Automated analysis device

Abstract

This invention provides an automated analytical apparatus capable of confirming the amount of sample aspirated by a sample dispensing unit. The automated analytical apparatus for analyzing a sample is characterized by comprising: an incubator holding a reaction vessel containing a mixture of the sample and reagents; a sample dispensing unit that aspirates the sample from the sample vessel containing the sample, stores the aspirated sample in a storage unit, and then dispenses it into the reaction vessel, thereby dispensing the sample; and a measuring unit that measures the amount of sample in the storage unit based on a detection signal obtained by detecting light transmitted through the storage unit while irradiating it with light.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an automated analysis device. Background Technology

[0002] Automated analytical apparatuses are devices used in hospitals and testing facilities to analyze samples such as blood and urine provided by patients. When the sample is blood, in order to analyze only the plasma separated from blood cells within the sample container using a centrifuge or similar device, it is necessary to detect the horizontal interface between the plasma and air. Liquid level sensors and optical sensors are used to detect this interface. Sometimes, due to vibrations during sample container transport, foam may form a mixed layer between the plasma and air. If the foam is abundant, it needs to be removed before entering the analysis process by introducing air into the sample container.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses an automatic analysis device that determines whether to proceed to the analysis step based on whether the difference between the horizontal interface between air and foam or plasma detected by a liquid level sensor and the horizontal interface between air or foam and plasma detected by an optical sensor is less than a threshold. It should be noted that, in the absence of foam generation, the horizontal interface between air and plasma is detected by two sensors.

[0004] Existing technical documents

[0005] Patent documents

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-520584 Summary of the Invention

[0007] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0008] However, Patent Document 1 does not consider confirming the amount of sample drawn from the sample dispensing unit. Even if the horizontal interface between the air and the sample is correctly detected, if the amount of sample drawn from the sample dispensing unit is not appropriate, the accuracy of the analysis may be reduced.

[0009] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an automatic analysis device capable of confirming the amount of sample aspirated by the sample dispensing unit.

[0010] Methods for solving problems

[0011] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides an automated analytical apparatus for analyzing a sample, characterized in that it comprises an incubator, a sample dispensing unit, and a measuring unit; the incubator holds a reaction vessel containing a mixture of the sample and reagents; the sample dispensing unit draws the sample from the sample vessel containing the sample, stores the drawn sample in a storage unit, and then discharges it into the reaction vessel, thereby dispensing the sample; the measuring unit measures the amount of sample in the storage unit based on a detection signal obtained by detecting the light transmitted through the storage unit while irradiating it with light.

[0012] Invention Effects

[0013] According to the present invention, an automatic analysis device is provided that can confirm the amount of sample aspirated by the sample dispensing unit. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of an automatic analysis device.

[0015] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional view showing the measuring unit configured on the incubator.

[0016] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing an example of a dispensing pipette tip and measuring section for samples not yet stored.

[0017] Figure 4 This is a diagram showing an example of the dispensing tip and measuring section for storing samples.

[0018] Figure 5 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the processing flow of Example 1.

[0019] Figure 6 This is a diagram illustrating the time-dependent changes in the detection signal as the dispensing tip of the stored sample descends.

[0020] Figure 7 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the processing flow of Example 2.

[0021] Figure 8 This is a three-dimensional view showing the measuring section configured on the specimen container.

[0022] Figure 9 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the processing flow of Example 3. Detailed Implementation

[0023] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the automatic analysis apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that in the following description and drawings, constituent elements having the same functional configuration are given the same reference numerals, thereby omitting repeated descriptions.

[0024] Example 1

[0025] use Figure 1 Here is an example illustrating the overall structure of an automated analysis device. This automated analysis device analyzes samples such as blood and urine provided by a patient, and includes a support transport path 100, a tray 109, a reagent tray 114, an incubator 118, an analysis unit 130, and a control unit 133. Each part will be described below.

[0026] The support transport path 100 transports the specimen support 101, which carries multiple specimen containers 102 containing the specimen, to a position accessible to the specimen dispensing section 103. The specimen contained in the specimen containers 102 is dispensed into the reaction vessel 108 held in the incubator 118 via the specimen dispensing section 103. It should be noted that the specimen dispensing section 103 performs rotational movement in the horizontal plane and vertical movement in the vertical direction.

[0027] A reaction container 108 and a dispensing pipette tip 104, serving as consumables, are arranged on a tray 109. The reaction container 108 is transferred from the tray 109 to the incubator 118 via a consumable transport unit 105, and is used to hold the mixture of sample and reagent. The dispensing pipette tip 104 is transferred from the tray 109 to the pipette tip mounting position 111 via the consumable transport unit 105, where it is mounted on the probe tip of the sample dispensing unit 103 for sample dispensing. To prevent sample residue, the dispensing pipette tip 104 is replaced each time a sample is dispensed from the sample dispensing unit 103, and the used dispensing pipette tip 104 is disposed of in the waste hole 112. The sample dispensing section 103, equipped with a dispensing pipette tip 104 at the probe tip, draws a sample from the sample container 102, stores the drawn sample in the dispensing pipette tip 104, and discharges the stored sample into the reaction container 108 located at the sample dispensing position 120, thereby dispensing the sample. It should be noted that the rotating track 136 of the sample dispensing section 103 is equipped with a pipette tip mounting position 111, a sample dispensing position 120, and a waste hole 112.

[0028] The reagent tray 114 holds multiple reagent containers 115 containing reagents. To mitigate reagent deterioration, the interior of the reagent tray 114 is maintained at a temperature lower than room temperature. Reagents contained in the reagent containers 115 are dispensed into the reaction vessel 108 containing the sample via the reagent dispensing section 113. The reagent dispensing section 113 draws reagents from the reagent containers 115, which are moved to the reagent aspiration position 116 by the rotation of the reagent tray, and dispenses the drawn reagents into the reaction vessel 108 located at the reagent dispensing position 122, thereby dispensing the reagents. It should be noted that the reagent dispensing section 113 also rotates and moves vertically in the same manner as the sample dispensing section 103.

[0029] The incubator 118 holds multiple reaction vessels 108 containing a mixture of samples and reagents, and maintains it within a specified temperature range. The mixture contained in the reaction vessels 108 undergoes a reaction at the specified temperature maintained by the incubator 118, becoming a reaction solution for analysis. The reaction vessels 108, arranged along the outer periphery of the circular incubator 118, are moved to the sample dispensing position 120, the reagent dispensing position 122, and the reaction solution aspiration position 123 by the rotation of the incubator 118.

[0030] The analysis unit 130 analyzes the reaction solution contained in the reaction vessel 108. The reaction solution to be analyzed is drawn from the reaction vessel 108, which is transferred to the reaction solution aspiration position 123, by the reaction solution aspiration unit 132 and sent to the analysis unit 130. The luminescence of the phosphor is measured on the reaction solution sent to the analysis unit 130.

[0031] The control unit 133 controls the actions of each part and accepts the input of data required for analysis, or displays and stores the analysis results. The control unit 133 can be dedicated hardware composed of ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or a computer with MPU (Micro-Processing Unit) that has software to execute.

[0032] The amount of sample contained in the reaction solution analyzed by the analysis unit 130 is the amount drawn and dispensed by the sample dispensing unit 103. If the amount of sample drawn is not appropriate, the accuracy of the analysis may be reduced. Therefore, in this embodiment, a measuring unit is provided to measure the amount of sample stored in the dispensing tip 104 installed at the probe tip of the sample dispensing unit 103.

[0033] use Figure 2An example of a configuration having a measuring unit 138 disposed on top of an incubator 118 will be described. The measuring unit 138 is provided at the sample dispensing position 120. It should be noted that a cover 137 for preventing foreign matter from entering the reaction vessel 108 is provided on top of the incubator 118, therefore the measuring unit 138 is disposed on top of the cover 137. Even if the incubator 118 rotates, the cover 137 does not rotate and remains stationary. On the cover 137, holes with an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the probes of the sample dispensing position 120, reagent dispensing position 122, and reaction solution aspiration position 123 are provided, respectively. In addition, a through hole 139 with an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the probe of the sample dispensing position 103 is also provided on the measuring unit 138. That is, the sample dispensing position 103 dispenses the sample into the reaction vessel 108 through the hole provided at the sample dispensing position 120. The detection signals acquired by the measuring unit 138 are sent to the control unit 133. The control unit 133 controls the operation of each unit based on the received detection signals, or displays various messages on a display unit 148 such as a liquid crystal display.

[0034] use Figure 3 and Figure 4 The structure of the measuring unit 138 will be described. The measuring unit 138 includes a light irradiation unit 140, a light detection unit 141, and a support unit 144. Each part will be described below.

[0035] The light irradiation unit 140 is a light-emitting element such as a light-emitting diode that irradiates the irradiation light 142 in a horizontal direction. The irradiation light 142 is light of a wavelength that passes through the dispensing tip 104 and is absorbed by the sample 143. The wavelength of the irradiation light 142 can also be selected according to the material of the dispensing tip 104 and the type of sample. For example, if the dispensing tip 104 is made of a plastic resin such as polyethylene or polystyrene and is white or semi-transparent, and the sample 143 contains moisture, near-infrared light with a wavelength of approximately 1940 nm, which passes through the plastic resin and is absorbed by the moisture, can be selected.

[0036] The light detection unit 141 is a light-receiving element such as a photodiode that detects the illumination light 142. It is supported by the support unit 144 together with the light irradiation unit 140 and is arranged opposite to the light irradiation unit 140 in the horizontal direction.

[0037] The support portion 144 is a U-shaped component that supports the light irradiation portion 140 and the light detection portion 141 at the same height in the vertical direction. It is provided at the bottom edge of the support portion 144 through a hole 139.

[0038] As the dispensing tip 104 passes between the light irradiation section 140 and the light detection section 141, the detection signal output by the light detection section 141 changes depending on whether there is a sample 143 in the dispensing tip 104. Specifically, when there is a sample 143 in the dispensing tip 104, the detection signal decreases compared to when there is no sample. Furthermore, the detection signal changes significantly when the tip 104A of the dispensing tip 104 passes between the light irradiation section 140 and the light detection section 141, and when the liquid surface 143A of the sample 143 passes between the light irradiation section 140 and the light detection section 141. It should be noted that before the dispensing tip 104 passes through, the irradiation light 142 directly incidents on the light detection section 141, thus maximizing the detection signal.

[0039] use Figure 5 An example of the processing flow in this embodiment will be described step by step.

[0040] (S501)

[0041] The sample dispensing section 103 rotates and moves toward the position where the sample is aspirated, that is, the sample container 102 mounted on the sample holder 101.

[0042] (S502)

[0043] The sample dispensing section 103 draws the sample from the sample container 102. It should be noted that a dispensing pipette tip 104 is pre-installed in the sample dispensing section 103.

[0044] (S503)

[0045] The sample dispensing section 103 rotates and moves toward the sample dispensing position, i.e., the sample dispensing position 120.

[0046] (S504)

[0047] The sample dispensing unit 103 descends at the sample dispensing position 120. The measuring unit 138 measures the light intensity during the descent of the sample dispensing unit 103 and outputs a detection signal to the control unit 133. The control unit 133 continuously receives the detection signal output from the measuring unit 138 and records it as the time-varying change of the detection signal.

[0048] use Figure 6 The change in the detection signal over time as the dispensing tip 104, containing the sample 143, passes between the light irradiation section 140 and the light detection section 141 will be explained. It should be noted that, for simplicity, the area between the light irradiation section 140 and the light detection section 141 is divided into three parts: before the dispensing tip 104 passes through, during the passage of the area between the tip 104A and the liquid surface 143A, and after the liquid surface 143A passes through.

[0049] First, before the dispensing tip 104 passes through, the illumination light 142 is directly incident on the photodetector 141, so the detection signal becomes the maximum value Smax. Next, as the light passes through the region between the tip 104A and the liquid surface 143A, the illumination light 142 is absorbed by the dispensing tip 104 and the sample 143, so the detection signal decreases to Smin. The period Δt during which the detection signal is Smin is the time from when the tip 104A passes between the photodetector 140 and the photodetector 141 until the liquid surface 143A passes through. Finally, after the liquid surface 143A passes through, although there is absorption caused by the dispensing tip 104, the absorption caused by the sample 143 disappears, so the detection signal increases to Smid.

[0050] Control unit 133 based on Figure 6 The amount of sample 143 stored in the dispensing tip 104 is calculated from the time-dependent change in the illustrated detection signal. The amount V of sample 143 is calculated, for example, using the following formula.

[0051] V=Δt·v·S…(1)

[0052] Here, Δt is the time from when the front end 104A passes between the light irradiation section 140 and the light detection section 141 until the liquid surface 143A passes through, v is the descent speed of the sample dispensing section 103, and S is the cross-sectional area of ​​the inner cavity of the dispensing suction head 104.

[0053] It should be noted that when the cross-sectional area of ​​the inner cavity of the dispensing tip 104 varies with the vertical position z, it is treated as a function of z, S(z). Furthermore, when the descent speed of the sample dispensing section 103 varies with the position z, it is also treated as a function of z, v(z). Additionally, to calculate Δt, the time-varying variation of the detection signal can be processed. For example, the curve representing the time-varying variation of the detection signal can be differentiated using time, and the time difference between the moment representing the minimum value of the curve obtained through differentiation and the moment representing the maximum value can be calculated as Δt.

[0054] (S505)

[0055] Control unit 133 determines whether the amount of sample 143 calculated in S504 is appropriate. If it is appropriate, the process proceeds to S506; otherwise, it proceeds to S508. It should be noted that whether the amount is appropriate is determined based on the difference between the pre-determined injection volume for each analysis and the amount of sample 143 calculated in S504. That is, if the difference is less than a threshold, it is considered appropriate; if it is greater than the threshold, it is considered inappropriate.

[0056] (S506)

[0057] The sample dispensing section 103 dispenses the sample into the reaction container 108 located at the sample dispensing position 120.

[0058] (S507)

[0059] The control unit 133 controls the operation of each part to continue the analysis. That is, reagents are dispensed into the reaction container 108 containing the sample, a reaction solution is generated in the incubator 118, and the luminescence of the fluorophore in the reaction solution is measured in the analysis unit 130.

[0060] (S508)

[0061] The control unit 133 controls the operation of each part and performs error handling. That is, it prevents the sample from being discharged into the reaction vessel 108 located at the sample dispensing position 120, causes the sample dispensing section 103 to rise, discards the sample in the dispensing tip 104, and / or displays unanalyzable information on the display unit 148. Furthermore, in order to re-analyze, the processing from S501 can be restarted by the sample dispensing section 103 with the dispensing tip 104 replaced.

[0062] Through the processing flow described above, the amount of sample 143 drawn by the sample dispensing unit 103 can be confirmed. Furthermore, if the confirmed amount of sample 143 is not appropriate, the analysis can be repeated. In addition, since the measuring unit 138 is arranged on the movement path of the sample dispensing unit 103, the amount of sample 143 can be confirmed without stopping the sample dispensing operation.

[0063] Example 2

[0064] In Example 1, the amount of sample 143 in the dispensing tip 104 was measured as the sample dispensing section 103 descended toward the reaction vessel 108. The sample 143 stored in the dispensing tip 104 may not be completely expelled into the reaction vessel 108; sometimes, loss occurs due to various reasons. Therefore, in this example, the remaining amount of sample 143 in the dispensing tip 104 after expulsion is described. It should be noted that since the processing flow differs from Example 1, other descriptions are omitted.

[0065] use Figure 7 The temperature control process of this embodiment will be described step by step.

[0066] (S501~S506)

[0067] Since the process is the same as in Example 1, the description is omitted. After step S506, the process proceeds to step S707.

[0068] (S707)

[0069] The sample dispensing section 103 rises after discharging the sample 143 into the reaction vessel 108. The measuring section 138 measures the light intensity during the rise of the sample dispensing section 103 and outputs a detection signal to the control section 133. Based on the time-dependent change in the detection signal output from the measuring section 138, the control section 133 calculates the amount of sample 143 remaining in the dispensing tip 104, i.e., the residual amount. The residual amount is calculated, for example, using (Equation 1).

[0070] (S708)

[0071] Control unit 133 determines whether the remaining amount of sample 143 calculated in S707 is appropriate. If it is appropriate, the process proceeds to S507; otherwise, it proceeds to S508. It should be noted that the appropriateness is determined by whether the remaining amount of sample 143 calculated in S707 is below a predetermined allowable amount. That is, if the remaining amount is below the allowable amount, it is considered appropriate; if it exceeds the allowable amount, it is considered inappropriate.

[0072] (S507~S508)

[0073] Since the process is the same as in Example 1, the description is omitted. In S508, it is also possible to add a step of discarding the reaction vessel 108 after the sample is discharged without further analysis.

[0074] The processing procedure described above allows for the confirmation of the amount of sample 143 aspirated by the sample dispensing unit 103, and the confirmation of the remaining sample in the dispensing tip 104 after the sample 143 is dispensed. Furthermore, if the confirmed amount and remaining amount of sample 143 are not adequate, the analysis can be performed again.

[0075] Furthermore, since the measuring unit 138 is positioned on the movement path of the sample dispensing unit 103, the quantity and remaining amount of the sample 143 can be confirmed without stopping the sample dispensing operation. It should be noted that since the dispensing pipette 104, after dispensing the sample 143, is discarded into the waste hole 112, the measuring unit 138 can also be installed above the waste hole 112 to confirm the remaining amount of the sample 143 just before it is discarded.

[0076] Example 3

[0077] In Example 1, the measurement of the amount of sample 143 in the dispensing tip 104 by means of the measuring unit 138 provided on the incubator 118 was described. The placement of the measuring unit 138 is not limited to the incubator 118. In this example, the measuring unit 138 is provided on the sample container 102 mounted on the sample holder 101, which serves as the sample aspiration position. It should be noted that since the difference from Example 1 lies in the placement of the measuring unit 138 and the processing flow, other descriptions are omitted.

[0078] use Figure 8 An example of a configuration having a measuring unit 138 disposed on a specimen container 102 mounted on a specimen holder 101 will be described. Similar to Embodiment 1, the measuring unit 138 has a light irradiation unit 140 and a light detection unit 141 supported by U-shaped support units 144 in an opposing manner. It should be noted that in this embodiment, no through hole 139 is provided on the bottom edge of the support unit 144, and when viewed from the vertical direction, the support unit 144 is arranged in a U-shape, through which the probe of the specimen dispensing unit 103 passes.

[0079] use Figure 9 An example of the processing flow of this embodiment will be described step by step. It should be noted that the descriptions of S501-S503 and S505-S508, which are processes identical to those in Embodiment 1, are omitted. However, S503 is moved between S505 and S506, S901 is newly added between S501 and S502, and S902 is newly added after S502. The newly added S902 and S904 will be described below.

[0080] (S901)

[0081] In step S501, the sample dispensing unit 103 rotates and moves to the position for aspirating the sample, that is, the position of the sample container 102 mounted on the sample holder 101, and then descends. During the descent of the sample dispensing unit 103, the measuring unit 138 measures the amount of light and outputs a detection signal to the control unit 133. The control unit 133 continuously receives the detection signal output from the measuring unit 138 and records it as the time-varying change of the detection signal. The time-varying change of the detection signal recorded in this step is obtained by measuring the amount of light transmitted through the dispensing tip 104 without the sample 143, and represents the amount of light absorbed by the dispensing tip 104 itself.

[0082] (S902)

[0083] After the sample dispensing unit 103 picks up the sample in S502, it rises. The measuring unit 138 measures the amount of light during the rise of the sample dispensing unit 103 and outputs a detection signal to the control unit 133. The control unit 133 continuously receives the detection signal output from the measuring unit 138 and records it as the time-varying change of the detection signal. The time-varying change of the detection signal recorded in this step is obtained by measuring the amount of light passing through the dispensing pipette tip 104 containing the sample 143, and represents the amount of light absorbed by the dispensing pipette tip 104 and the sample 143.

[0084] The control unit 133 calculates the amount of sample 143 stored in the dispensing pipette tip 104 based on the time-varying changes of the detection signal recorded in S901 and this step. When calculating the amount of sample 143, the difference between the two time-varying changes is calculated by reversing either of the two time-varying time axes and combining the times at which the front end 104A passes. The calculated difference represents the time-varying change of the detection signal indicating the amount of light absorbed only by the sample 143; therefore, even if there are individual differences in light absorption by the dispensing pipette tip 104, the amount of sample 143 can be determined more accurately.

[0085] The processing flow described above allows for more accurate confirmation of the amount of sample 143 aspirated by the sample dispensing unit 103. Furthermore, since the measuring unit 138 is positioned along the movement path of the sample dispensing unit 103, the amount of sample 143 can be confirmed without stopping the sample dispensing operation. Moreover, in this embodiment, it is possible to immediately determine whether the amount of sample 143 is appropriate after the sample dispensing unit 103 aspirates it. If it is not appropriate, the sample dispensing unit 103 is not moved to the sample dispensing position 120; instead, the dispensing pipette tip 104 is discarded and proceeds to the next step, thus further shortening the analysis process. It should be noted that S901 is not mandatory; the amount of sample 143 can also be confirmed simply by using the time-varying change in the detection signal recorded in S902.

[0086] The present invention has been described above with reference to several embodiments. The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and modifications to the constituent elements are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, an imaging element having multiple detection elements may be used as the light detection unit 141. In the case of such an imaging element, the amount of sample 143 can be calculated by image processing of the transmitted image of the dispensing head 104 instead of using the time-varying change of the detection signal. Furthermore, the storage unit for storing the sample aspirated by the sample dispensing unit 103 is not limited to the dispensing head 104 and may be other storage units. Additionally, the multiple constituent elements disclosed in the above embodiments may be appropriately combined. Furthermore, several constituent elements may be deleted from all the constituent elements shown in the above embodiments.

[0087] Symbol Explanation

[0088] 100: Stent transport path; 101: Specimen stent; 102: Specimen container; 103: Specimen dispensing section; 104: Dispensing pipette tip; 104A: Front end; 105: Consumables transport section; 108: Reaction vessel; 109: Tray; 111: Pipette tip mounting position; 112: Waste port; 113: Reagent dispensing section; 114: Reagent tray; 115: Reagent container; 116: Reagent aspiration position; 118: Incubator. 120: Specimen dispensing position, 122: Reagent dispensing position, 123: Reaction solution aspiration position, 130: Analytical section, 132: Reaction solution aspiration section, 133: Control section, 136: Rotary track, 137: Cover, 138: Measuring section, 139: Through hole, 140: Light irradiation section, 141: Light detection section, 142: Irradiation light, 143: Specimen, 143A: Liquid surface, 144: Support section, 148: Display section.

Claims

1. An automatic analysis device for analyzing samples, characterized in that, have: An incubator that holds the reaction vessel containing the mixture of the sample and reagents. The sample dispensing unit draws the sample from a sample container containing the sample, stores the drawn sample in a storage unit, and then discharges it into the reaction vessel, thereby dispensing the sample. The measuring unit measures the amount of sample in the storage unit based on a detection signal obtained by detecting the light transmitted through the storage unit while illuminating the storage unit with light; If the amount of the sample measured by the measuring unit is appropriate, then after the sample is discharged into the reaction vessel, the measuring unit measures the amount of the sample in the storage unit again. The measuring unit is positioned on the moving path of the storage unit. It measures the light intensity of the storage unit without a sample during its descent along the moving path to obtain a detection signal, and measures the light intensity of the storage unit containing a sample during its ascent along the moving path to obtain a detection signal. The measuring unit measures the amount of the sample in the storage unit based on the time-varying changes of the detection signal obtained during the descent and ascent of the storage unit.

2. The automatic analysis device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The measuring unit is positioned above the incubator.

3. The automatic analysis device according to claim 2, characterized in that, If the amount of the sample measured by the measuring unit is not appropriate, the sample will not be discharged into the reaction vessel.

4. The automatic analysis device according to claim 1, characterized in that, If the amount of the sample measured again after the sample has been discharged into the reaction vessel exceeds the permissible amount, the discharged sample will not be analyzed.

5. The automatic analysis device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The measuring unit is positioned on top of the sample container.

6. The automatic analysis device according to claim 5, characterized in that, If the amount of the sample measured by the measuring unit is not appropriate, the sample collected is discarded.

7. An automatic analysis device for analyzing a sample, characterized in that, have: An incubator that holds the reaction vessel containing the mixture of the sample and reagents. The sample dispensing unit draws the sample from a sample container containing the sample, stores the drawn sample in a storage unit, and then discharges it into the reaction vessel, thereby dispensing the sample. The measuring unit measures the amount of sample in the storage unit based on a detection signal obtained by detecting the light transmitted through the storage unit while illuminating the storage unit with light; The measuring unit is positioned on the moving path of the storage unit. It measures the light intensity of the storage unit without a sample during its descent along the moving path to obtain a detection signal, and measures the light intensity of the storage unit containing a sample during its ascent along the moving path to obtain a detection signal. The measuring unit measures the amount of the sample in the storage unit based on the time-varying changes of the detection signal obtained during the descent and ascent of the storage unit.

8. The automatic analysis device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The measuring unit is positioned above the incubator.

9. The automatic analysis device according to claim 8, characterized in that, If the amount of the sample measured by the measuring unit is not appropriate, the sample will not be discharged into the reaction vessel.

10. The automatic analysis device according to claim 8, characterized in that, If the amount of the sample measured by the measuring unit is appropriate, the measuring unit shall measure the amount of the sample in the storage unit again after the sample is discharged into the reaction vessel.

11. The automatic analysis device according to claim 10, characterized in that, If the amount of the sample measured again after the sample has been discharged into the reaction vessel exceeds the permissible amount, the discharged sample will not be analyzed.

12. The automatic analysis device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The measuring unit is positioned on top of the sample container.

13. The automatic analysis device according to claim 12, characterized in that, If the amount of the sample measured by the measuring unit is not appropriate, the sample collected is discarded.

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