Autoanalyzer Probe Cleaning Threshold Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing autoanalyzers face challenges in maintaining performance for carry-over between specimens, especially when the number of sampling times or sampling integration amount increases, leading to contamination and errors in immunological analysis due to high sensitivity requirements.

Innovation Solution

The autoanalyzer incorporates a advanced probe cleaning mechanism that includes additional cleaning operations based on predefined thresholds for the number of sampling times and integration amount, ensuring thorough cleaning of the sampling probes before subsequent analyses, thereby reducing contamination and maintaining analysis accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the number of sampling times or sampling integration amount increases, then productivity is improved, but carry-over between specimens increases leading to contamination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of sampling timesVSAvoidcarry-over between specimens

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary cleaning actions before sampling operations when the integration amount reaches predetermined thresholds. This preventive cleaning approach eliminates specimen residue before it can cause carry-over contamination, allowing the system to maintain high productivity over extended sampling sequences without compromising analysis accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The control unit continuously monitors the integration amount of specimens sampled and provides feedback to trigger cleaning operations at appropriate intervals. This feedback mechanism dynamically adjusts the sampling process by initiating cleaning when thresholds are reached, ensuring carry-over is prevented while maximizing productivity based on actual usage conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Productivity

If the number of sampling times increases, then productivity is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to increased contamination risk

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesampling throughputVSAvoidanalysis accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

By performing cleaning operations preliminarily before contamination accumulates to problematic levels, the system maintains measurement precision throughout extended sampling sequences. The predetermined threshold triggers cleaning proactively, ensuring the sampling probe is clean before each new specimen analysis, thereby preserving analysis accuracy while enabling high throughput.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the operational parameter of cleaning frequency based on the integration amount parameter. When the integration amount reaches predetermined thresholds, the cleaning operation is triggered, dynamically adjusting the cleaning frequency to match sampling intensity. This parameter change strategy maintains measurement precision by ensuring cleanliness when needed while optimizing productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If cleaning operations are performed frequently, then carry-over between specimens is reduced, but loss of time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecarry-over between specimensVSAvoidcleaning time

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit uses feedback from the integration amount monitoring to determine when cleaning operations are necessary. By triggering cleaning only when predetermined thresholds are reached, the system minimizes unnecessary cleaning operations while ensuring carry-over is prevented when sampling intensity requires it, thereby optimizing the balance between contamination control and time efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the cleaning frequency parameter based on the integration amount parameter, performing cleaning operations only when the integration amount reaches predetermined thresholds. This dynamic parameter adjustment ensures carry-over is controlled during high-intensity sampling periods while reducing cleaning frequency during lower-intensity periods, minimizing time loss while maintaining analysis quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach effectively reduces probe contamination and ensures high-performance carry-over between specimens, even under increased sampling conditions, thereby ensuring accurate immunological analysis results.

Implementation Method 1

The sampling probe is cleaned after the specimen is sucked to be discharged into the reaction tube

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectWashing/Cleaning:

Data Source

PatentEP1813950B1Autoanalyzer with variable probe cleaning

Publication Date: 2011.05.18 KK TOSHIBA

Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6

AI summary

A specimen is sequentially sampled by a probe (8a, 8b), and at least one of the number of times of cleaning and a cleaning time when cleaning the probe (8a, 8b) is changed based on at least one of the number of times of sampling of the specimen (4) by the probe (8a, 8b) and a sampling amount of the specimen (4).