Automatic Analyzer Shared Diluted-Specimen Supply for Multiple Reaction Lines

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing automatic analyzers face an increase in size and complexity due to the number of diluted specimen lines, mechanisms for stirring, and cleaning, which complicates the device structure.

Innovation Solution

An automatic analyzer with a diluted specimen cell turntable and a diluted specimen dispensing unit that supplies diluted specimens from one line to multiple reaction lines, reducing the need for multiple specimen lines and associated mechanisms.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If multiple diluted specimen lines are provided for multiple reaction lines, then each reaction line can be supplied with diluted specimen independently, but the number of stirring mechanisms, specimen supply mechanisms, and cleaning mechanisms increases, causing the device size to increase and structure to become complicated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespecimen supply capabilityVSAvoiddevice structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A single diluted specimen line is designed to serve multiple reaction lines through a shared diluted specimen supply mechanism. The diluted specimen cell turntable positions diluted specimen cells at different locations, and one diluted specimen supply probe can sequentially or simultaneously supply diluted specimens to multiple reaction lines, making the supply mechanism universal rather than dedicated to each line.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple diluted specimen supply functions are merged into a single diluted specimen supply mechanism. Instead of having separate stirring mechanisms, specimen supply mechanisms, and cleaning mechanisms for each diluted specimen line, these functions are consolidated into shared mechanisms that serve multiple reaction lines through the single diluted specimen line.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If the number of diluted specimen lines increases to match the number of reaction lines, then specimen supply reliability improves, but the analyzer size increases due to additional mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespecimen supply reliabilityVSAvoidanalyzer size
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The diluted specimen cell turntable and supply mechanism are designed with multi-functionality to serve multiple reaction lines. The turntable can position diluted specimen cells to supply multiple reaction lines sequentially or simultaneously, and the supply probe can service multiple lines, making the system reliable without requiring proportional increases in hardware for each reaction line.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system transitions from a one-to-one correspondence between diluted specimen lines and reaction lines to a many-to-one relationship by utilizing the spatial dimension of the diluted specimen cell turntable. The turntable rotates to bring different diluted specimen cells into position, enabling a single supply mechanism to access multiple reaction lines through rotational positioning rather than requiring multiple fixed supply lines.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP4592686A1Automatic analyzer
Publication Date: 2025.07.30 JEOL LTD
  • EP4592686A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4592686A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4592686A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An automatic analyzer (1) includes a diluted specimen cell turntable (3), a plurality of reaction lines (6A, 6B), and a diluted specimen dispensing unit (22). The diluted specimen cell turntable (3) has a plurality of diluted specimen cells (P3) that contains a diluted specimen. The plurality of reaction lines (6A, 6B) is supplied with the diluted specimen, in which the diluted specimen is reacted with a reagent. The diluted specimen dispensing unit (22) supplies the diluted specimen contained in the diluted specimen cell (P3) of the diluted specimen cell turntable (3) to the plurality of reaction lines (6A, 6B). The diluted specimen dispensing unit (22) supplies the diluted specimen from one diluted specimen line provided in the diluted specimen cell turntable (3) to the plurality of reaction lines (6A, 6B).