitch between adjacent grooves 102a is appropriately set according to the size of the PH-body 102 and the flow rate of the liquid flowing in the flow path 103.

[0040] The flow path 103 is arranged in the grooves 102a of the PH-body 102 and is a tube through which liquid flows. For example, a material excellent in a heat resistance and a chemical resistance such as a fluororesin such as Teflon (registered trademark) or a rubber member such as silicone rubber is used. The flow path 103 is supplied with the liquid from an inlet drawn from one end side (heater 101 side) of the PH-body 102 and discharged from an outlet drawn from the other end side (temperature sensor 106 side). While the liquid flows from the inlet to the outlet of the flow path 103, it is heated to the target temperature by the PH-body 102 (the heater 101 side) and supplied from the outlet to the wash unit (WU) 200.

[0041] The heat conductor 104 is a cylindrical metal member covering the external peripheral surface 102b of the PH-body 102 and the flow path 103. The metal of the heat conductor 104 is, for example, a metal material having a relatively small heat capacity such as an iron or a copper. That is, the heat conductor 104 is arranged so as to sandwich the flow path 103 between the PH-body 102 and a flow passage member. As a result, the heat conductor 104 is warmed by the heat of the PH-body 102, thereby enhancing the heat retaining effect of the space between the PH-body 102 and the heat conductor 104. As a result, the liquid flowing through the flow path 103 is kept warm and heat is difficult to escape, thereby suppressing the temperature of the liquid from dropping. That is, the liquid can be efficiently heated according to the heat conductor 104.

[0042] The heat conductor 104 is fixed in a state in which the flow path 103 is pressed to the bottom of the spiral groove 102a. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 4, the heat conductor 104 presses the flow path 103 in a state in which the flow path 103 slightly protrudes from the spiral groove 102a of the PH-body 102 and is therefore slightly separated from the external peripheral surface 102b of the PH-body 102. The heat conductor 104 is fixed by the cover 105. Specifically, the heat conductor 104 is fixed to the PH-body 102 in the state that the cover 105, which is a heat contraction member, is thermally contracted. In this manner, the heat conductor 104 can make the flow path 103 adhere to the bottom of the spiral groove 102a by fixing the flow path 103 in the state that it is pressed to the bottom of the spiral groove 102a, so that heat exchange between the PH-body 102and the flow path 103 can be performed efficiently. Furthermore, by pressing the flow path 103 by the heat conductor 104, the gap between the heat conductor 104 and the external peripheral surface 102b of the PH-body 102 can be minimized, so that the heat insulation effect between the heat conductor 104 and the PH-body 102 can be enhanced.

[0043] As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the heat conductor 104 is a divided member divided into two along the axial direction. In Fig. 2, one of the two members into which the heat conductor 104 is divided is omitted. Specifically, the heat conductor 104 is cylindrical and is divided so that the circumference of the external peripheral surface in the cross-sectional view is 1 / 2. The method of dividing the heat conductor 104 is not limited to the case where the circumference of the external peripheral surface is divided by 1 / 2, that is, exactly half, but may be divided so that the circumference of any member is longer than 1 / 2. The number of divisions of the heat conductor 104 is not limited to 2, but may be divided into 3 or more.

[0044] Thus, by constituting the heat conductor 104 as a division member, it is possible to facilitate work when mounting the heat conductor 104 to the PH-body 102. When mounting the heat conductor 104 to the PH-body 102, the two divided members may be temporarily fixed with heat-resistant tape or the like. Thus, when the cover 105 described later is fixed to the PH-body 102 due to heat shrinkage, the position of the heat conductor 104 can be prevented from shifting.

[0045] Further, the heat conductor 104 has a smaller heat capacity than the cover 105 described later. That is, the heat conductor 104 is easier to heat and cool than the cover 105. As a result, the heat conductor 104 promotes the heat exchange with the flow path 103 rather than the cover 105. Therefore, the liquid flowing through the flow path 103 can be efficiently heated.

[0046] Further, the heat conductor 104 has a smaller heat capacity than the PH-body 102. That is, since the heat of the PH-body 102 can be quickly absorbed and thermally conducted to the flow path 103, the liquid flowing through the flow path 103 can be efficiently heated.

[0047] The cover 105 covers the heat conductor 104 and is composed of an elastic member having a lower thermal conductivity than the heat conductor 104. The elastic member constituting the cover 105 is preferably a material having a heat resistance and a low thermal conductivity, such as a heat-shrinking tube made of a flexible material or a rubber composition. Specifically, a heat-shrinking tube made of a flexible material such as a polyolefin, a fluorine-based polymer, a thermoplastic elastomer or a silicone rubber, a rubber composition made of natural rubber and styrene-butadiene rubber or silicone rubber, or a heat insulating material made of foamed plastic such as urethane foam, a polyethylene foam or a polystyrene foam are preferably used.

[0048] A temperature sensor 106 is disposed on the end face of the other end side (the heater 101 side) of the PH-body 102, and measures the temperature of the PH-body 102. A temperature measuring resistor, thermocouple or thermistor is used for the temperature sensor 106.

[0049] The pre-heating unit (PH) 100 controls the flow rate of the liquid and the power supplied to the heater 101 so that the measured value of the temperature sensor 106 is a preset target temperature.

[0050] In addition to the temperature sensor 106, the pre-heating unit (PH) 100 may be provided with a fuse (not shown) in the heat conductor 104 to cut off the power supply to the heater 101. Specifically, the fuse is provided on the external peripheral surface or the inner peripheral surface of the heat conductor 104 to cut off the power supply to the heater 101 when the temperature of the heat conductor 104 exceeds a threshold value. That is, when the heat conductor 104 becomes too warm and the temperature of the liquid exceeds a certain value, the heater 101 is forcibly stopped. Thus, the temperature of the liquid can be prevented from becoming too high with high accuracy.

[0051] Although an example in which the heat conductor 104 is composed of a single (1 layer) metal member has been described above, it is not limited to this, and may be composed of a plurality of different metal members. These points will be described with reference to Fig. 6.

[0052] Fig. 6 is a diagram showing another configuration example of the heat conductor 104. As shown in Fig. 6, the heat conductor 104 comprises two layers: a first metal portion 104a disposed on the inner peripheral side and a second metal portion 104b disposed on the outer peripheral side. For example, the first metal portion 104a comprises an iron, and the second metal portion 104b comprises an aluminum. In other words, the second metal portion 104b comprises a metal material having a higher heat capacity than the first metal portion 104a.

[0053] As a result, the first metal portion 104a on the inner peripheral side promotes heat exchange to the flow path 103, and the second metal portion 104b on the outer peripheral side makes it difficult for the heat of the first metal portion 104a to escape to the outside. That is, the liquid can be efficiently heated.

[0054] As described above, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the pre-heating unit (PH) 100 includes a heater 101, a PH-body 102, a flow path 103, a heat conductor 104, and a cover 105. The PH-body 102 is a body of the pre-heating unit (PH) 100 heated by the heater 101, and a spiral groove 102a extending along the axial direction with respect to the external peripheral surface 102b is formed. The flow path 103 is arranged in the spiral groove 102a, and is tube-like for flowing liquid. The heat conductor 104 is composed of a metal member covering the external peripheral surface 102b and the flow path 103. The cover 105 is composed of an elastic member covering the heat conductor 104 and having a lower thermal conductivity than the heat conductor 104. Thus, the liquid can be efficiently heated.

[0055] In the above embodiment, the analyzer has been described as a clinical chemistry analyzer. However, the structure of the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and can be applied to other kinds of analyzer such as immunoanalyzer.

[0056] In the above embodiment, the heat conductor 104 is a divided member divided along the axial direction, but it may be a member formed with a slit along the axial direction as shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing another configuration example of the heat conductor 104. Fig. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of the heat conductor 104 and the PH-body 102 (dashed line).

[0057] As shown in Fig. 7, the heat conductor 104 has a slit 104c provided from one end to the other end along the axial direction. That is, the heat conductor 104 shown in Fig. 7 is composed of one member rather than a dividing member as shown in the above embodiment. In this configuration, when the heat conductor 104 is mounted on the PH-body 102, both ends of the slit 104c are bent in the direction in which the opening of the slit 104c opens. As a result, the PH-body 102 can be mounted by inserting the slit 104c from the outside to the inside.

[0058] In addition, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the claim. For example, a form obtained by suitably combining the above embodiments in an area where the contents are consistent is also included in the technical scope of the present invention.Terminology

[0059] It is to be understood that not necessarily all objects or advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment described herein. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that certain embodiments may be configured to operate in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other objects or advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.

[0060] All of the processes described herein may be embodied in, and fully automated via, software code modules executed by a computing system that includes one or more computers or processors. The code modules may be stored in any type of non-transitory computer-readable medium or other computer storage device. Some or all the methods may be embodied in specialized computer hardware.

[0061] Many other variations than those described herein will be apparent from this disclosure. For example, depending on the embodiment, certain acts, events, or functions of any of the algorithms described herein can be performed in a different sequence, can be added, merged, or left out altogether (e.g., not all described acts or events are necessary for the practice of the algorithms). Moreover, in certain embodiments, acts or events can be performed concurrently, e.g., through multi-threaded processing, interrupt processing, or multiple processors or processor cores or on other parallel architectures, rather than sequentially. In addition, different tasks or processes can be performed by different machines and / or computing systems that can function together.

[0062] The various illustrative logical blocks and modules described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented or performed by a machine, such as a processor. A processor can be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor can be a controller, microcontroller, or state machine, combinations of the same, or the like. A processor can include electrical circuitry configured to process computer-executable instructions. In another embodiment, a processor includes an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable device that performs logic operations without processing computer-executable instructions. A processor can also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a digital signal processor (DSP) and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. Although described herein primarily with respect to digital technology, a processor may also include primarily analog components. For example, some or all of the signal processing algorithms described herein may be implemented in analog circuitry or mixed analog and digital circuitry. A computing environment can include any type of computer system, including, but not limited to, a computer system based on a microprocessor, a mainframe computer, a digital signal processor, a portable computing device, a device controller, or a computational engine within an appliance, to name a few.

[0063] Conditional language such as, among others, "can", "could", "might" or "may" unless specifically stated otherwise, are otherwise understood within the context as used in general to convey that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments do not include, certain features, elements and / or steps. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements and / or steps are in any way required for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without user input or prompting, whether these features, elements and / or steps are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment.

[0064] Disjunctive language such as the phrase "at least one of X, Y, or Z" unless specifically stated otherwise, is otherwise understood with the context as used in general to present that an item, term, etc., may be either X, Y, or Z, or any combination thereof (e.g., X, Y, and / or Z). Thus, such disjunctive language is not generally intended to, and should not, imply that certain embodiments require at least one of X, at least one of Y, or at least one of Z to each be present.

[0065] Any process descriptions, elements or blocks in the flow diagrams described herein and / or depicted in the attached figures should be understood as potentially representing modules, segments, or portions of code which include one or more executable instructions for implementing specific logical functions or elements in the process. Alternate implementations are included within the scope of the embodiments described herein in which elements or functions may be deleted, executed out of order from that shown, or discussed, including substantially concurrently or in reverse order, depending on the functionality involved as would be understood by those skilled in the art.

[0066] Unless otherwise explicitly stated, articles such as "a" or "an" should generally be interpreted to include one or more described items. Accordingly, phrases such as "a device configured to" are intended to include one or more recited devices. Such one or more recited devices can also be collectively configured to carry out the stated recitations. For example, "a processor configured to carry out recitations A, B and C" can include a first processor configured to carry out recitation A working in conjunction with a second processor configured to carry out recitations B and C. The same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce embodiment recitations. In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced embodiment recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of "two recitations" without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations).

[0067] It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, terms used herein, are generally intended as "open" terms (e.g., the term "including" should be interpreted as "including but not limited to" the term "having" should be interpreted as "having at least" the term "includes" should be interpreted as "includes but is not limited to" etc.).

[0068] For expository purposes, the term "horizontal" as used herein is defined as a plane parallel to the plane or surface of the floor of the area in which the system being described is used or the method being described is performed, regardless of its orientation. The term "floor" can be interchanged with the term "ground" or "water surface." The term "vertical" refers to a direction perpendicular to the horizontal as just defined. Terms such as "above", "below", "bottom", "top", "side", "higher", "lower", "upper", "over" and "under" are defined with respect to the horizontal plane.

[0069] As used herein, the terms "attached", "connected", "mated" and other such relational terms should be construed, unless otherwise noted, to include removable, moveable, fixed, adjustable, and / or releasable connections or attachments. The connections / attachments can include direct connections and / or connections having intermediate structure between the two components discussed.

[0070] Numbers preceded by a term such as "approximately", "about" and "substantially" as used herein include the recited numbers, and also represent an amount close to the stated amount that still performs a desired function or achieves a desired result. For example, the terms "approximately", "about" and "substantially" may refer to an amount that is within less than 10% of the stated amount. Features of embodiments disclosed herein preceded by a term such as "approximately", "about" and "substantially" as used herein represent the feature with some variability that still performs a desired function or achieves a desired result for that feature.

[0071] It should be emphasized that many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments, the elements of which are to be understood as being among other acceptable examples. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and protected by the following claims.

[0072] 1: Clinical Chemistry Analyzer, 2: Sample Container, 3: Incubation Reaction Control Unit, 10: Chassis Unit (CHS), 11: Sample Container Unit (ASP), 12: Reagent container unit (RCU), 13: Incubation Reaction Unit (IRU), 14: Sample Pipette Unit (SPT), 15, 16: Reagent Pipette Unit (RPT), 17, 18: Mixing Unit (MIX), 19: Detector Unit (DTR), 20: Wash Unit (WU), 21: Control unit (CNU), 31: Rotation Tray (Rotation Table), 32: Sample Tube, 33: Rotation Tray (Rotation Table), 34: Reagent Bottle, 35: Rotation Tray (Rotation Table), 36: Cuvette, 37, 39, 40: Pipette, 38, 41, 42: Drive Mechanism, 45: Lamp Unit, 50: Pump Unit (PP), 100: Pre-heating unit (PH), 101: Heater, 102: PH-Body, 102a: Spiral Groove, 102b: External Peripheral Surface, 103: Flow Path, 104: Heat Conductor, 104a: First Metal Portion, 104b: Second Metal Portion, 104c: Slit, 105: Cover, 106: Temperature Sensor

[0073] Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent No. 6255272

Claims

1. A pre-heating unit (PH) (100) comprising: a PH-body (102) heated by a heater (101); a tube-like flow path (103) arranged in a groove (102a); a heat conductor (104) comprising a metal member covering an external peripheral surface (102b) and the tube-like flow path (103); and a cover (105) comprising an elastic member covering the heat conductor (104), wherein the groove (102a) is formed by extending in an axial direction with respect to the external peripheral surface (102b), wherein the tube-like flow path (103) allows a liquid to flow, wherein the cover (105) has a lower thermal conductivity than the heat conductor (104).

2. The pre-heating unit (PH) (100) according to the claim 1, wherein the heat conductor (104) is a split member divided along the axial direction.

3. The pre-heating unit (PH) (100) according to the claim 1, wherein the heat conductor (104) is a member having a slit (104c) formed along the axial direction.

4. The pre-heating unit (PH) (100) according to the claim 1, wherein the heat conductor (104) is fixed by pressing the tube-like flow path (103) to the bottom of the groove (102a).

5. The pre-heating unit (PH) (100) according to the claim 1, wherein the cover (105) is made of a heat shrinking tube and fixes the heat conductor (104) in a heat shrink state.

6. The pre-heating unit (PH) (100) according to the claim 1, wherein the heat conductor (104) has a smaller heat capacity than the cover (105).

7. The pre-heating unit (PH) (100) according to the claim 1, wherein the heat conductor (104) has a smaller heat capacity than the PH-body (102).

8. The pre-heating unit (PH) 100 according to the claim 1, wherein the heat conductor (104) comprising at least an iron member.

9. The pre-heating unit (PH) (100) according to the claim 1, wherein the heat conductor (104) comprising a first metal portion (104a) having a first heat capacity on an inner peripheral side, and a second metal portion (104b) having a second heat capacity greater than the first heat capacity on the outer peripheral side.

10. The pre-heating unit (PH) (100) of the claim 9, further comprising a fuse for cutting off a power supply to the heater when the temperature of the heat conductor exceeds a threshold value.

11. An analyzer comprising the pre-heating unit (PH) (100) according to any one of the claims 1 to 10.

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