Automatic analysis device

Abstract

Provided is an automatic analysis device comprising: a vacuum bin for receiving a cleaning liquid used in a cleaning mechanism; a vacuum tank connected to the vacuum bin; a vacuum pump for evacuating the vacuum tank; and a cylindrical suction nozzle for discharging the used cleaning liquid sucked from the cleaning mechanism into the vacuum bin. The suction nozzle extends in the up-down direction inside the vacuum bin, and a lower end surface thereof facing downward is closed with an end wall. The suction nozzle has a discharge port opening sideways.

Description

automatic analyzer

[0001] The present invention relates to an automated analyzer having a vacuum bottle.

[0002] Automated analyzers that use liquid samples such as blood and urine as specimens often employ a configuration in which waste liquid (e.g., cleaning solution) is vacuum-suctioned through a vacuum bottle and then collected in the vacuum bottle. When waste liquid flows into the vacuum bottle with force, the waste liquid can splash around inside the vacuum bottle and be sucked into a vacuum tank. When a certain amount of waste liquid accumulates in the vacuum tank, the vacuum suction must be stopped and the waste liquid must be drained from the vacuum tank. However, since it takes time to restore a vacuum, minimizing the frequency of vacuum suction stops is desirable to improve the operating rate of the automated analyzer. To prevent waste liquid from flowing into the vacuum tank, a configuration has been disclosed that uses a partition inside the vacuum bottle to prevent the flow of waste liquid into the vacuum tank, and a configuration that provides a throttle in the nozzle that introduces waste liquid into the vacuum tank to slow the flow rate of the waste liquid sprayed into the vacuum bottle (Patent Document 1).

[0003] Patent Application No. 2019-501127

[0004] In automated analyzers, cleaning and keeping clean the probes used to dispense reagents and samples is important to ensure the reliability of measurement results. The cleaning solution that adheres to the probe during cleaning is removed from the nozzle by vacuum suction and temporarily stored in a vacuum bottle before being discharged.

[0005] In recent years, the processing capabilities required of automated analyzers have been increasing, resulting in an increase in the probe cleaning area and frequency, as well as an increase in the amount of cleaning solution used per hour and, consequently, in the amount of waste liquid. As a result, a large amount of waste liquid is rapidly introduced into the vacuum bottle, making it more likely for the waste liquid to splash inside the vacuum bottle. To prevent this splashed waste liquid from flowing into the vacuum tank, measures such as enlarging the vacuum bottle may be taken. However, automated analyzers must be compact to fit within the limited space in the laboratory, and enlarging the vacuum bottle is undesirable in terms of miniaturizing automated analyzers. Therefore, a means is needed to prevent the flow of waste liquid from the vacuum bottle into the vacuum tank, which increases with the increase in processing capabilities, without hindering the miniaturization of automated analyzers.

[0006] If the interior of the vacuum bottle is divided by a partition as in Patent Document 1, the storage volume of the waste liquid inside the vacuum bottle is reduced, and it is not possible to adequately handle an increase in the amount of waste liquid. Ensuring a sufficient storage volume for the waste liquid would require the vacuum tank to be large overall, which goes against the demand for miniaturization of automatic analyzers. Furthermore, even the configuration in the same document in which a restriction is provided in the nozzle is not able to adequately handle an increase in the amount of waste liquid.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic analyzer that can simultaneously prevent waste liquid from flowing from a vacuum bottle into a vacuum tank as the amount of waste liquid increases and prevent the vacuum bottle from becoming larger.

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an automatic analyzer comprising a vacuum bottle that receives cleaning liquid used in a cleaning mechanism, a vacuum tank connected to the vacuum bottle, a vacuum pump that draws a vacuum in the vacuum tank, and a cylindrical suction nozzle that discharges the used cleaning liquid sucked from the cleaning mechanism into the inside of the vacuum bottle, wherein the suction nozzle extends vertically inside the vacuum bottle, has a lower end surface facing downward that is blocked by an end wall, and is equipped with a discharge outlet that opens sideways.

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the inflow of waste liquid from the vacuum bottle into the vacuum tank due to an increase in the amount of waste liquid, while also suppressing an increase in the size of the vacuum bottle.

[0010] 7A and 7B are cross-sectional views taken along lines A-A and B in FIG. 7A and B in FIG. 7B are cross-sectional views taken along lines B-B in FIG. 7A and B in FIG. 7B are cross-sectional views taken along lines B-B in FIG. 7B are top views showing the appearance of a vacuum bottle provided in an automatic analyzer according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0012] (First Embodiment) -Automated Analyzer- Figure 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an automated analyzer according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The automated analyzer shown in the figure is an apparatus for analyzing components in a specimen, which is a liquid sample such as blood or urine, and includes an apparatus main body 100, which is a mechanism for performing analytical operations, and a control device 122 for controlling the apparatus main body 100. The apparatus main body 100 includes a specimen inlet 101, a transport line 102, specimen dispensing mechanisms 103 and 104, a reaction disk 105, reagent dispensing mechanisms 107-110, a stirring mechanism 113, a photometry mechanism 114, specimen probe washing mechanisms 115 and 116, reagent probe washing mechanisms 117-120, and a reaction vessel washing mechanism 121. The specimen probe washing mechanisms 115 and 116, the reagent probe washing mechanisms 117-120, and the reaction vessel washing mechanism 121 are apparatuses for washing probes (specimen probe, reagent probe) and reaction vessels 106, which will be described later, with a washing solution.

[0013] The reaction disk 105 has a plurality of reaction vessels 106 mounted circumferentially for carrying out chemical reactions. The reagent disk 112 has reagent bottles 111, each containing a reagent, mounted circumferentially. The photometry mechanism 114 includes a light source 123 and a detector 124. The sample probe cleaning mechanisms 115 and 116 are installed within the operating ranges of the sample dispensing mechanisms 103 and 104. The reagent probe cleaning mechanisms 117-120 are installed within the operating ranges of the reagent dispensing mechanisms 107-110.

[0014] The control device 122 includes an input unit 125, such as a keyboard or a voice input device such as a microphone, through which the operator inputs the measurement items and measurement conditions; a control circuit 126 that controls the operation of the automatic analyzer in accordance with the input from the input unit 125; an arithmetic unit 127, which is a computer that calculates the photometric data obtained by the photometric mechanism 114; and an output unit 128, such as a monitor that outputs a graphical user interface (GUI) that displays the operation details and analysis results.

[0015] 1, the analytical operations are mainly carried out as follows: First, a rack 130 capable of storing specimen containers 129 (such as blood collection tubes) containing specimens to be used for analysis in an upright position is placed in the specimen entrance 101 by the operator. When the operator inputs the measurement details using the input unit 125, an operational instruction is sent from the control device 122 to the main body 100, and the main body 100 performs the following analytical operations in accordance with the operational instruction from the control device 122.

[0016] First, the rack 130 stored in the sample inlet 101 is automatically transferred onto the conveyor-like transport line 102. The rack 130 transferred to the transport line 102 is placed on the belt of the transport line 102 and transported to a predetermined sample aspiration position.

[0017] When the rack 130 is transported to the sample aspiration position, the control device 122 controls the sample dispensing mechanism 103 (or sample dispensing mechanism 104) in response to an operation instruction, and the sample dispensing mechanism 103 moves its sample probe (not shown) from the sample probe cleaning mechanism 115 to the sample aspiration position. The sample dispensing mechanism 103 lowers the sample probe at the sample aspiration position and stops the sample probe when a liquid level detection sensor (not shown) detects contact with the sample in the sample container 129. The sample dispensing mechanism 103 aspirates the amount of sample required for analysis into the sample probe and raises the sample probe vertically while holding the sample. The sample dispensing mechanism 103 moves the sample probe from the sample aspiration position to a position above a predetermined reaction container 106, and then lowers the sample probe to near the bottom of the reaction container 106 to dispense the sample into the reaction container 106. After dispensing the sample into the reaction vessel 106, the sample dispensing mechanism 103 vertically raises the sample probe and moves it to the sample probe washing mechanism 115 (or the sample probe washing mechanism 116), thereby completing the sample dispensing operation.

[0018] Thereafter, the reaction disk 105 rotates the reaction vessel 106 into which the sample has been dispensed to move to the reagent dispensing position.

[0019] The reagent dispensing mechanism 107 or 109 (or the reagent dispensing mechanism 108 or 110) aspirates the reagent to be used according to the analysis item from the reagent bottle 111 and dispenses the reagent into the reaction vessel 106 containing the specimen. The reagent dispensing operation of the reagent dispensing mechanisms 107-110 is generally the same as that of the specimen dispensing mechanisms 103 and 104, except for liquid level detection. After dispensing the reagent into the reaction vessel 106, the reagent dispensing mechanism 107 or 109 moves the reagent probe to the reagent probe washing mechanism 117 or 119, completing the reagent dispensing operation.

[0020] In this embodiment, for example, the sample dispensing mechanism 103, the reagent dispensing mechanisms 107 and 109, the sample probe cleaning mechanism 115, and the reagent probe cleaning mechanisms 117 and 119 are defined as a first system. The sample dispensing mechanism 104, the reagent dispensing mechanisms 108 and 110, the sample probe cleaning mechanism 116, and the reagent probe cleaning mechanisms 118 and 120 are defined as a second system. The control device 122 controls the apparatus main body 100 so that the sample dispensing and reagent dispensing operations are performed in staggered cycles (e.g., alternately) in the first and second systems, thereby ensuring high processing capacity of the automated analyzer.

[0021] After the specimen and the reagent are dispensed into the reaction vessel 106, the reaction disk 105 moves the reaction vessel 106 containing the reaction solution of the specimen and the reagent to the position of the stirring mechanism 113 by rotating the reaction vessel 106.

[0022] The stirring mechanism 113 stirs the reaction liquid contained in the reaction vessel 106 to promote the chemical reaction and change the optical properties of the reaction liquid, such as the absorbance.

[0023] After stirring the reaction solution, the reaction disk 105 rotates the reaction vessel 106 containing the reaction solution to pass through the photometric mechanism 114. As the reaction vessel 106 passes through the photometric mechanism 114, light from the light source 123 passes through the reaction solution and is detected by the detector 124, and the optical characteristics of the reaction solution are measured. The data detected by the detector 124 is sent to the control device 122, and the concentration of the analysis item contained in the sample is calculated by the calculation unit 127, and the calculation result of the calculation unit 127 is output to the output unit 128.

[0024] The probes and reaction vessels 106 of the specimen dispensing mechanisms 103, 104 and reagent dispensing mechanisms 107-110 used in the above analysis operations are washed each time by specimen probe washing mechanisms 115, 116, reagent probe washing mechanisms 117-120, and reaction vessel washing mechanism 121. This maintains the accuracy of specimen and reagent dispensing, and also allows the probes and reaction vessels 106 to be used repeatedly for multiple analysis operations.

[0025] However, in order to prevent dilution of the reagent and specimen, it is necessary to thoroughly remove the cleaning solution adhering to the probe and reaction vessel 106 during cleaning. Therefore, the automated analyzer of this embodiment is provided with a suction mechanism 300 ( FIG. 4 ) that vacuum-sucks the cleaning solution, in addition to a cleaning mechanism (such as the reagent probe cleaning mechanism 117) that cleans the probe and reaction vessel 106 with the cleaning solution.

[0026] -Causes of Increase in Cleaning Liquid- The control device 122 controls the device main body 100 so that the cleaning operation by the cleaning mechanism and the suction and removal operation of cleaning liquid by the suction mechanism 300 are performed in parallel. For example, while the probes and reaction vessels 106 used in the first system are being cleaned, the cleaning liquid from the probes and reaction vessels 106 used in the second system can be removed. Furthermore, the control device 122 can also control the device main body 100 so that the cleaning of the probes and the removal of cleaning liquid are performed in the same location, for example, to improve processing capacity. For example, when the suction mechanism 300 aspirates cleaning liquid from the reagent probe cleaning mechanism 117 before the reagent probe cleaning operation by the reagent probe cleaning mechanism 117 is completed, the supply and suction removal of cleaning liquid can be performed by the same cleaning mechanism in a time-overlapping manner, further speeding up processing. However, in this case, the amount of cleaning liquid aspirated by the suction mechanism 300 per unit time increases.

[0027] Additionally, in an automatic analyzer configured to insert a reagent probe into a small slit cut in the lid of the reagent bottle 111 to ensure the stability of the reagent, the reagent adheres to the reagent probe as it passes through the slit. As a result, the cleaning range of the reagent probe is the entire portion that penetrates the lid of the reagent bottle and is inserted into the reagent bottle, which requires a larger amount of cleaning fluid than when the reagent bottle lid is opened and set in the automatic analyzer.

[0028] Furthermore, in order to improve processing capacity, automated analyzers are increasing the number of probes and shortening cycle times, which also contributes to an increase in the amount of cleaning liquid that must be discharged by vacuum suction.

[0029] --Probe cleaning operation of cleaning mechanism-- Figure 2 shows the cleaning operation of the reagent probe after reagent dispensing. While Figure 2 shows the reagent dispensing mechanism 107 and the reagent probe cleaning mechanism 117, the reagent dispensing mechanisms 108-110 and the reagent probe cleaning mechanisms 118-120 have similar configurations and operations. Each of the reagent dispensing mechanisms 107-110 is equipped with a reagent probe 202. Each of the reagent probe cleaning mechanisms 117-120 is equipped with a cleaning chamber 203 having a cleaning port 204, a waste liquid pipe 205, and a vacuum suction port 207.

[0030] After reagent dispensing is complete, the reagent dispensing mechanism 107 moves the reagent probe 202 to a position above the washing tank 203 and lowers the reagent probe 202 toward the washing port 204. Simultaneously with or prior to the insertion of the reagent probe 202 into the washing port 204, the reagent probe washing mechanism 117 starts discharging external washing water W1 (washing liquid) from an external washing water outlet of a washing liquid supply system (not shown) into the washing tank 203. The external washing water W1 flows down the washing port 204 of the washing tank 203, and while the reagent probe 202 is descending the washing port 204, the external washing water W1 flowing through the washing port 204 completely washes the outer wall surface of the reagent probe 202. After washing the outer wall surface of the reagent probe 202, the external washing water W1 (waste liquid) flows through the washing port 204 into the waste liquid pipe 205 and is finally discharged from the washing tank 203 via the waste liquid pipe 205. Furthermore, a portion of the external washing water W1 that overflows from the washing port 204 during washing of the reagent probe 202 flows directly into the waste liquid pipe 205 and is discharged from the washing tank 203.

[0031] In addition, the reagent probe washing mechanism 117 starts discharging inner washing water W2 (washing liquid) from the reagent probe 202 at the same time as or immediately after the reagent probe 202 is introduced into the washing port 204, thereby washing the inner wall surface of the reagent probe 202. The inner washing water W2 (waste liquid) that has washed the inner wall surface of the reagent probe 202 passes through the washing port 204 and flows into the waste liquid pipe 205, and is discharged from the washing tank 203.

[0032] A ball valve 206 is provided at the connection point of the cleaning port 204 with the waste liquid pipe 205. The ball valve 206 is normally open, and when the pressure in the cleaning port 204 is reduced, the ball is sucked into the cleaning port 204, blocking the connection port of the cleaning port 204 with the waste liquid pipe 205. At least one vacuum suction port 207 (two in the configuration example shown in FIG. 2) is connected to the cleaning port 204.

[0033] 3 is a diagram showing the suction operation of the cleaning liquid adhering to the reagent probe 202. After washing the reagent probe 202, the reagent probe cleaning mechanism 117 and the cleaning liquid suction mechanism stop the supply of external washing water W1 before the reagent probe 202 is raised, and then start vacuum suction of the cleaning port 204 via the vacuum suction port 207 while continuing the supply of internal washing water W2. The pressure inside the cleaning port 204 is reduced, which closes the ball valve 206, cutting off the connection between the cleaning port 204 and the waste liquid pipe 205, and maintaining the vacuum inside the cleaning port 204. By vacuum suctioning the cleaning port 204 with the reagent probe 202 inserted in this way, not only the external washing water W1 adhering to the outer wall surface of the reagent probe 202 but also the internal washing water W2 discharged from the reagent probe 202 is sucked into the vacuum suction port 207, and a large amount of waste liquid is sucked into the vacuum suction port 207. The cleaning liquid suction mechanism stops vacuum suction when the reagent probe 202 rises and the tip of the reagent probe 202 is pulled out of the cleaning port 204. The ball valve 206 opens as the vacuum suction stops. In addition, the reagent probe cleaning mechanism 117 stops supplying the internal cleaning water W2 while the reagent probe 202 is rising inside the cleaning port 204.

[0034] - Cleaning Liquid Suction Mechanism - Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the suction mechanism 300 that performs the above-described cleaning liquid suction operation. The suction mechanism 300 shown in Figure 4 includes a vacuum bottle 301, suction nozzles 302 and 303, a vacuum nozzle 304, a vacuum tank 309, and a vacuum pump 310. While Figure 4 shows the suction mechanism 300 that suctions cleaning liquid from each of the cleaning tanks 203 of the reagent probe washing mechanisms 117-120, the suction mechanisms that suction cleaning liquid from the sample probe washing mechanisms 115 and 116 and the suction mechanism that suctions cleaning liquid from the reaction vessel washing mechanism 121 have a similar configuration. The suction mechanisms that suction cleaning liquid from the reagent probe washing mechanisms 117-120, the sample probe washing mechanisms 115 and 116, and the reaction vessel washing mechanism 121 may be separate and independent from one another. Alternatively, for example, the vacuum tank 309 and vacuum pump 310 may be shared by multiple suction mechanisms. In addition, one or more vacuum bottles 301 can be configured to be shared by multiple suction mechanisms, for example, by sucking up the cleaning liquid used to clean the sample probe and the cleaning liquid used to clean the reagent probe into the same vacuum bottle 301.

[0035] The vacuum bottle 301 is a container that receives and temporarily stores the washing liquid used in the reagent probe washing mechanisms 117-120, that is, the waste liquid vacuum-suctioned from each washing tank 203. The vacuum bottle 301 is provided with the above-mentioned multiple suction nozzles 302, 303 and a single vacuum nozzle 304.

[0036] The suction nozzles 302 and 303 are cylindrical components that discharge used cleaning liquid, i.e., waste liquid, sucked from the reagent probe washing mechanisms 117-120, into the vacuum bottle 301. They are fixed to the ceiling wall of the vacuum bottle 301 and penetrate the ceiling wall. The suction nozzle 302 is connected to the vacuum suction ports 207 (FIG. 3) of the washing tanks 203 of the reagent probe washing mechanisms 117 and 119 (which belong to the first system) via a first waste liquid suction system L1. The waste liquid suction system L1 is equipped with a solenoid valve SV1 that opens and closes its flow path. The suction nozzle 303 is connected to the vacuum suction ports 207 (FIG. 3) of the washing tanks 203 of the reagent probe washing mechanisms 118 and 120 (which belong to the second system) via a second waste liquid suction system L2. The waste liquid suction system L2 is equipped with a solenoid valve SV2 that opens and closes its flow path.

[0037] In addition, a waste liquid nozzle 305 (FIG. 6) is provided at the bottom of the vacuum bottle 301 to discharge the waste liquid accumulated in the vacuum bottle 301. The waste liquid nozzle 305 is connected to the waste liquid pipe 205 described above via piping L3. The piping L3 is provided with a solenoid valve SV3 that opens and closes the flow path.

[0038] A vacuum tank 309 is connected to the vacuum nozzle 304 via a tube L4, which connects the vacuum bottle 301 to the vacuum tank 309. A vacuum pump 310 is connected to the vacuum tank 309, which evacuates the vacuum tank 309. The tube L4 is equipped with a solenoid valve SV4, which may be, for example, a three-way valve (or multiple on-off valves). When the solenoid valve SV4 is closed, the portion of the tube L4 that connects to the vacuum tank 309 is closed, and with the vacuum pump 310 running, the internal pressure of the vacuum tank 309 is maintained at a negative pressure compared to atmospheric pressure. At the same time, the portion of the tube L4 that connects to the vacuum bottle 301 is opened to the atmosphere. When the solenoid valve SV4 is opened, the tube L4 becomes a closed flow path, and the vacuum bottle 301 is connected to the vacuum tank 309, which is under negative pressure. To prevent waste liquid from the vacuum bottle 301 from flowing into the vacuum tank 309, a buffer tank may be provided in the tube L4 between the vacuum bottle 301 and the solenoid valve SV4.

[0039] --Control Operation of Cleaning Liquid Suction-- Figure 5 is a table summarizing the control operation of the control device for suctioning cleaning liquid (waste liquid). As described above, in the automated analyzer of this embodiment, multiple suction nozzles 302, 303 are provided on the same vacuum bottle 301, and solenoid valves SV1, SV2 are provided on the waste liquid suction lines L1, L2 of these suction nozzles 302, 303, respectively. These solenoid valves SV1, SV2 are controlled by the control device 122, along with the other solenoid valves SV3, SV4 provided on the suction mechanism 300. The control device 122 controls the solenoid valves so that the timing at which cleaning liquid is discharged from each suction nozzle 302, 303 into the vacuum bottle 301 is shifted from the timing at which cleaning liquid is discharged from the other suction nozzles into the vacuum bottle 301. In this embodiment, two suction nozzles 302 and 303 are provided on the same vacuum bottle 301, and so the solenoid valves SV1 and SV2 are controlled so that the timing at which waste liquid is discharged from the suction nozzle 302 and the timing at which waste liquid is discharged from the suction nozzle 303 are offset.

[0040] The table in Fig. 5 specifies the open / close states of the solenoid valves SV1-SV4 for each situation. This table is stored, for example, in the memory of the control device 122. The control device 122 controls the device main body 100 based on the measurement details input by the operator via the input unit 125, and controls the opening and closing of the solenoid valves SV1-SV4 according to the situation in accordance with the table in Fig. 5.

[0041] When waste liquid is to be aspirated in the first system, the control device 122 closes the solenoid valves SV2 and SV3 and opens the solenoid valve SV4, and then opens the solenoid valve SV1 in the first waste liquid suction system L1. This connects the washing tanks 203 of the reagent probe washing mechanisms 117 and 118 in the first system to the vacuum tank 309 via the vacuum bottle 301, creating a negative pressure inside the vacuum bottle 301, and the waste liquid is aspirated from the washing tanks 203 of the reagent probe washing mechanisms 117 and 118 into the vacuum bottle 301.

[0042] When waste liquid is to be aspirated in the second system, the control device 122 closes the solenoid valves SV1 and SV3, opens the solenoid valve SV4, and opens the solenoid valve SV2 in the second waste liquid suction system L2. This connects the washing tank 203 of the reagent probe washing mechanism 118, 120 in the second system to the vacuum tank 309 via the vacuum bottle 301, creating a negative pressure inside the vacuum bottle 301, and aspirating waste liquid from the washing tank 203 of the reagent probe washing mechanism 118, 120 into the vacuum bottle 301.

[0043] When the waste liquid accumulated in the vacuum bottle 301 is to be discharged from the vacuum bottle 301, the control device 122 closes the solenoid valves SV1, SV2, and SV4 and opens the solenoid valve SV3 on the pipe L3 connected to the waste liquid pipe 205. This causes the pressure inside the vacuum bottle 301 to become atmospheric pressure, and the waste liquid is discharged from the vacuum bottle 301 into the waste liquid pipe 205.

[0044] In this embodiment, the solenoid valves SV1 and SV2 are controlled to open and close in accordance with the table of Fig. 5, so that the time when the waste liquid is sucked from the first system and the time when the waste liquid is sucked from the second system do not overlap. Furthermore, because the solenoid valve SV4 is closed when the waste liquid is discharged from the vacuum bottle 301, the time when the waste liquid is discharged does not overlap with the time when the waste liquid is sucked from the first system and the second system.

[0045] - Vacuum bottle - Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the appearance of vacuum bottle 301, Fig. 7 is a top view, Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in Fig. 7, and Figs. 9 and 10 are cross-sectional views taken along line B-B in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 and Fig. 10 are consistent with Fig. 6 etc., while Fig. 10 shows another example configuration. The shape of vacuum bottle 301 shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is not necessarily limited, but in this embodiment it is a cylindrical container with a center line extending vertically.

[0046] The top wall 301a (upper wall) of the vacuum bottle 301 is a circular flat plate, to which suction nozzles 302, 303 and a vacuum nozzle 304 are attached. The bottom wall 301b (lower wall) of the vacuum bottle 301 is made of plate material and formed into a downwardly convex cone (funnel-shaped), with the bottom surface of the vacuum bottle 301 tapering downward toward the center. A waste liquid nozzle 305 is provided at the lower end (the apex of the cone) of the bottom wall 301b. The waste liquid nozzle 305 is connected to the waste liquid pipe 205 via piping L3. Waste liquid flowing in through the suction nozzles 302, 303 is temporarily stored in the vacuum bottle 301 and is discharged through the waste liquid nozzle 305 when the solenoid valve SV3 ( FIG. 4 ) is opened. The funnel-shaped bottom wall 301b of the vacuum bottle prevents waste liquid from remaining inside the vacuum bottle 301.

[0047] The vacuum nozzle 304 is attached to the ceiling wall 301a of the vacuum bottle 301 via a small space (chamber) 306. The small space 306 is a cylindrical member with a larger diameter than the vacuum nozzle 304 and penetrates the ceiling wall 301a of the vacuum bottle 301. The amount of protrusion of the small space 306 from the ceiling wall 301a into the interior space of the vacuum bottle 301 is kept to a minimum (at least less than the amount of protrusion of the suction nozzles 302 and 303), ensuring as much distance as possible between the small space 306 and the bottom wall 301b of the vacuum bottle 301. The lower end surface of the small space 306 is covered by an end wall 306a (FIG. 8) with a small hole in the center, which prevents waste liquid scattered inside the vacuum bottle 301 from being sucked into the small space 306.

[0048] - Suction nozzle - Suction nozzles 302, 303 penetrate ceiling wall 301a of vacuum bottle 301, with their tips protruding into the interior space of vacuum bottle 301. In this embodiment, suction nozzles 302, 303 extend vertically inside vacuum bottle 301, with the lower ends (tips) of suction nozzles 302, 303 located slightly above the vertical center of the interior space of vacuum bottle 301. Although not necessarily limited, suction nozzles 302, 303 are preferably straight pipes, i.e., have a shape that extends linearly, from the perspective of minimizing the volume they occupy in the interior space of vacuum bottle 301.

[0049] The suction nozzles 302 and 303 have their downward-facing lower end faces (the part that would be the tip opening in a normal straight pipe) blocked by end walls EW, and instead have discharge ports 307 that open sideways (towards the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical side wall of the vacuum bottle 301). As a result, inside the vacuum bottle 301, waste liquid is discharged sideways from the suction nozzles 302 and 303 rather than downward (thick arrows in Figure 7).

[0050] In this embodiment, the outlet 307 is a notch provided in the outer peripheral wall OW of the suction nozzles 302, 303. By blocking the lower end surfaces of the straight suction nozzles 302, 303 with the end wall EW and forming the horizontal outlet 307 instead, the waste liquid discharged from the suction nozzles 302, 303 does not directly interfere with the bottom wall 301b of the vacuum bottle 301. In other words, the waste liquid discharged from the suction nozzles 302, 303 does not first collide with the bottom wall 301b. The distance between the inner wall surface of the vacuum bottle 301 and the suction nozzles 302, 303, the height of the outlet 307 within the vacuum bottle 301, and the opening direction of the outlet 307 are set so that the outlet 307 is designed so that at least its projection in the waste liquid discharge (ejection) direction (the direction of the thick arrow in FIG. 7 ) does not overlap the bottom wall 301b. Needless to say, each suction nozzle 302, 303 is positioned so as not to overlap with the direction of discharge of cleaning liquid from the other suction nozzle. Specifically, suction nozzle 302 is positioned so as not to interfere with the waste liquid discharged from suction nozzle 303, and suction nozzle 303 is positioned so as not to interfere with the waste liquid discharged from suction nozzle 302. In the present embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, the discharge ports 307 of suction nozzles 302, 303 open in different directions around the circumference of vacuum bottle 301.

[0051] In this embodiment, the outlet 307 is formed by cutting out the lower end of the outer wall OW of the suction nozzles 302 and 303. The outlet 307 is located at the lower end of the outer wall OW of the suction nozzles 302 and 303, and a portion of the opening edge is defined by the end wall EW. Furthermore, as described above, the lower ends of the suction nozzles 302 and 303 are located slightly above the vertical center of the interior space of the vacuum bottle 301. Therefore, in this embodiment, the outlet 307 is located in the upper half of the interior of the vacuum bottle 301. In this embodiment, the outlet 307 is positioned higher than the maximum design level of the waste liquid in the vacuum bottle 301. The end wall EW slopes downward toward the outlet 307. However, as shown in FIG. 10 , the outlet 307 may also be located in the lower half of the interior of the vacuum bottle 301.

[0052] 9, in a cross section cut along a plane passing through the center line C of the suction nozzles 302 and 303 and the center O of the discharge port 307, the angle θ (<180°) formed between the outer peripheral wall OW (vertical wall surface) and the end wall EW of the suction nozzles 302 and 303 is an obtuse angle. In addition, the opening of the discharge port 307 is approximately parallel to the center line C.

[0053] Furthermore, a plane passing through the center line C of the suction nozzles 302, 303 and the center O of the discharge port 307 (corresponding to line B-B in FIG. 7 ) intersects at an angle with respect to the inner peripheral surface of the vacuum bottle 301. In other words, line B-B cannot be normal to the outer peripheral surface of the vacuum bottle 301. Preferably, as shown in FIG. 7 , the opening direction of the discharge port 307 of the suction nozzles 302, 303 (indicated by the thick arrow in the figure) is designed to be perpendicular to the line l1 connecting the center line C of the suction nozzle 302 and the outer peripheral wall 301c of the vacuum bottle 301 in the shortest distance (parallel to the tangent line l2 passing through the intersection with the line l3 of the outer peripheral wall 301c of the vacuum bottle 301). In other words, the plane passing through the center line C of the suction nozzles 302, 303 and the center O of the discharge port 307 is perpendicular to line l1. These are configured to prevent waste liquid forcefully discharged from the suction nozzles 302 and 303 from colliding head-on with the inner peripheral wall surface of the vacuum bottle 301 and scattering.

[0054] The angle φ between the plane passing through the center line C and center O and the inner peripheral surface of the vacuum bottle 301 is preferably 45 degrees or less. The angle φ corresponds to the angle (<90°) between the tangent line l3 at the intersection of the inner peripheral surface of the vacuum bottle 301 and line B-B of the vacuum bottle 301. While the angle φ is shown slightly larger than 45 degrees in FIG. 7 , it is more desirable to move the suction nozzles 302 and 303 closer to the inner wall of the vacuum bottle 301 in the shortest direction (for the suction nozzle 302, the direction of line l1), thereby making the angle φ smaller than that of the configuration shown in FIG. 7 . When the vacuum bottle 301 is manufactured by assembling the ceiling wall 301a, to which the suction nozzles 302 and 303 are attached, to the cylindrical outer peripheral wall 301c, a certain distance is required between the outer edge of the ceiling wall 301a and the suction nozzles 302 and 303 for manufacturing convenience. However, if there are no such restrictions (for example, when additive manufacturing is applied), the suction nozzles 302 and 303 may be configured to contact the inner wall surface of the vacuum bottle 301. In this case, the waste liquid is discharged from the suction nozzles 302 and 303 along the inner surface of the vacuum bottle 301, and immediately after being discharged from the suction nozzles 302 and 303, the waste liquid follows the inner surface of the vacuum bottle 301.

[0055] With the above configuration, the waste liquid forcefully discharged from the discharge port 307 of the suction nozzle 302 or 303 collides with the inner peripheral surface of the outer wall 301c of the vacuum bottle 301. As explained in Figure 7, the waste liquid collides with the inner peripheral surface of the vacuum bottle 301 at an angle, so that the waste liquid that collides with the inner peripheral surface of the vacuum bottle 301 moves downward while circling the inner peripheral surface of the vacuum bottle 301 (i.e., moves in a spiral), as shown by the arrow in Figure 6.

[0056] Comparative Example: Fig. 13 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a vacuum bottle according to a comparative example. In the example of Fig. 13, the suction nozzle X2 is composed of a straight pipe extending vertically, and the discharge port X7 opens downward at the lower end (tip) of the suction nozzle X2.

[0057] A large amount of waste liquid is sucked into the vacuum bottle X1. Furthermore, in order to quickly aspirate and remove cleaning liquid adhering to reagent probes, etc., it is necessary to increase the airflow rate associated with the aspirating of cleaning liquid. As a result, cleaning liquid is forcefully ejected from the aspirating nozzle X2 of the vacuum bottle X1, directly impacting the sides and bottom wall X1b of the vacuum bottle X1 and scattering in all directions inside the vacuum bottle X1 as indicated by the dotted arrows. If the scattered cleaning liquid adheres to the periphery of the vacuum nozzle X4, the cleaning liquid is sucked into the vacuum nozzle X4 and flows into the vacuum tank. If cleaning liquid accumulates in the vacuum tank, the vacuum tank's performance deteriorates, reducing the cleaning liquid suction capacity and making it impossible to guarantee the analytical performance of the automated analyzer.

[0058] Generally, in automated analyzers, a liquid level sensor installed in the vacuum tank detects when the cleaning liquid level in the vacuum tank reaches a certain level, causing the analysis operation to stop. Therefore, it is important to prevent the cleaning liquid from splashing inside the vacuum bottle. In the comparative example shown in Figure 13, for example, expanding the vacuum bottle X1 longitudinally to ensure a sufficient distance between the vacuum nozzle X4 and the bottom wall X1b can prevent waste liquid from flowing into the vacuum tank. However, this would increase the size of the vacuum bottle X1, which is disadvantageous in meeting the need for a more compact automated analyzer. Another possible solution would be to partition the interior of the vacuum bottle X1 into multiple compartments connected to the vacuum nozzle X4 to prevent the waste liquid from splashing. However, dividing the interior of the vacuum bottle X1 would reduce the space available for retaining the waste liquid, making it difficult to meet the demand for faster processing speeds in automated analyzers.

[0059] - Effects - (1) According to this embodiment, suction nozzles 302, 303 extend vertically inside vacuum bottle 301, and the downward-facing lower end surfaces of suction nozzles 302, 303 are blocked by end wall EW, while discharge ports 307 that open sideways are formed in suction nozzles 302, 303. By discharging waste liquid sideways from suction nozzles 302, 303 inside vacuum bottle 301, it is possible to prevent the waste liquid from colliding forcefully with the bottom of vacuum bottle 301 (the upper surface of bottom wall 301b), and to prevent waste liquid scattered at the bottom of vacuum bottle 301 from being sucked into vacuum tank 309 via vacuum nozzle 304. Furthermore, by configuring suction nozzles 302, 303 by closing the bottom end of a vertically extending cylindrical member and providing a horizontal hole as discharge outlet 307, the volume occupied by suction nozzles 302, 303 in the internal volume of vacuum bottle 301 can be reduced compared to, for example, using a suction nozzle shaped like a bent cylindrical member to discharge waste liquid sideways inside vacuum bottle 301, and the capacity for vacuum bottle 301 to store waste liquid can be ensured while preventing vacuum bottle 301 from becoming larger. In particular, in this embodiment, suction nozzles 302, 303 are configured as straight pipes, so the volume occupied by suction nozzles 302, 303 is minimized.

[0060] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to both suppress the inflow of waste liquid from the vacuum bottle 301 into the vacuum tank 309 due to an increase in the amount of waste liquid and suppress an increase in the size of the vacuum bottle 301. This contributes to improving the processing capacity and analytical accuracy of the automatic analyzer.

[0061] (2) Since the discharge port 307 is a notch provided in the outer peripheral wall OW of the suction nozzles 302, 303, the suction nozzles 302, 303 can be manufactured by simple machining of a pipe material, for example. However, the shape and manufacturing method of the suction nozzles 302, 303 are not particularly limited.

[0062] (3) Furthermore, the outlet 307 as a notch is located at the lower end of the outer peripheral wall OW of the suction nozzles 302, 303, and a portion of the outlet 307 is defined by the end wall EW, which is inclined downward toward the outlet 307. Because the angle θ between the end wall EW and the outer peripheral wall OW is an obtuse angle, the waste liquid inside the suction nozzles 302, 303 is guided by the end wall EW and discharged from the suction nozzles 302, 303, thereby preventing the waste liquid from remaining inside the suction nozzles 302, 303.

[0063] (4) The orientation of the outlet 307 of each of the suction nozzles 302 and 303 is set so that a plane passing through the center line C and the center O of the outlet 307 intersects at an angle relative to the inner circumferential surface of the vacuum bottle 301. As a result, waste liquid that strikes the inner circumferential surface of the vacuum bottle 301 is guided by the inner circumferential wall and moves downward while spiraling around the inner circumferential wall of the vacuum bottle 301. This increases the distance the waste liquid travels before contacting the bottom wall 301b of the vacuum bottle 301, and slows the flow rate of the waste liquid when it contacts the bottom wall 301b of the vacuum bottle 301, compared to when waste liquid is discharged downward from the suction nozzle X2 as shown in FIG. 13 . Additionally, the waste liquid reaches the bottom wall 301b of the vacuum bottle 301 with a horizontal velocity component (contacting the bottom wall 301b at an angle). This more efficiently suppresses the scattering of waste liquid. Preferably, the angle φ between the plane passing through the center line C and the center O of the outlet 307 and the inner surface of the vacuum bottle is 45 degrees or less, which is effective in allowing the waste liquid to flow more smoothly along the inner surface of the vacuum bottle 301.

[0064] (5) In this embodiment, the suction nozzles 302 and 303 are oriented so that the plane passing through the center line C and the center O of the outlet 307 is perpendicular to the line l1, which connects the center line C and the inner surface of the vacuum bottle 301 at the shortest distance. This allows the waste liquid to be discharged in the direction of the tangent line l2 that passes through the intersection of the inner surface of the vacuum bottle 301 and the line l1 and is tangent to the inner surface of the vacuum bottle 301. This configuration also advantageously allows the waste liquid to flow more smoothly along the inner surface of the vacuum bottle 301. In this case, by bringing the suction nozzles 302 and 303 closer to the inner wall of the vacuum bottle 301 (for example, by bringing the suction nozzle 302 closer to the inner wall of the vacuum bottle 301 along the line l1 in FIG. 7), the angle φ approaches 0°, which is ideal.

[0065] However, the positional relationship of suction nozzles 302 and 303 with respect to the inner surface of vacuum bottle 301 and the direction of discharge of waste liquid can be appropriately designed and modified depending on the discharge speed and amount of waste liquid. For example, when the discharge speed of waste liquid is slow, the positions of suction nozzles 302 and 303 and the direction of discharge port 307 are appropriately set so that the liquid collides with the inner surface of vacuum bottle 301 within a short distance from discharge port 307.

[0066] (6) The suction nozzles 302, 303 are arranged so as not to overlap with each other in the direction of waste liquid discharge, which prevents the waste liquid from colliding with and scattering from another suction nozzle when multiple suction nozzles 302, 303 are provided on the same vacuum bottle 301. In particular, in this embodiment, the discharge ports 307 of the suction nozzles 302, 303 face in different directions around the circumference of the vacuum bottle 301, which more efficiently prevents the waste liquid from colliding with and scattering from another suction nozzle.

[0067] (7) Also, when the discharge port 307 is located in the upper half of the interior of the vacuum bottle 301 as shown in Figure 9, the number of times the waste liquid circulates in the vacuum bottle 301 increases, so the waste liquid can reach the bottom wall 301b at a slower speed.

[0068] (8) Furthermore, when the cycle time of the automatic analyzer is long and the amount of waste liquid is small, as shown in Figure 10A, the suction nozzles 302, 303 can be extended further downward so that the discharge port 307 is located in the lower half of the interior of the vacuum bottle 301. In this way, by avoiding the discharge of waste liquid at a high position and having the waste liquid collide with the inner surface of the vacuum bottle 301 at a low position, the position where the waste liquid collides with the inner surface of the vacuum bottle 301 can be moved away from the vacuum nozzle 304.

[0069] (9) Furthermore, solenoid valves SV1, SV2, etc. are controlled by control device 122 so that the timing at which suction nozzles 302, 303 discharge waste liquid inside vacuum bottle 301 is staggered, thereby preventing the waste liquid discharged by suction nozzles 302, 303 from interfering with each other and scattering. If the waste liquid from suction nozzles 302, 303 circulates in opposite directions as shown in Figure 7, if waste liquid is discharged from suction nozzles 302, 303 simultaneously, the waste liquids may collide with each other on the inner surface of vacuum bottle 301 and scatter. However, in this embodiment, the timing at which suction nozzles 302, 303 discharge waste liquid is staggered, preventing the waste liquid from interfering with each other and scattering, regardless of the direction in which the waste liquid is discharged from suction nozzles 302, 303.

[0070] Second Embodiment Fig. 11 is a top view of a vacuum bottle provided in an automatic analyzer according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 11 is a view corresponding to Fig. 7 of the first embodiment. In Fig. 11, elements that are the same as or correspond to those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals as in Fig. 7, and descriptions thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

[0071] This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the outlets 307 of the multiple suction nozzles 1101-1104 open in the same direction around the circumference of the vacuum bottle 301. Different systems are connected to the suction nozzles 1101-1104. For example, the first and second systems of the first embodiment are connected to the suction nozzles 1101 and 1102, the system of the specimen probe cleaning mechanisms 115 and 116 is connected to the suction nozzle 1103, and the system of the reaction vessel cleaning mechanism 121 is connected to the suction nozzle 1104. In this embodiment, a configuration in which four suction nozzles 1101-1104 are provided on the same vacuum bottle 301 is illustrated, but the number of suction nozzles can be changed.

[0072] 11, the orientation of the outlets 307 of the suction nozzles 1101-1104 is set so that the waste liquid discharged from each of the suction nozzles 1101-1104 circulates clockwise in a plan view. The circulating directions of the waste liquid discharged from each of the suction nozzles 1101-1104 may be unified to be opposite directions (counterclockwise in a plan view). The other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0073] According to this embodiment, even when waste liquid is discharged simultaneously from multiple suction nozzles 1101-1104, the waste liquids discharged from the multiple nozzles do not collide with each other, and scattering due to interference between the waste liquids can be suppressed. Furthermore, by increasing the number of systems connected to one vacuum bottle 301, the number of parts can be reduced, which is expected to further reduce the size of the automatic analyzer.

[0074] For example, if the number of systems connected to the same vacuum bottle 301 increases, ensuring that the waste liquid discharge timings of the suction nozzles 1101-1104 do not all overlap in time could result in a wait time for the waste liquid to be suctioned, which could reduce the processing capacity of the automatic analyzer. In this case, it is necessary to allow multiple suction nozzles to discharge waste liquid simultaneously, but this raises concerns about the scattering of waste liquid due to interference between the waste liquids. In contrast, this embodiment can prevent the scattering of waste liquid due to interference between the waste liquids, even when waste liquid is discharged simultaneously from multiple suction nozzles.

[0075] (Third embodiment) Fig. 12 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a vacuum bottle provided in an automatic analyzer according to a third embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 12 is a view corresponding to Fig. 6 of the first embodiment. In Fig. 12, elements that are the same as or correspond to those of the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals as in Fig. 6, and descriptions thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

[0076] This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the outlets 307 of the multiple suction nozzles 1201, 1202 are located at different heights inside the vacuum bottle 301. The waste liquid discharged from the suction nozzles 1201, 1202 circulates in the same direction. This embodiment also differs from the first embodiment in that a guide 1203 is provided on the inner surface of the vacuum bottle 301 to guide the circulation of the cleaning liquid. The guide 1203 is, for example, a protrusion that forms part of a spiral track.

[0077] If the suction nozzles 1201 and 1202 are not spaced far enough apart and are close to each other, depending on the direction of discharge of the waste liquid, for example, the waste liquid discharged from the suction nozzle 1202 may interfere with the suction nozzle 1201 and splash. In response to this, by lowering the outlet 307 of the suction nozzle 1202, which is located at the rear in the direction of circulation of the waste liquid, relative to the outlet 307 of the suction nozzle 1201, which is located at the front in the direction of circulation of the waste liquid, as shown in Figure 12, it is possible to prevent the waste liquid discharged from the suction nozzle 1202 from interfering with the suction nozzle 1201 and splashing. The difference in height between the outlets 307 of the suction nozzles 1201 and 1202 is set to be smaller than the distance that the waste liquid discharged from the suction nozzles 1201 and 1202 falls while making one revolution around the vacuum bottle 301.

[0078] Furthermore, by providing guide 1203 for guiding the circular flow of waste liquid from the top to the bottom of vacuum bottle 301, the flow of waste liquid can be divided, and the effect of preventing scattering can be further improved.

[0079] In other respects, this embodiment is similar to the first embodiment.

[0080] (Modifications) In the above embodiment, the vacuum bottle 301 that sucks up waste liquid from the reagent probe cleaning mechanisms 117-120 has been described, but as mentioned above, the present invention can also be applied to vacuum bottles that suck up waste liquid from the sample probe cleaning mechanisms 115, 116 and the reaction vessel cleaning mechanism 121. Furthermore, the first to third embodiments can be combined as appropriate.

[0081] The design of the vacuum bottle 301 described above can be modified as needed without departing from the technical spirit of the invention. For example, while Fig. 9 illustrates a configuration in which the end wall EW of the suction nozzle 302 is bent at an angle θ relative to the outer peripheral wall OW, the corner at this angle θ may be rounded. Furthermore, while each of the embodiments illustrates a configuration in which multiple suction nozzles are connected to one vacuum bottle 301, only one suction nozzle may be connected to one vacuum bottle 301.

[0082] 106...reaction vessel, 115, 116...sample probe washing mechanism (washing mechanism), 117-120...reagent probe washing mechanism (washing mechanism), 121...reaction vessel washing mechanism (washing mechanism), 122...controller, 202...reagent probe (probe), 301...vacuum bottle, 302, 303...suction nozzle, 307...discharge port, 309...vacuum tank, 310...vacuum pump, 1101-1104...suction nozzle, 1201, 1202...suction nozzle, 1203...guide, C...center line, EW...end wall, l1...straight line, L1, L2...waste liquid suction system, O...center, OW...outer wall, SV1-SV4...solenoid valve, θ, φ...angle

Claims

1. a vacuum bottle for receiving the cleaning solution used in the cleaning mechanism; a vacuum tank connected to the vacuum bottle; a vacuum pump that draws a vacuum from the vacuum tank; a cylindrical suction nozzle that discharges the used cleaning liquid sucked from the cleaning mechanism into the vacuum bottle; the suction nozzle extends vertically inside the vacuum bottle, its lower end surface facing downward is closed by an end wall, and it has a discharge port that opens sideways; A plane passing through the center line of the suction nozzle and the center of the discharge port intersects with the inner peripheral surface of the vacuum bottle at an angle. An automatic analyzer characterized by:

2. 2. The automated analyzer of claim 1, The automatic analyzer is characterized in that the discharge port is a notch provided in the outer peripheral wall of the suction nozzle.

3. 3. The automatic analyzer of claim 2, the discharge port is located at a lower end of an outer peripheral wall of the suction nozzle, and a portion of the discharge port is defined by the end wall; The end wall slopes downward toward the outlet. An automatic analyzer characterized by:

4. The automatic analyzer of claim 3, An automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the angle formed between the end wall and the outer peripheral wall of the suction nozzle is an obtuse angle.

5. (delete)

6. 2. The automated analyzer of claim 1, An automatic analyzer characterized in that the angle formed between the plane and the inner peripheral surface of the vacuum bottle is 45 degrees or less.

7. 2. The automated analyzer of claim 1, An automatic analyzer characterized in that the plane is perpendicular to a straight line connecting the center line of the suction nozzle and the inner surface of the vacuum bottle in the shortest distance.

8. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, The vacuum bottle is provided with a plurality of suction nozzles, An automatic analyzer characterized in that each suction nozzle is arranged so as not to overlap with the other suction nozzles in the direction of ejection of cleaning liquid.

9. The automatic analyzer of claim 8, An automatic analyzer characterized in that the outlets of the plurality of suction nozzles are open in different directions in the circumferential direction of the vacuum bottle.

10. The automatic analyzer of claim 8, An automatic analyzer characterized in that the outlets of the plurality of suction nozzles open in the same direction in the circumferential direction of the vacuum bottle.

11. The automatic analyzer of claim 8, An automatic analyzer characterized in that the outlets of the plurality of suction nozzles are at different heights inside the vacuum bottle.

12. 2. The automated analyzer of claim 1, The automatic analyzer is characterized in that the discharge port is located inside the vacuum bottle in an upper half of the interior of the vacuum bottle.

13. 2. The automated analyzer of claim 1, The automatic analyzer is characterized in that the discharge port is located inside the vacuum bottle in a lower half of the interior of the vacuum bottle.

14. 2. The automated analyzer of claim 1, The automatic analyzer is characterized in that the cleaning mechanism is a device for cleaning a probe or a reaction vessel with a cleaning liquid.

15. 2. The automated analyzer of claim 1, The automatic analyzer is characterized in that the suction nozzle is a straight pipe.

16. 2. The automated analyzer of claim 1, The vacuum bottle is cylindrical, An automatic analyzer characterized in that a guide for guiding the circulation of the cleaning solution is provided on the inner surface of the vacuum bottle.

17. 2. The automated analyzer of claim 1, The vacuum bottle is provided with a plurality of suction nozzles, a plurality of electromagnetic valves provided in the waste liquid suction lines of the plurality of suction nozzles; a control device for controlling the solenoid valve, The automatic analyzer is characterized in that the control device controls the plurality of solenoid valves so that the timing at which each suction nozzle discharges cleaning liquid is shifted from the timing at which other suction nozzles discharge cleaning liquid.