Unit-type analyzer

Abstract

To provide a unit-type analyzer capable of easily changing the configuration of a unit used for measurement.SOLUTION: A unit-type analyzer 1 includes: a system controller 80; a plurality of analysis units 60 each having a main power switch 70 that switches ON / OFF of energization to the analysis unit, and a soft switch 66 that is provided separately from the main power switch 70 and switches ON / OFF of communication with the system controller; and a soft switch operation mode setting unit 65 that sets enabling / disabling operation for the soft switch of the analysis unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a unit-type analytical device such as a liquid chromatograph. [Background technology]

[0002] Liquid chromatography is widely used to identify and quantify components in a liquid sample. In a liquid chromatograph, the liquid sample is introduced into a column in a mobile phase flow delivered at a predetermined flow rate, and the components in the sample are separated and measured within the column.

[0003] There are two types of liquid chromatographs: an integrated type and a unit type that combines multiple units (also called modules). An integrated liquid chromatograph is configured to integrate a measurement unit that has a liquid delivery unit, a sample injection unit, a column, and a detector, a system controller that sends control signals to operate the measurement unit, and a power supply that supplies power to the measurement unit and the system controller.

[0004] A unit-type liquid chromatograph is equipped with a liquid delivery unit equipped with a pump that draws the mobile phase stored in the mobile phase container and delivers it to the column, an injector that injects the liquid sample into the mobile phase, a column oven that heats the column, and a detector unit that detects the components in the mobile phase that flows out of the column. In addition to these, many liquid chromatographs are equipped with an autosampler, which allows multiple samples to be set in the autosampler and then automatically injects each sample into the injector one after another.

[0005] Each of the above components is individually organized as a unit and connected to a system controller. The system controller is connected to a workstation (control computer) with dedicated software installed, and sends control signals to each unit (although the system controller itself is often organized as a unit, this refers to units other than the system controller) according to instructions from the workstation. Each unit is equipped with a main power switch and a software switch. The software switch is operated to switch each unit into power-saving mode or return it to normal operating mode from power-saving mode, and is usually located on the front of the unit. On the other hand, the main power switch is operated to turn the power to the unit on and off, and is only operated during installation, so to prevent accidental operation, it is located in a place that is difficult to reach, such as on the back or bottom of the unit.

[0006] Patent Document 1 describes a unit-type liquid chromatograph in which each unit can be switched to a power-saving mode or returned to a normal operating mode without operating a software switch. When each unit is connected to a system controller, the operation of each unit's software switch is disabled to unify the control of the software switch to the system controller. In this liquid chromatograph, the system controller sends a predetermined control signal to the unit to be switched to the power-saving mode. Upon receiving this control signal, the target unit switches the main body (such as a pump in a liquid delivery unit) that performs the measurement operation to the power-saving mode. After that, upon receiving a predetermined control signal from the system controller again, the main body returns from the power-saving mode to the normal operating mode. In other words, in this system, the power-saving mode refers to an operating mode (also called a sleep state or shutdown state) that reduces the power consumption of the main body while maintaining communication with the system controller.

[0007] In a unit-type liquid chromatograph, the system controller communicates with each unit to recognize the type and number of units currently installed in the liquid chromatograph (i.e., the main power switch is turned on and communication with the system controller is established). When the analyst sets the measurement conditions in the control computer, those measurement conditions are sent to the system controller. The system controller checks whether the unit configuration corresponding to the received measurement conditions matches the configuration of the unit installed in the liquid chromatograph (that has established communication with the system controller), and if they match, it performs the measurement. On the other hand, if they do not match, it sends a message to the control computer to prompt the analyst to check the unit configuration and measurement conditions. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2020 / 183597 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] In liquid chromatographs, various types of detectors are used depending on the characteristics of the sample to be analyzed, such as absorbance detectors, fluorescence detectors, differential refractive index detectors, and electrical conductivity detectors. All of these detectors are unitized, and the detector unit used for measurement is incorporated into the liquid chromatograph. As mentioned above, Conventional liquid chromatographyWhen performing a measurement, a detector unit corresponding to the measurement conditions must be installed and communication must be established between the system controller and the detector. In conventional liquid chromatographs, changing a detector requires either replacing the detector unit used in the previous measurement with the detector unit used in the next measurement, or wiring both detector units to the system controller, turning off the main power switch of the detector unit used in the previous measurement to disconnect communication with the system controller, and then turning on the main power switch of the detector unit used in the next measurement to establish communication with the system controller. In the former case, the wiring between the system controller and the detector unit must be reconnected, which is time-consuming. In the latter case, there is no need to change the wiring between the system controller and the detector unit. However, in the latter case, the main power switch must be operated in a difficult-to-reach location, such as the back or bottom of the unit, which is a cumbersome process. While the detector is used as an example here, the same applies to other units. Conventional liquid chromatographs have the problem of requiring time-consuming and tedious work when changing the unit configuration. Furthermore, depending on the installation environment, ,main On the back of the system where the power switch is located The analyst Enter can Furthermore, in a liquid chromatograph, proper wiring between units is required. analyst If someone carelessly steps into the rear of the liquid chromatograph, the wiring between the units may become disconnected. analyst However, incorrect wiring can cause problems such as the intended analysis not being performed.

[0010] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a unit-type analyzer that allows the configuration of the unit used for measurement to be easily changed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] In order to solve the above problems, the unit-type analyzer according to the present invention is A system controller; a plurality of analytical units, each having a main power switch for switching on / off the power supply to the analytical unit, and a soft switch provided separately from the main power switch for switching on / off communication with the system controller; a soft switch operation mode setting unit that sets whether operation of the soft switch of the analysis unit is enabled or disabled; Equipped with. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] The analytical device according to the present invention includes a system controller, a plurality of analytical units connected to the system controller, and a soft switch operation mode setting unit. When performing a measurement with this analytical device, the analyst checks whether communication has been established between the analytical unit to be used for the measurement and the system controller. If communication has not been established, the soft switch operation mode setting unit sets the operation of the soft switch possessed by that analytical unit to enabled, and operates the soft switch to establish communication with the system controller. Similarly, for analytical units not used for the measurement, the soft switch operation mode setting unit sets the operation of the soft switch possessed by that analytical unit to enabled, and operates the soft switch to disconnect communication with the system controller.

[0013] In the analytical device according to the present invention, the configuration of the units can be easily changed by simply operating the soft switch operation mode setting unit and the soft switch to establish communication with the system controller (or by operating the soft switch of an analytical unit that is not being used to disconnect communication with the system controller), without having to change the wiring between the analytical unit and the system controller or operate the main power supply of the analytical unit, which is located in a difficult-to-reach location.Furthermore, by setting the input operation of the soft switch to valid when an expert performs measurements using different combinations of analytical units, and by setting the input operation of the soft switch to invalid when an unexperienced person performs measurements using only predetermined combinations of analytical units, it is possible to avoid erroneous operation of the soft switch by an unexperienced person. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a main part of a liquid chromatograph, which is an embodiment of an analytical device according to the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a liquid chromatograph unit according to the present embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the main part of the analytical unit of the liquid chromatograph of the present embodiment. [Figure 4] 2A and 2B are diagrams illustrating the front and rear views of the analytical unit of the liquid chromatograph of the present embodiment. [Figure 5] 10 shows an example of a power saving mode setting screen in the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] A liquid chromatograph, which is an embodiment of an analytical device according to the present invention, will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0016] 1 is a diagram showing the main components of a liquid chromatograph 1 according to this embodiment. The liquid chromatograph 1 includes a liquid delivery unit 10, an autosampler 20, a column oven 30, an absorbance detector (referred to as "SPD" in FIG. 1) 40, a refractive index detector (referred to as "RID" in FIG. 1) 50, a system controller 80, and a control and processing unit 90.

[0017] The liquid delivery unit 10 includes containers 111 and 112 containing mobile phase solutions, liquid delivery pumps 121 and 122 that deliver the solutions in the containers 111 and 112, and a mixer 13 that mixes two types of solutions. The mobile phase prepared in the liquid delivery unit 10 is introduced into a column 31 in a column oven 30 via an autosampler 20.

[0018] The autosampler 20 is equipped with a plurality of sample container mounting sections, each of which is mounted with a sample container containing a liquid sample or a standard sample to be analyzed. The autosampler 20 collects liquid samples from the sample containers in a predetermined order based on set measurement conditions, and injects the liquid samples and standard samples into the mobile phase delivered from the liquid delivery unit 10. To prevent the liquid samples from volatilizing or deteriorating, the interior of the autosampler 20 is maintained at a predetermined temperature by a temperature adjustment section 21 (typically a cooling device).

[0019] The column oven 30 includes a column 31 and a temperature control unit 32 that controls the temperature of the column 31 based on set measurement conditions. Components in the liquid sample are separated while passing through the column 31. The sample components flowing out of the column 31 are introduced into an absorbance detector 40 or a differential refractive index detector 50.

[0020] The absorbance detector 40 includes a flow cell into which the sample components flowing out of the column 31 are introduced, a light source that irradiates the flow cell with light within a predetermined wavelength range, a spectrometer that separates the light that has passed through the flow cell into wavelengths, a photodiode array detector that detects the light after wavelength separation, and a temperature adjustment unit that maintains the inside of the detector at a predetermined temperature. Measurements using the absorbance detector 40 can detect and quantify sample components based on the amount of light absorbed by each sample component at a different wavelength.

[0021] The differential refractive index detector 50 includes a flow cell containing a sample cell into which sample components flowing out of the column 31 are introduced and a reference cell into which a reference sample is introduced, a light source that irradiates the flow cell with slit light of a specific wavelength, a photodetector that detects the light transmitted through the flow cell, and a temperature control unit that maintains the inside of the detector at a predetermined temperature. In the differential refractive index detector 50, when light from the light source passes through the boundary between the sample cell and the reference cell, it is refracted according to the difference in refractive index between the reference solution and the sample solution, changing the light path. When sample components flow into the sample cell from the column 31, the position of the slit image formed on the light-receiving element of the photodetector changes. In measurements using the differential refractive index detector 50, the sample components can be detected and quantified based on this displacement.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 2, the liquid delivery unit 10, autosampler 20, column oven 30, absorbance detector 40, and differential refractive index detector 50 are each housed in an independent housing and unitized. Hereinafter, when the liquid delivery unit 10, autosampler 20, column oven 30, absorbance detector 40, and differential refractive index detector 50 are not particularly distinguished from one another, they will also be referred to as "analysis units 60." The system controller 80 is also unitized. The liquid delivery unit 10 and autosampler 20, the autosampler 20 and column oven 30, the column oven 30 and absorbance detector 40, and the column oven 30 and differential refractive index detector 50 are connected by liquid delivery channels 100, respectively. The control / processing unit 90 and system controller 80, and the system controller 80 and each analysis unit 60 are connected by communication cables 110.

[0023] In addition to a memory unit 91, the control and processing unit 90 includes functional blocks including a measurement condition setting unit 92, a measurement control unit 93, an apparatus configuration acquisition unit 94, and a power-saving mode setting unit 95. The memory unit 91 stores the measurement conditions used when measuring various sample components, information necessary for setting the power-saving mode, and the like. The memory unit 91 also stores data acquired during measurement of liquid samples and the analysis results thereof. The control and processing unit 90 is actually a personal computer (workstation), and the above functional blocks are realized by executing a liquid chromatograph control program pre-installed in the computer. An input unit 96 including a keyboard and mouse, and a display unit 97 are connected to the control and processing unit 90.

[0024] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of each analytical unit 60. Each analytical unit 60 includes a main body 61, a unit control unit 62, a first power supply 63, a second power supply 64, and a soft switch operation mode setting unit 65. The main body 61 is the main operating part of the analytical unit 60. For example, in the case of the liquid delivery unit 10, the main body 61 includes the liquid delivery pumps 121 and 122 that deliver the mobile phase and the mixer 13. In the case of the autosampler 20, the main body 61 includes the temperature adjustment unit 21 of the autosampler 20 and a driving unit for the sampling needle that collects the sample. In the case of the column oven 30, the main body 61 includes the temperature adjustment unit 32 that adjusts the temperature of the column 31. In the case of the absorbance detector 40 and the differential refractive index detector 50, the main body 61 includes a light source, a spectroscopic detection unit, and a temperature adjustment unit.

[0025] The main body 61 is supplied with power from a first power supply 63. In this embodiment, the first power supply 63 is a power supply with an output of 24 V, and the second power supply 64 is a power supply with an output of 5 V. The magnitude of these outputs may be determined appropriately depending on the actual entities of the main body 61 and the unit control unit 62. The actual entity of the unit control unit 62 is a processor or the like, and the second power supply 64 may have an output smaller than that of the first power supply 63.

[0026] The unit control unit 62 has a processor and memory, and the processor controls the operation of the main body 61 in response to commands input from outside. The processor also switches on / off the supply of electricity from a first power source 63 to the main body 61. The unit control unit 62 also communicates with the system controller 80. Power is supplied to the unit control unit 62 from a second power source 64. An operation mode in which power is supplied to the main body 61 is on is called a normal mode, and an operation mode in which power is supplied to the main body 61 is off is called a power saving mode (shutdown mode or sleep mode).

[0027] The validity or invalidity of the soft switch operation mode setting unit 65 is set (changed) by the operation panel 68 in Fig. 4. When the setting is valid, the soft switch 66 can be operated even during communication with the system controller 80. When the setting is invalid, the soft switch 66 cannot be operated during communication with the system controller 80.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 4, a soft switch 66, a display 67, an operation panel 68, and an indicator 69 are provided on the front of each analysis unit 60. A main power switch 70 is also provided on the rear of each analysis unit 60. The main power switch 70 switches the power supply to the entire analysis unit 60 on and off; when the main power switch 70 is switched off, power supply from the first power source 63 to the main body 61 and power supply from the second power source 64 to the unit control unit 62 are stopped. As a result, all operations of the analysis unit 60 (operations of the main body 61 and the unit control unit 62) are stopped, and communication with the system controller 80 is also cut off. A "soft switch" is a switch that switches power supply from some power sources on and off, thereby switching on and off some functions of the analysis unit.

[0029] The soft switch 66 has the function of switching communication with the system controller 80 ON / OFF by pressing the button, and the function of displaying the state of the analysis unit 60 by the display state of the button, which will be described below.

[0030] When the button of the software switch 66 is displayed (lit), it indicates that input operations (button pressing) to the software switch 66 are valid. When the button of the software switch 66 is not displayed (lit), it indicates that input operations (button pressing) to the software switch 66 are invalid, and that communication between the analysis unit 60 and the system controller 80 is ON, or that the main power switch 70 is OFF and power to the analysis unit 60 is stopped. In addition, the software switch 66 lights up in either white or red. When the software switch 66 is lit white, it indicates that communication with the system controller 80 is ON. When the software switch 66 is lit red, it indicates that communication with the system controller 80 is OFF. In addition, the system controller 80 may also be provided with a button for the soft switch 66, and when the system controller 80 is not communicating with the control / processing unit 90, the soft switch 66 may be lit to indicate that input operations to the soft switch 66 are valid, and when the system controller 80 is communicating with the control / processing unit 90, the soft switch 66 may be turned off to indicate that input operations to the soft switch 66 are invalid.

[0031] The indicator 69 has the function of displaying the operation mode of the analysis unit 60. The indicator 69 has three lighting states: green, red, and gray. When the indicator 69 is lit green, it indicates that the operation mode of the analysis unit 60 is normal mode. When the indicator 69 is lit red, it indicates that the operation mode of the analysis unit 60 is sleep mode. When the indicator 69 is lit gray, it indicates that the operation mode of the analysis unit 60 is shutdown mode.

[0032] Next, a procedure for analyzing a liquid sample using the liquid chromatograph 1 of this embodiment will be described. In this example, a liquid sample set in the autosampler 20 is first measured using the absorbance detector 40, and then measured using the differential refractive index detector 50. It is assumed that, initially, communication with the system controller 80 is ON for all analytical units 60, and each is operating in normal mode. It is also assumed that the system controller 80 is communicating with the control and processing unit 90. In all analytical units 60, the soft switches 66 are off, and the indicators 69 are lit green.

[0033] When the analyst issues a command to start setting the measurement conditions for the liquid sample by performing a predetermined operation via the input unit 96, the measurement condition setting unit 92 reads out the measurement conditions stored in the memory unit 91 and displays them on the screen of the display unit 97. The analyst checks the displayed measurement conditions and changes them as necessary. Once the measurement conditions have been determined, the measurement condition setting unit 92 creates a method file describing the measurement conditions and stores it in the memory unit 91. In this example, the measurement conditions for the first measurement using the absorbance detector 40 and the measurement conditions for the second measurement using the differential refractive index detector 50 are set separately, and the corresponding method files 1 and 2 are stored in the memory unit 91.

[0034] When the analyst instructs the start of the first measurement by performing a predetermined operation, the measurement control unit 93 reads out the method file 1 stored in the memory unit 91 and identifies the configuration of the analysis unit 60 (liquid delivery unit 10, autosampler 20, column oven 30, and absorbance detector 40) required to perform the first measurement.

[0035] When the measurement control unit 93 identifies the configuration of the analytical units 60 required to perform measurement, the device configuration acquisition unit 94 sends a control signal to the system controller 80 to check the connection status of each analytical unit 60. The system controller 80 sends a predetermined command to each analytical unit 60. Upon receiving this command, each analytical unit 60 sends a command indicating the operating status of that analytical unit 60 back to the system controller 80. The system controller 80 identifies the analytical unit 60 to which the command was sent back, and sends information about the operating status (normal mode or power-saving mode) of the identified analytical unit 60 to the control and processing unit 90. Based on the information sent from the system controller 80, the control and processing unit 90 checks the status of each analytical unit 60 (on / off of communication with the system controller 80 and operating mode) and identifies the analytical units 60 incorporated in the liquid chromatograph 1.

[0036] When the device configuration acquisition unit 94 identifies the analytical unit 60 currently incorporated into the liquid chromatograph 1, the measurement control unit 93 confirms whether the liquid chromatograph 1 is in a state in which it can perform the first measurement (first measurement state). Specifically, it confirms that communication between the liquid delivery unit 10, autosampler 20, column oven 30, and absorbance detector 40 and the system controller 80 is ON and operating in normal mode, and that no other analytical unit 60 (in this embodiment, the differential refractive index detector 50) is incorporated into the liquid chromatograph 1 (communication with the system controller 80 is OFF).

[0037] As described above, initially, in all analytical units 60, communication with the system controller 80 is ON and they are operating in normal mode, so they are not in the first measurement state. Specifically, communication between the differential refractive index detector 50 and the system controller 80 is ON. If the state of the liquid chromatograph 1 is different from the first measurement state, the measurement control unit 93 displays the state of each analytical unit 60 at that time on the screen of the display unit 97 and highlights the part that is different from the first measurement state (here, communication between the differential refractive index detector 50 and the system controller 80 is ON and it is incorporated into the liquid chromatograph 1) to prompt the analyst to check it. For example, the highlighting can be done in a different color or by flashing.

[0038] The analyst checks the screen displaying that the state of the liquid chromatograph 1 is different from the first measurement state, and changes the setting of the software switch operation mode setting unit 65 so that input operations to the software switch 66 of the differential refractive index detector 50 are enabled. When the setting is changed, the software switch 66 lights up in white. When the analyst presses the software switch 66 in this state, communication with the system controller 80 is switched off, and the illumination color of the software switch 66 of the differential refractive index detector 50 changes from white to red. This achieves the first measurement state. After pressing the software switch 66, the setting of the software switch operation mode setting unit 65 may be disabled.

[0039] When the analyst again instructs the start of the first measurement, the device configuration acquisition unit 94 again acquires the state of the analytical unit 60 incorporated in the liquid chromatograph 1. Then, when the measurement control unit 93 confirms that this state matches the first measurement state, it measures the liquid sample under the measurement conditions described in the method file 1. The flow of the measurement itself is the same as in the conventional method, so a detailed description will be omitted.

[0040] When the first measurement is completed, the measurement control unit 93 stores the data acquired by the first measurement in the memory unit 91, and displays a message indicating that the measurement is complete on the screen of the display unit 97. After confirming this, the analyst then instructs the start of the second measurement.

[0041] When the start of the second measurement is instructed, the measurement control unit 93 reads out the method file 2 stored in the storage unit 91 and starts the second measurement. 2 The configuration of the analytical unit 60 required to perform the measurement (liquid delivery unit 10, autosampler 20, column oven 30, and differential refractive index detector 50) is identified.

[0042] Once the measurement control unit 93 has identified the configuration of the analytical unit 60 required to perform the measurement, the device configuration acquisition unit 94 acquires the state of the analytical unit 60 incorporated in the liquid chromatograph 1. Next, the measurement control unit 93 confirms whether the liquid chromatograph 1 is in a state in which the second measurement can be performed (second measurement state). Specifically, it confirms that communication between the liquid delivery unit 10, autosampler 20, column oven 30, and differential refractive index detector 50 and the system controller 80 is ON, that these analytical units are operating in normal mode, and that no other analytical units 60 (here, the absorbance detector 40) are incorporated in the liquid chromatograph 1 (communication with the system controller 80 is OFF).

[0043] At this point, the liquid chromatograph 1 is in the first measurement state. Therefore, the measurement control unit 93 determines that the state of the liquid chromatograph 1 does not match the second measurement state. The state of each analytical unit 60 at this point is then displayed on the screen of the display unit 97, and the parts that differ from the second measurement state (here, communication between the absorbance detector 40 and the system controller 80 is ON and the absorbance detector 40 is incorporated into the liquid chromatograph 1, and communication between the differential refractive index detector 50 and the system controller 80 is OFF and the differential refractive index detector 50 is not incorporated into the liquid chromatograph 1) are highlighted to prompt the analyst to confirm.

[0044] The analyst checks the screen displaying the fact that the state of the liquid chromatograph 1 is different from the second measurement state, and changes the setting of the software switch operation mode setting unit 65 so that input operations to the software switch 66 of the absorbance detector 40 are enabled. When the setting is changed, the software switch 66 lights up in white. When the analyst presses the software switch 66 in this state, communication with the system controller 80 is switched off, and the illumination color of the software switch 66 of the absorbance detector 40 changes from white to red. Next, the analyst presses the software switch 66 of the differential refractive index detector 50. If the setting of the software switch operation mode setting unit 65 was changed so that input operations to the software switch 66 of the differential refractive index detector 50 were disabled when the first measurement state was achieved, the analyst returns this setting to enabled and then presses the software switch 66. This switches communication with the system controller 80 on, and the illumination color of the software switch 66 of the differential refractive index detector 50 changes from red to white. This achieves the second measurement state.

[0045] When the analyst again instructs the start of the second measurement, the device configuration acquisition unit 94 again acquires the state of the analytical unit 60 incorporated in the liquid chromatograph 1. Then, when the measurement control unit 93 confirms that this state matches the second measurement state, it measures the liquid sample under the measurement conditions described in the method file 2. The data acquired by the measurement is saved in the memory unit 91. In this way, both the first and second measurements are completed.

[0046] In conventional liquid chromatographs, when changing detectors, it was necessary to either swap the detector unit used in the previous measurement with the detector unit to be used in the next measurement, or to wire both detector units to the system controller, turn off the main power switch of the detector unit used in the previous measurement to disconnect communication with the system controller, and then turn on the main power switch of the detector unit to be used in the next measurement to reestablish communication with the system controller. In the former case, it was necessary to reconnect the wiring between the system controller and the detector unit, which was time-consuming. In the latter case, it was necessary to reach into difficult-to-reach places such as the back or bottom of the unit to operate the main power switch, which was a cumbersome process.

[0047] In contrast, in the liquid chromatograph 1 of this embodiment, the configuration of the liquid chromatograph 1 can be easily changed by simply pressing the soft switch 66 to switch communication with the system controller 80 ON / OFF.

[0048] If no further measurements are planned for a while after the first and second measurements have been completed, the analysis unit 60 can be put into power saving mode by the following procedure.

[0049] analyst First, the analyzer 94 switches ON communication with the system controller 80 for the analytical units 60 to be operated in the power saving mode. Since the second measurement state is reached at this point, the soft switch 66 of the absorbance detector 40 is pressed to switch ON communication with the system controller 80. Thereafter, when the analyst issues a command to start setting the power saving mode by performing a predetermined operation via the input unit 96, the device configuration acquisition unit 94 identifies the analytical units 60 incorporated in the liquid chromatograph 1 (for which communication with the system controller 80 is ON). Next, the power saving mode setting unit 95 displays on the display unit 97 a screen for setting the specific details of the power saving mode for the analytical units 60 identified by the device configuration acquisition unit 94.

[0050] 5 is an example of a screen displayed by the power saving mode setting unit 95. This screen displays the name of the analytical unit 60 and a field for selecting an operation to be switched to the power saving mode. Specifically, the following fields are displayed for selecting operations: stopping the delivery of mobile phase by the liquid delivery pumps 121 and 122 in the liquid delivery unit 10; adjusting the internal temperature by the temperature adjustment unit 21 in the autosampler 20; adjusting the temperature of the column 31 by the temperature adjustment unit 32 in the column oven 30; turning off the light source in the absorbance detector 40 and adjusting the temperature inside the detector unit; and turning off the light source in the differential refractive index detector 50 and adjusting the temperature inside the detector unit.

[0051] In the example of FIG. 5, for the liquid delivery unit 10 and the column oven 30, check marks are placed in the selection boxes corresponding to the analytical unit names. This means that the liquid delivery unit 10 and the column oven 30 will be put into a shutdown state in which power to the main body 61 is turned off. On the other hand, for the absorbance detector 40 and the differential refractive index detector 50, check marks are placed not in the selection boxes corresponding to the analytical unit names but in the selection boxes corresponding to some of the components of the main body 61 (light source, temperature adjustment unit). This means that the main body 61 will be put into a sleep state in which only some of the power to the main body 61 is stopped.

[0052] analyst When any of the selection boxes is checked, the power saving mode setting unit 95 displays in the cool-down time box the operation among the checked items that has the longest time required for pre-processing (cool-down) to transition to the power saving mode. For example, in the case of the liquid delivery unit 10, cool-down is a process of gradually reducing the flow rate of the mobile phase delivered by the liquid delivery pumps 121 and 122 to zero. Also, in the case of the autosampler 20, the column oven 30, the absorbance detector 40, and the differential refractive index detector 50, cool-down is a process of gradually reducing the output to the temperature adjustment units 21 and 32 to zero. In other words, this is a process of transitioning to a state in which no problems will occur even if power is stopped from the first power supply 63 to each part that transitions to the power saving mode.

[0053] After setting the power saving mode, when the analyst performs an operation such as pressing the enter button, the power saving mode setting unit 95 sends a command to the system controller 80 to stop the operation selected in each analysis unit 60. Based on the received command, each analysis unit 60 stops the operation targeted for the power saving mode. It also turns off the soft switch 66. This puts the operation of each analysis unit 60 into a state where it can be controlled only via the system controller 80, and operation of the soft switch 66 becomes invalid.

[0054] In the above example, the liquid delivery unit 10 and the column oven 30 transition to a shutdown state, and the indicator 69 changes from green to gray. Meanwhile, the absorbance detector 40 and the differential refractive index detector 50 transition to a sleep state, and the indicator 69 changes from green to red. Since the autosampler 20 continues to operate in the normal mode, the indicator 69 remains green.

[0055] When the analyst instructs each analytical unit 60 to return to normal mode from power-saving mode by a predetermined operation, the power-saving mode setting unit 95 causes the system controller 80 to send a command to each analytical unit 60 to return to normal mode. Upon receiving this command, each analytical unit 60 ends the power-saving mode and starts startup processing. The startup processing refers to processing (e.g., auto-purging and warm-up) that transitions each analytical unit 60 to a state (normal mode) in which measurements are possible. The auto-purging is a process of circulating a mobile phase through a flow path in the liquid chromatograph 1 to equilibrate the column 31.

[0056] When each analysis unit 60 receives an instruction to start the startup process, the unit control unit 62 switches on the power supply from the first power source 63 to the main body 61 (if the power supply to the main body 61 has been stopped). When each analysis unit 60 completes the startup process, it returns to normal mode, enables operation of the soft switch 66, and lights it up in white.

[0057] Furthermore, in the liquid chromatograph 1 of the above embodiment, when only routine measurements are performed, there is no need to change the combination of analytical units 60. In such a case, it is assumed that operation of the soft switch 66 will remain disabled by a predetermined operation via the operation panel 68 of each analytical unit 60. By disabling operation of the soft switch 66 in this way, it is possible to prevent an unskilled person from operating the soft switch 66 by mistake when performing measurements.

[0058] The above embodiment is merely an example and can be modified appropriately in accordance with the spirit of the present invention.

[0059] In the above embodiment, the absorbance detector 40 and the differential refractive index detector 50 were used as detector units, but other detectors (for example, a fluorescence detector or an electrical conductivity detector) may also be used. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a plurality of detector units were wired to the system controller 80, and the detector unit to be incorporated into the liquid chromatograph 1 was switched, but a similar configuration to the above can also be used when wiring a plurality of other types of units and switching the one to be incorporated into the liquid chromatograph 1.

[0060] The above embodiment is a liquid chromatograph, but similar to the above embodiment, the same configuration as above can be adopted in various analytical devices that can perform different measurements by combining multiple units.

[0061] In the above embodiment, the activation / inactivation of the soft switch 66 is indicated by lighting / non-lighting the soft switch 66, and the color of the lit switch indicates the ON / OFF of communication with the system controller 80, but a display unit that displays these states may be provided separately from the soft switch 66. Also, in the above embodiment, the activation / inactivation of the soft switch 66 is switched for each analysis unit 60 by operation on the operation panel 68, but the activation / inactivation of the soft switch 66 of all analysis units 60 may be switched collectively from the control / processing unit 90 via the system controller 80.

[0062] [Aspect] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the above-described exemplary embodiments are specific examples of the following aspects.

[0063] (Section 1) An analytical device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: A system controller; a plurality of analytical units, each having a main power switch for switching on / off the power supply to the analytical unit, and a soft switch provided separately from the main power switch for switching on / off communication with the system controller; a soft switch operation mode setting unit that sets whether operation of the soft switch of the analysis unit is enabled or disabled; Equipped with.

[0064] The analytical device of paragraph 1 comprises a system controller, a plurality of analytical units connected to the system controller, and a soft switch operation mode setting unit. When performing a measurement with this analytical device, the analyst checks whether communication has been established between the analytical unit to be used for the measurement and the system controller. If communication has not been established, the analyst enables operation of the soft switch possessed by the analytical unit using the soft switch operation mode setting unit, and operates the soft switch to establish communication with the system controller. Similarly, for analytical units not used for measurement, the analyst enables operation of the soft switch possessed by the analytical unit using the soft switch operation mode setting unit, and operates the soft switch to disconnect communication with the system controller.

[0065] In the analytical device of paragraph 1, the configuration of the units can be easily changed by simply operating the soft switch operation mode setting unit and the soft switch to establish communication with the system controller (or by operating the soft switch of an analytical unit that is not being used to cut off communication with the system controller), without having to change the wiring between the analytical unit and the system controller or operate the main power supply of the analytical unit, which is located in a difficult-to-reach location.In addition, by enabling input operations to the soft switch when an expert performs measurements with a different combination of analytical units, and disabling input operations to the soft switch when an inexperienced person performs measurements only with a predetermined combination of analytical units, incorrect operation of the soft switch by an inexperienced person can be avoided.

[0066] (Section 2) The analyzer according to claim 1, further comprising: a communication status display section provided in each of the plurality of analysis units, which displays the ON / OFF state of communication between the analysis unit and the system controller; Equipped with.

[0067] The analytical device in Section 2 allows for easy confirmation of the communication status between each analytical unit and the system controller.

[0068] (Section 3) In the analysis device according to claim 1 or 2, each of the plurality of analysis units further comprises: A soft switch status display section that displays the enabled / disabled status of the soft switch of the analysis unit Equipped with.

[0069] In the analysis device of paragraph 3, by checking the soft switch status display unit, it is possible to easily check whether the operation of the soft switch is valid or invalid.

[0070] (Section 4) In the analysis device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, some or all of the plurality of analysis units can operate in a normal mode and a power-saving mode, The system controller a power-saving mode setting unit that receives a first predetermined input from the outside and transmits a first control signal to at least one of the part or all of the analysis units to operate the analysis unit in a power-saving mode, and that receives a second predetermined input from the outside and transmits a second control signal to at least one of the part or all of the analysis units to operate the analysis unit in a normal mode; Equipped with.

[0071] (Section 5) In the analysis device according to item 4, some or all of the analysis units further comprise: An operation mode display section that indicates whether the operation mode of the analysis unit is a power saving mode or a normal mode. Equipped with.

[0072] In the analyzer of paragraph 4, the analysis unit can be operated in power-saving mode under the control of the system controller, thereby reducing power consumption when waiting for analysis, etc. Also, in the analyzer of paragraph 5, by checking the operation mode display, it is possible to easily check whether the analysis unit is operating in power-saving mode or normal mode.

[0073] (Section 6) 6. The analyzer according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The analytical device includes, as the analytical units, a liquid delivery unit, an autosampler, a column oven, and a detector. Deyu A liquid chromatograph having at least one of the units.

[0074] As described in item 6, the configuration of the analyzer according to items 1 to 5 can be suitably used in a liquid chromatograph. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 1...Liquid chromatograph 10... Liquid delivery unit 111 、112 …container 121 、122 ...liquid transfer pump 13...Mixer 20...Autosampler 21...Temperature adjustment section 30...Column oven 31...Column 32…Temperature adjustment section 40...Absorbance detector 50...Differential refractive index detector 60...Analysis Unit 61...Main body 62...Unit control section 63...1st power supply 64…Second power supply 65...Soft switch operation mode setting section 66...Soft switch 67...Display 68...Operation panel 69...Indicator 70...Main power switch 80...System controller 90...Control and processing unit 91...Storage section 92...Measurement condition setting section 93...Measurement control section 94…Device configuration acquisition unit 95...Power saving mode setting section 96...Input section 97…Display section 100...flow path 110...Communication cable

Claims

1. A system controller; a plurality of analytical units, each having a main power switch for switching on / off the power supply to the analytical unit, and a soft switch provided separately from the main power switch for switching on / off communication with the system controller; a soft switch operation mode setting unit that individually sets whether operation of the soft switch of each of the plurality of analysis units is enabled or disabled; A unit-type analytical device comprising:

2. A system controller; a plurality of analytical units, each having a main power switch for switching on / off the power supply to the analytical unit, and a soft switch provided separately from the main power switch for switching on / off communication with the system controller; a soft switch operation mode setting unit that collectively sets whether operations for the soft switches of each of the plurality of analysis units are enabled or disabled; A unit-type analytical device comprising:

3. moreover, a communication status display section provided in each of the plurality of analysis units, which displays the ON / OFF state of communication between the analysis unit and the system controller; The analysis device according to claim 1 or 2, comprising:

4. Each of the plurality of analysis units further comprises: A soft switch status display section that displays the enabled / disabled status of the soft switch of the analysis unit The analysis device according to claim 1 , comprising:

5. A part or all of the plurality of analysis units can operate in a normal mode and a power saving mode; The system controller a power-saving mode setting unit that receives a first predetermined input from the outside and transmits a first control signal to at least one of the part or all of the analysis units to operate the analysis unit in a power-saving mode, and that receives a second predetermined input from the outside and transmits a second control signal to at least one of the part or all of the analysis units to operate the analysis unit in a normal mode; The analysis device according to claim 1 , comprising:

6. The part or all of the analysis units further include: An operation mode display section that indicates whether the operation mode of the analysis unit is a power saving mode or a normal mode. The analytical device of claim 5 , comprising:

7. 7. The analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the analysis unit is a liquid chromatograph equipped with at least one of a liquid delivery unit, an autosampler, a column oven, and a detection unit.

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