Waste liquid discharge system and sample analyzer

Abstract

The invention provides a waste liquid discharge system and a sample analyzer, and the waste liquid discharge system comprises a vacuum tank which is arranged on a lower layer supporting structure of the sample analyzer; the vacuum pump is communicated with the vacuum tank, so that a negative pressure environment is generated in the vacuum tank; the first-stage buffer tank is communicated with the waste suction pipeline of the cleaning station and is fixed on the upper-layer supporting structure of the sample analyzer; the second-stage buffer tank is fixed on the upper-layer supporting structure of the sample analyzer, communicated with the vacuum tank and connected with the first-stage buffer tank through a first valve, and the second-stage buffer tank is provided with a first discharge port for discharging waste liquid; the controller controls opening and closing of the vacuum pump and the first valve; wherein under the condition that the first valve is closed, the interior of the second-stage buffer tank is a negative pressure environment, under the condition that the first valve is opened, the first-stage buffer tank is communicated with the second-stage buffer tank, and under the action of negative pressure, waste liquid in the waste suction pipeline is sucked into the first-stage buffer tank.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411169224.5, filed on August 23, 2024, entitled “Sample Analyzer”, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of medical devices, specifically to a waste liquid discharge system and a sample analyzer. Background Technology

[0003] Existing sample analyzers inject a certain amount of blood, urine, or other samples and reagents into a reaction vessel, allowing them to mix and react. The reaction solution is then subjected to optical measurements to analyze the sample's composition and concentration. After analysis, the sample analyzer's cleaning station needs to clean the reaction vessel. The waste liquid discharge system in the cleaning station typically uses a vacuum pump and vacuum tank to discharge waste liquid. However, during the waste suction process, waste liquid or exhaust gas may be drawn into the vacuum tank through the waste liquid buffer tank, reducing the effective volume of the vacuum tank and affecting the waste liquid discharge efficiency of the system. Furthermore, the accumulated liquid after entering the vacuum tank may damage components in the vacuum tank or vacuum pump. To address these issues, a common solution is to install a liquid level detection device inside the vacuum tank and a discharge port at the bottom of the vacuum tank to discharge waste liquid, with regular maintenance by designated personnel.

[0004] Furthermore, in order to facilitate the discharge of waste liquid from the vacuum chamber, some related technologies place the vacuum chamber together with other instruments on the upper support structure of the sample analyzer, so that the waste liquid in the vacuum chamber can be discharged from the discharge port by gravity. However, this arrangement causes the vacuum chamber to occupy too much upper space, which is not conducive to the miniaturization design of the instrument.

[0005] In other related technologies, the vacuum tank is placed on the lower support structure of the sample analyzer. However, this arrangement requires additional power and sealing devices to remove the waste liquid from the vacuum tank, thus increasing costs. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This application provides a waste liquid discharge system and a sample analyzer, which will be described in the following aspects.

[0007] Firstly, a waste liquid discharge system is provided, which is applied to the cleaning station of a sample analyzer. The waste liquid discharge system includes: a vacuum tank, installed on the lower support structure of the sample analyzer; a vacuum pump, connected to the vacuum tank to create a negative pressure environment inside the vacuum tank; a first-stage buffer tank, connected to the waste suction pipeline of the cleaning station and fixed to the upper support structure of the sample analyzer; a second-stage buffer tank, fixed to the upper support structure of the sample analyzer and connected to the vacuum tank, and connected to the first-stage buffer tank through a first valve, the second-stage buffer tank being provided with a first discharge port for discharging waste liquid; and a controller for controlling the opening and closing of the vacuum pump and the first valve. When the first valve is closed, the interior of the second-stage buffer tank is a negative pressure environment; when the first valve is open, the first-stage buffer tank and the second-stage buffer tank are connected, and under the action of negative pressure, the waste liquid in the waste suction pipeline is drawn into the interior of the first-stage buffer tank.

[0008] In some possible implementations, the volume of the second-stage buffer tank is smaller than the volume of the vacuum tank, and the sum of the volumes of the second-stage buffer tank and the vacuum tank equals the target volume, which is the volume that meets the requirements for the waste liquid removal rate.

[0009] In some possible implementations, the volume of the second-stage buffer tank is determined based on the target liquid volume, which is the amount of waste liquid remaining inside the vacuum tank within a preset time or under preset conditions, excluding the second-stage buffer tank and assuming the vacuum tank is connected to the first-stage buffer tank. The volume of the second-stage buffer tank is greater than the target liquid volume, and the preset conditions are when the instrument is turned on or off.

[0010] In some possible implementations, the volume of the second-level buffer tank is less than or equal to 0.2 times the volume of the vacuum tank.

[0011] In some possible implementations, the volume of the second-level cache tank is equal to the volume of the first-level cache tank.

[0012] In some possible implementations, a pressure sensor is installed inside the vacuum tank.

[0013] In some possible implementations, the first discharge port is located at the bottom of the second-stage buffer tank. The first discharge port is connected to the waste liquid discharge port through a second valve. The second-stage buffer tank is fixed to the upper support structure so that the height of the first discharge port from the ground is higher than the height of the waste liquid discharge port from the ground.

[0014] In some possible implementations, the first-stage buffer tank is provided with a second discharge port, which is connected to the waste liquid discharge port via a third valve.

[0015] In some possible implementations, the first-stage buffer tank includes a high-concentration waste liquid buffer tank and / or a low-concentration waste liquid buffer tank.

[0016] In a second aspect, a sample analyzer is provided, the sample analyzer including a cleaning station and a waste liquid discharge system of any one of the first aspects described above; wherein the cleaning station includes a cleaning device having a plurality of suction needles capable of being inserted into a plurality of reaction vessels to aspirate waste liquid.

[0017] In some possible implementations, the sample analyzer further includes: an incubation tray for accommodating multiple reaction containers and providing the environment required for the reaction of samples and reagents in the reaction containers; a reagent storage device for storing reagent bottles and providing the environment required for reagent storage; a reagent transfer device for drawing reagents from the reagent bottles in the reagent storage device and injecting them into the reaction containers; and an optical detection device for performing optical measurement and analysis on the mixture to be tested in the reaction containers to obtain the sample reaction data; wherein the incubation tray, reagent storage device, reagent transfer device, and optical detection device are mounted on the upper support structure of the sample analyzer.

[0018] In this embodiment, a second-stage buffer tank is installed between the first-stage buffer tank and the vacuum tank in the waste liquid discharge system. This allows waste liquid or exhaust gas from the first-stage buffer tank to first enter and remain inside the second-stage buffer tank, preventing it from entering the vacuum tank. Furthermore, since the vacuum tank does not need to discharge waste liquid, it can be installed on the lower support structure of the sample analyzer, while the second-stage buffer tank is fixed to the upper support structure of the sample analyzer, relying on gravity to discharge the waste liquid, thus saving costs. The second-stage buffer tank and the vacuum tank are connected, and their combined volumes meet the speed requirements for waste liquid removal. Therefore, the volume of the second-stage buffer tank can be designed to be small, and its placement on the upper support structure helps achieve the miniaturization requirements of the instrument. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a waste liquid discharge system provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a waste liquid discharge system provided in another embodiment of this application.

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a waste liquid discharge system provided in another embodiment of this application.

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a waste liquid discharge system provided in another embodiment of this application.

[0023] Figure 5 This is a top view of the sample analyzer provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0024] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the cleaning process for the reaction vessel provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments.

[0026] The waste liquid discharge system in the cleaning station of a sample analyzer typically uses a vacuum pump and vacuum tank to discharge waste liquid. For example, a buffer tank is installed at the end of the waste suction line of the sample analyzer. A waste suction solenoid valve is installed between the buffer tank and the vacuum tank, and a waste discharge solenoid valve is installed at the bottom of the buffer tank. When the sample analyzer needs waste suction, the waste discharge solenoid valve is closed and the waste suction solenoid valve is opened, connecting the buffer tank and the vacuum tank. The pressure inside the buffer tank decreases, and under the action of negative pressure, the waste liquid in the waste suction line is sucked into the buffer tank, completing the waste suction action. After the waste suction is completed, the waste suction solenoid valve is closed and the waste discharge solenoid valve is opened, and the waste liquid is discharged into the sewer or waste liquid tank by gravity.

[0027] However, during the aforementioned waste removal process, changes in pressure and temperature, as well as the tendency of some biochemical testing items to generate bubbles in the waste liquid, may cause waste liquid or gas to enter the vacuum chamber through the buffer tank. Over time, as the liquid inside the vacuum chamber gradually increases, the effective volume of the vacuum chamber decreases, weakening the negative pressure generated by the vacuum chamber. This results in the buffer tank being unable to completely remove the waste liquid, affecting the cleaning effect and compromising the accuracy of sample analysis results. Furthermore, the accumulated waste liquid entering the vacuum chamber may damage components in the vacuum chamber or vacuum pump. For example, when the vacuum chamber is full of waste liquid, it may enter the diaphragm of the vacuum pump, damaging it.

[0028] To solve the above problems, a common solution in related technologies is to install a liquid level detection device inside the vacuum tank and a waste discharge port at the bottom, and to send a specialist to maintain it regularly.

[0029] Furthermore, to facilitate the efficient discharge of waste liquid from the vacuum chamber, some related technologies place the vacuum chamber alongside other analytical modules (such as reagent compartments, incubation trays, and optical measurement modules) on the upper support structure of the sample analyzer. This allows gravity to drain the waste liquid from the vacuum chamber through the discharge port. However, to ensure complete removal of waste liquid from the reaction vessel within a very short time, the vacuum chamber is typically designed to be quite large. Therefore, this arrangement results in the vacuum chamber occupying excessive upper space, hindering the miniaturization of the instrument.

[0030] In other related technologies, the vacuum tank is placed on the lower support structure of the sample analyzer. However, hospital waste liquid pipelines are usually located higher than the lower support structure of the sample analyzer. This means that the waste liquid in the vacuum tank cannot be discharged by gravity alone, requiring periodic manual emptying of the waste liquid, which wastes labor costs. Alternatively, other power components, such as a diaphragm pump, may be needed to pump the waste liquid from the vacuum tank. However, vacuum pipelines require sealing, and diaphragm pumps are prone to internal leakage due to their structure. Therefore, a solenoid valve needs to be added between the diaphragm pump and the vacuum tank to prevent leakage, thus increasing costs.

[0031] To address the aforementioned issues, in this embodiment, a second-stage buffer tank is installed between the first-stage buffer tank and the vacuum tank in the waste liquid discharge system. This allows waste liquid or exhaust gas from the first-stage buffer tank to first enter and remain inside the second-stage buffer tank, preventing it from entering the vacuum tank. Furthermore, since the vacuum tank does not require further waste liquid discharge, it can be mounted on the lower support structure of the sample analyzer, while the second-stage buffer tank is fixed to the upper support structure of the sample analyzer, relying on gravity to discharge the waste liquid, thus saving costs. The second-stage buffer tank and the vacuum tank are connected, and their combined volumes meet the speed requirements for waste liquid removal. Therefore, the volume of the second-stage buffer tank can be designed to be relatively small, and its placement on the upper support structure helps achieve the miniaturization requirements of the instrument.

[0032] The following is combined Figure 1 The waste liquid discharge system provided in the embodiments of this application will be described in detail.

[0033] like Figure 1 As shown, this wastewater discharge system is used in the cleaning station of the sample analyzer and includes a vacuum pump 110 and a vacuum tank 120. The vacuum pump 110 is used to generate negative pressure. The vacuum pump 110 is connected to the vacuum tank 120 to create a negative pressure environment inside the vacuum tank 120, thereby providing a continuous and stable negative pressure source. The vacuum tank 120 is installed on the lower support structure of the sample analyzer (not shown in the figure).

[0034] The first-stage buffer tank 130 is connected to the waste suction pipeline of the washing station. There can be one or more first-stage buffer tanks 130. For example, the first-stage buffer tank 130 may include two buffer tanks, each connected to a waste suction pipeline. Exemplarily, one buffer tank of the first-stage buffer tank 130 is connected to the waste suction pipeline for high-concentration waste liquid, serving as a high-concentration waste liquid buffer tank, while the other buffer tank is connected to the waste suction pipeline for low-concentration waste liquid, serving as a low-concentration waste liquid buffer tank. By setting multiple buffer tanks, different types of waste liquid can be processed separately, facilitating further subsequent processing. The first-stage buffer tank 130 can be fixed to the upper support structure of the sample analyzer (not shown in the figure).

[0035] The second-stage buffer tank 140 is fixed to the upper support structure of the sample analyzer and is connected to the vacuum tank 120. It is also connected to the first-stage buffer tank 130 via the first valve 150. The second-stage buffer tank may be equipped with a first discharge port for discharging waste liquid. Here, the second-stage buffer tank 140 can be directly connected to the vacuum tank 120 on one side via a pipe. That is to say, the interior of the second-stage buffer tank 140 is also a negative pressure environment. Therefore, the second-stage buffer tank 140 can also be called a vacuum buffer tank.

[0036] The second-stage buffer tank 140 is connected in series with the first-stage buffer tank 130 via a pipe on the other side, and a first valve 150 is installed on the pipe. When the first valve 150 is open, the second-stage buffer tank 140 is connected to the first-stage buffer tank 130, creating a negative pressure environment inside the first-stage buffer tank 130. When the first valve 150 is closed, the second-stage buffer tank 140 is no longer connected to the first-stage buffer tank 130, and the pressure inside the first-stage buffer tank 130 returns to atmospheric pressure.

[0037] There can be one or more secondary buffer containers 140. For example, there can be two secondary buffer containers 140, which are directly connected to the vacuum container 120 in series or parallel.

[0038] Compared to the vacuum tank in related technologies, which is set on the upper support structure of the sample analyzer, the embodiments of this application set the second-stage buffer tank 140 on the upper support structure. In some embodiments, since the volume of the second-stage buffer tank 140 can be designed to be smaller than the volume of the vacuum tank 120, the installation space on the upper support structure can be saved, and the arrangement of the components in the waste liquid discharge system can be more flexible, thereby helping to achieve the miniaturization of the instrument.

[0039] For example, the volume of the second-stage buffer tank 140 can be the same as that of the first-stage buffer tank 130, thus reusing the existing first-stage buffer tank 130 and simplifying the design process. Alternatively, the volume of the second-stage buffer tank 140 can be smaller than that of the first-stage buffer tank 130 to further save installation space on the upper support structure.

[0040] To ensure that waste liquid does not fill the second-stage buffer tank 140 and enter the vacuum tank 120 during waste liquid discharge, in some embodiments, the volume of the second-stage buffer tank 140 is determined based on the target liquid accumulation volume of the vacuum tank. It should be understood that the vacuum tank here can be... Figure 1 The vacuum tank 120 can also be the vacuum tank of a waste liquid discharge system in related technologies. The target accumulation volume here is the amount of waste liquid remaining inside the vacuum tank within a preset time or under preset conditions when the second-stage buffer tank 140 is not installed, i.e., when the vacuum tank is directly connected to the first-stage buffer tank 130. The preset conditions here could be, for example, when the instrument is powered on or off. For example, if the waste liquid discharge system operates for 6 hours per day while powered on, the accumulation volume in the vacuum tank can be tested over those 6 hours, and then the volume of the second-stage buffer tank 140 can be determined based on this accumulation volume. Exemplarily, the volume of the second-stage buffer tank 140 can be equal to the target accumulation volume, or the volume of the second-stage buffer tank 140 can be greater than the target accumulation volume, and the difference between the two volumes is within a certain threshold.

[0041] In some embodiments, the volume of the second-stage buffer tank 140 can be smaller than the volume of the vacuum tank 120, and the sum of the volumes of the second-stage buffer tank 140 and the vacuum tank 120 can be equal to the target volume. Here, the target volume is the volume required to meet the waste liquid removal rate. To ensure the cleaning speed of the reaction vessel, the original vacuum tank was designed with a relatively large volume. However, in this embodiment, since the cleaning speed of the reaction vessel is based on the sum of the volumes of the second-stage buffer tank 140 and the vacuum tank 120, both the vacuum tank 120 and the second-stage buffer tank 140 can be designed to be relatively small. To save installation space on the upper support structure and achieve instrument miniaturization, in some embodiments, the volume of the second-stage buffer tank 140 can be set to be less than or equal to 0.2 times the volume of the vacuum tank 120. For example, the second-stage buffer tank 140 can be 0.1 times the volume of the vacuum tank 120. For example, assuming the original vacuum tank has a design volume of 2.2L, in this embodiment, a 0.2L secondary buffer tank 140 and a 2L vacuum tank 120 can be provided. Of course, a 0.3L secondary buffer tank 140 and a 1.9L vacuum tank 120 can also be provided.

[0042] It should be understood that when designing the volume of the vacuum tank 120, factors such as the target liquid volume mentioned above and the installation space on the upper support structure can be comprehensively considered. The volume of the second-stage buffer tank 140 can be set to be greater than the first threshold and less than the second threshold. The first threshold is determined based on the target liquid volume mentioned above, and the second threshold is determined based on the installation space on the upper support structure. For example, assuming the first threshold is 0.05 times the volume of the vacuum tank 120 and the second threshold is 0.2 times the volume of the vacuum tank 120, and assuming the volume of the vacuum tank 120 is 2L, then the volume of the second-stage buffer tank 140 can be between 0.1L and 0.4L.

[0043] In some embodiments, both the first-stage buffer tank 130 and the second-stage buffer tank 140 may have a discharge port at their bottom. This discharge port can be connected to a waste liquid discharge port to discharge waste liquid from the buffer tank. A valve may also be provided at the discharge port to control the discharge of waste liquid from the buffer tank by opening and closing the valve. For example, a first discharge port may be provided at the bottom of the second-stage buffer tank 140, and the first discharge port may be connected to the waste liquid discharge port via a second valve. When the second valve is open, the waste liquid in the second-stage buffer tank 140 is discharged into the waste liquid discharge port by gravity. Alternatively, a second discharge port may be provided at the bottom of the first-stage buffer tank 130, and the second discharge port may be connected to the waste liquid discharge port via a third valve. When the third valve is open, the waste liquid in the first-stage buffer tank 130 is discharged into the waste liquid discharge port by gravity.

[0044] This application does not limit the type of valve in the wastewater discharge system. For example, the valves mentioned above (i.e., the first valve, the second valve, and the third valve) can be any of the following valves: solenoid valve, electric ball valve, pneumatic ball valve, electric butterfly valve, pneumatic butterfly valve, and diaphragm valve. Exemplarily, the first valve, the second valve, and the third valve can all be solenoid valves.

[0045] See also Figure 1The waste liquid discharge system also includes a controller (not shown in the figure). This controller can control the opening and closing of the vacuum pump 110 and the first valve 150. When the controller closes the first valve 150, the interior of the second-stage buffer tank 140 is under negative pressure. When the controller opens the first valve 150, the first-stage buffer tank 130 and the second-stage buffer tank 140 are connected. Under the action of negative pressure, the waste liquid in the suction pipe is drawn into the interior of the first-stage buffer tank 130. A second-stage buffer tank 140 is installed between the first-stage buffer tank 130 and the vacuum tank 120 in the waste liquid discharge system. Thus, waste liquid or exhaust gas passing through the first-stage buffer tank 130 will first enter and remain inside the second-stage buffer tank 140, preventing waste liquid or exhaust gas from entering the vacuum tank 120, thereby avoiding the entry of waste liquid or exhaust gas into the vacuum tank 120. Furthermore, since the vacuum tank 120 does not need to discharge waste liquid, it can be placed on the lower support structure of the sample analyzer, while the second-stage buffer tank 140, which requires waste liquid discharge, is placed on the upper support structure of the sample analyzer. The second-stage buffer tank 140 and the vacuum tank 120 are connected, and their combined volume meets the speed requirement for waste liquid removal. Therefore, the volume of the second-stage buffer tank 140 can be designed to be relatively small, and placing it on the upper support structure helps to achieve the miniaturization design requirements of the instrument.

[0046] The following text combines Figure 2 The workflow of the waste liquid discharge system provided in the embodiments of this application will be described in more detail.

[0047] like Figure 2 As shown, the waste liquid discharge system includes a vacuum pump 110, a vacuum tank 120, a first-stage buffer tank 130, a second-stage buffer tank 140, solenoid valves 210, 220, 230, and 240, and a controller (not shown in the figure). The first-stage buffer tank 130 includes a high-concentration waste liquid buffer tank 131 and a low-concentration waste liquid buffer tank 132. Waste liquid discharge ports are provided at the bottom of all three buffer tanks, and the discharge of waste liquid from the buffer tanks is controlled by opening and closing the solenoid valves. A solenoid valve 240 is installed on the pipeline connecting the second-stage buffer tank 140 and the first-stage buffer tank 130 to control the waste suction action. The high-concentration waste liquid buffer tank 131 and the low-concentration waste liquid buffer tank 132 are respectively connected to the waste suction pipeline, and one end of the waste suction pipeline contacts the waste liquid in the reaction cup through a suction needle.

[0048] When cleaning the reaction cup, the controller opens solenoid valve 240, connecting vacuum tank 120 to the second-stage buffer tank 140, high-concentration waste liquid buffer tank 131, and low-concentration waste liquid buffer tank 132. This reduces the internal pressure of the containers, creating a negative pressure environment below atmospheric pressure. Under this negative pressure, the suction needle draws the waste liquid from the reaction cup into the suction pipe and ultimately into the high-concentration waste liquid buffer tank 131 and the low-concentration waste liquid buffer tank 132, respectively. At this time, some waste liquid or waste gas may be drawn into the second-stage buffer tank 140. After the waste liquid is completely removed, the controller closes solenoid valve 240, eliminating the negative pressure environment in the high-concentration waste liquid buffer tank 131 and the low-concentration waste liquid buffer tank 132, stopping the suction process. Then, the controller opens solenoid valves 210 and 220, allowing the waste liquid in the high-concentration waste liquid buffer tank 131 and the low-concentration waste liquid buffer tank 132 to flow into the waste liquid pipe due to gravity. Additionally, the solenoid valve 230 of the second-stage buffer tank 140 can open after a preset time to discharge waste liquid entering the second-stage buffer tank 140. For example, if the waste liquid discharge system operates for 6 hours per day, the solenoid valve 230 can be opened during the first standby after 6 hours to minimize the risk of liquid accumulation inside the vacuum tank 120. Keeping the vacuum tank 120 dry helps extend the service life of the pressure gauge installed in the vacuum tank 120, thereby extending the maintenance cycle of the vacuum tank 120 and ensuring the reliability of the waste liquid discharge system.

[0049] In some embodiments, the waste liquid in the high-concentration waste liquid buffer tank 131 can be discharged into the waste liquid bucket, and the waste liquid in the low-concentration waste liquid buffer tank 132 can be discharged into the hospital sewer. This satisfies the laboratory's requirements for waste liquid treatment and reduces the burden on users of frequently emptying the waste liquid bucket.

[0050] Figure 3 and Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a waste liquid discharge system according to another embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 3 As shown, the vacuum tank 120 in the waste liquid discharge system can be installed on the lower layer of the support structure, i.e., on the lower support structure 310. The high-concentration waste liquid buffer tank 131, the low-concentration waste liquid buffer tank 132, and the second-stage buffer tank 140 are all fixed on the upper layer of the support structure, i.e., on the upper support structure 320. In this embodiment, the second-stage buffer tank 140 and the vacuum tank 120 are arranged in layers, and the size of the second-stage buffer tank 140 can be designed to be much smaller than the size of the vacuum tank 120, thus reducing the space occupied in the upper layer and thus facilitating the miniaturization of the instrument.

[0051] As mentioned above, the bottom of the second-stage buffer tank 140 is provided with a first discharge port connected to the waste liquid discharge port. Fixing the second-stage buffer tank 140 to the upper support structure 320 ensures that the height of the first discharge port from the ground is higher than the height of the waste liquid discharge port from the ground. For example... Figure 4 As shown, the support structure of the sample analyzer is a frame 410, which is divided into upper and lower layers. The vacuum tank 120 of the waste liquid discharge system is located on the lower layer of the support structure, where other components (such as the controller) are also located. The high-concentration waste liquid buffer tank 131, the low-concentration waste liquid buffer tank 132, and the second-stage buffer tank 140 are all fixed on the upper layer of the frame 410. Other unoccupied space on the upper layer can be used to install other analytical modules (such as reagent compartments, incubation trays, optical measurement modules, etc.). The high-concentration waste liquid buffer tank 131 and the second-stage buffer tank 140 are connected to the waste liquid discharge port via pipe 420, and the low-concentration waste liquid buffer tank 132 is connected to the waste liquid discharge port via pipe 430. Because the second-stage buffer tank 140 is fixed on the upper layer of the frame 410, the discharge port of the second-stage buffer tank 140 is higher than the discharge port of the waste liquid. In other words, the waste liquid inside the second-stage buffer tank 140 can be discharged solely by gravity, eliminating the need for periodic manual discharge and the addition of power and sealing components, thus saving labor and design costs. Furthermore, the addition of the second-stage buffer tank 140 minimizes the risk of water ingress into the vacuum tank 120 in the event of control program malfunctions or valve failures, further enhancing the reliability of the waste liquid discharge system.

[0052] In some embodiments, a level sensor may also be provided in the second-stage buffer tank 140 to measure the amount of waste liquid inside the second-stage buffer tank 140. For example, when the amount of waste liquid inside the second-stage buffer tank 140 is higher than a preset level, the solenoid valve at the bottom of the buffer tank opens, and the waste liquid is discharged from the discharge port by gravity.

[0053] In some embodiments, a pressure sensor may also be provided in the vacuum tank 120 to monitor whether the pressure in the vacuum tank 120 meets the requirements for waste liquid removal.

[0054] This application also provides a sample analyzer, which includes a cleaning station and the waste liquid discharge system mentioned above. The cleaning station includes a cleaning device that may have multiple suction needles capable of being inserted into multiple reaction vessels to remove waste liquid.

[0055] In some embodiments, the sample analyzer further includes: an incubation tray for accommodating multiple reaction containers and providing the environment required for the reaction of samples and reagents in the reaction containers; a reagent storage device for storing reagent bottles and providing the environment required for reagent storage; a reagent transfer device for drawing reagents from the reagent bottles in the reagent storage device and injecting them into the reaction containers; and an optical detection device for performing optical measurement and analysis on the mixture to be tested in the reaction containers to obtain the reaction data of the sample; wherein the incubation tray, reagent storage device, reagent transfer device, and optical detection device can be mounted on the upper support structure of the sample analyzer.

[0056] The following text combines Figure 5 The sample analyzer provided in the embodiments of this application will be described in detail.

[0057] Figure 5 This is a top view schematic diagram of the sample analyzer provided in an embodiment of this application. The sample analyzer is an instrument that injects samples and reagents into multiple reaction vessels to induce a reaction, and measures the resulting liquid. Figure 5 As shown, the sample analyzer includes an incubation tray 510, a reagent storage device 520, a reagent transfer device 530, and an optical detection device 540. The incubation tray 510 is used to accommodate multiple reaction containers and provide the environment required for the reaction of samples and reagents within the reaction containers. The reagent storage device 520 is used to store reagent bottles and provide the environment required for reagent storage. The reagent transfer device 530 is used to draw reagents from the reagent bottles in the reagent storage device 520 and inject them into the reaction containers. In some embodiments, the reagent transfer device 530 may include a reagent needle, a reagent needle moving device, a syringe, and a reagent needle cleaning device. Of course, the reagent transfer device 530 is not limited to the embodiments discussed above, and appropriate modifications can be made in other embodiments depending on specific needs. The optical detection device 540 is used to perform optical measurement analysis on the mixture to be tested in the reaction containers to obtain the sample's reaction data. Figure 5The sample analyzer shown may further include a sample transfer device 550. The sample transfer device 550 may include a sample transfer track for transporting sample tubes. The sample analyzer may also include a sample holder for holding the sample tubes; the sample analyzer may also include a sample transfer device 560 for collecting samples from the sample tubes and injecting them into a reaction vessel, where the reaction vessel may be a cuvette. In some embodiments, the sample transfer device 560 may include a sampling needle, a sampling needle moving device, a syringe, and a sampling needle cleaning device. Of course, the sample transfer device 560 is not limited to the embodiments discussed above and can be configured according to needs. For example, the sample transfer device 560 may also include an autosampler, a sample dilution device, etc. In some embodiments, the sample analyzer may further include a sample reagent mixing device 570 and a reaction vessel transfer device (not shown in the figure). The reaction vessel transfer device is used to move the reaction vessel to switch between a sample addition position, a reagent addition position, a mixing position, an optical detection position, and a reaction vessel cleaning position. In some embodiments, the sample analyzer may further include a cleaning device 580. The cleaning device 580 may be part of the cleaning station of the sample analyzer (not shown in the figure). The cleaning device 580 may include multiple aspiration needles capable of being inserted into multiple reaction vessels to aspirate waste liquid. In some embodiments, the sample analyzer may also include an online reagent loading module 592, an ISE analysis component 594, and a frame module 596.

[0058] It needs to be understood that, Figure 5 The sample analyzer shown may include those described above. Figures 1 to 4 The waste liquid discharge system provided in any of the embodiments is described in detail above, and will not be repeated here.

[0059] The following text combines Figure 6 The cleaning process for the reaction vessel of the sample analyzer is described.

[0060] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the cleaning process for the reaction vessel of a sample analyzer. (Example:) Figure 6 As shown, the cleaning device for the reaction vessel (colorimetric cuvette) may include a suction needle, a discharge needle, and a wiping brush. The cleaning solution can be either alkaline or acidic. A negative pressure environment is provided by the waste liquid discharge system of this embodiment, and the waste liquid in the reaction vessel is aspirated by the suction needle. After the waste liquid is aspirated, the cleaning device first rinses the reaction vessel with an alkaline solution, then rinses it with an acidic solution, and finally rinses it multiple times (e.g., three times) with deionized water. The wiping brush's role in the cleaning process is to absorb the water dripping from the walls of the reaction vessel.

[0061] Furthermore, this application proposes the concept of "floor efficiency ratio" to illustrate the relationship between detection throughput and floor space. The floor efficiency ratio is the ratio of the detection throughput of the sample analyzer to its occupied area. With societal development, hospitals and third-party laboratories have increasingly higher requirements for instrument detection throughput, and they desire not only high throughput but also a smaller footprint. Table 1 compares the product corresponding to the embodiments of this application with products corresponding to related technologies. As can be seen from Table 1, the floor efficiency ratio of the sample analyzer provided in the embodiments of this application reaches 847.46 T / h / m², with a floor space of only 1.18 m². Therefore, using the sample analyzer provided in the embodiments of this application helps to achieve miniaturized instrument design. In addition, as described above, the waste liquid discharge system for the sample analyzer provided in the embodiments of this application can keep the vacuum tank relatively dry and eliminates the need for manual waste liquid discharge, thereby saving labor costs.

[0062] Table 1: Comparison of Specifications of the Product in this Application with Related Products

[0063]

[0064] It should be understood that in the embodiments of this application, "B corresponding to A" means that B is associated with A, and B can be determined based on A. However, it should also be understood that determining B based on A does not mean that B is determined solely based on A; B can also be determined based on A and / or other information.

[0065] It should be understood that the term "and / or" in this article is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this article generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0066] It should be understood that in the various embodiments of this application, the order of the above-mentioned processes does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0067] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0068] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0069] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit.

[0070] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A waste liquid discharge system, characterized in that, The waste liquid discharge system is used in the cleaning station of the sample analyzer, and the waste liquid discharge system includes: A vacuum chamber is mounted on the lower support structure of the sample analyzer; A vacuum pump, connected to the vacuum tank, is used to create a negative pressure environment inside the vacuum tank. The first-stage buffer tank is connected to the waste suction pipeline of the cleaning station and is fixed to the upper support structure of the sample analyzer. The second-stage buffer tank is fixed to the upper support structure of the sample analyzer and is connected to the vacuum tank. It is also connected to the first-stage buffer tank through a first valve. The second-stage buffer tank is provided with a first discharge port for discharging waste liquid. The controller controls the opening and closing of the vacuum pump and the first valve; When the first valve is closed, the interior of the second-stage buffer tank is under negative pressure. When the first valve is open, the first-stage buffer tank and the second-stage buffer tank are connected. Under the action of negative pressure, the waste liquid in the waste suction pipeline is sucked into the interior of the first-stage buffer tank.

2. The waste liquid discharge system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The volume of the second-stage buffer tank is smaller than the volume of the vacuum tank, and the sum of the volumes of the second-stage buffer tank and the vacuum tank is equal to the target volume, which is the volume that meets the requirements for the waste liquid removal rate.

3. The waste liquid discharge system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The volume of the second-stage buffer tank is determined based on the target liquid volume, which is the amount of waste liquid remaining inside the vacuum tank within a preset time or under preset conditions, excluding the second-stage buffer tank and when the vacuum tank is connected to the first-stage buffer tank. The volume of the second-stage buffer tank is greater than the target liquid volume, and the preset conditions are when the instrument is turned on or off.

4. The waste liquid discharge system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The volume of the second-stage buffer tank is less than or equal to 0.2 times the volume of the vacuum tank.

5. The waste liquid discharge system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The volume of the second-level cache container is equal to the volume of the first-level cache container.

6. The waste liquid discharge system according to claim 1, characterized in that, A pressure sensor is installed inside the vacuum tank.

7. The waste liquid discharge system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first discharge port is located at the bottom of the second-stage buffer tank. The first discharge port is connected to the waste liquid discharge port through a second valve. The second-stage buffer tank is fixed to the upper support structure so that the height of the first discharge port from the ground is higher than the height of the waste liquid discharge port from the ground.

8. The waste liquid discharge system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first-stage buffer tank is equipped with a second discharge port, which is connected to the waste liquid discharge port through a third valve.

9. The waste liquid discharge system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first-stage buffer tank includes a high-concentration waste liquid buffer tank and / or a low-concentration waste liquid buffer tank.

10. A sample analyzer, characterized in that, include: A cleaning station, the cleaning station including a cleaning device; and, Waste liquid discharge system as described in any one of claims 1 to 9; The cleaning device has multiple suction needles that can be inserted into multiple reaction containers to remove waste liquid.

11. The sample analyzer according to claim 10, characterized in that, The sample analyzer also includes: An incubation tray is used to contain multiple reaction containers and provide the environment required for the reaction of samples and reagents in the reaction containers; a reagent storage device is used to store reagent bottles and provide the environment required for reagent storage; a reagent transfer device is used to draw reagents from the reagent bottles in the reagent storage device and inject them into the reaction containers; an optical detection device is used to perform optical measurement and analysis on the mixture to be tested in the reaction containers to obtain the reaction data of the samples; wherein, the incubation tray, reagent storage device, reagent transfer device, and optical detection device are arranged on the upper support structure of the sample analyzer.

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