Specimen Dispensing Section Cleaning for Automatic Analyzer
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Automatic analyzers face challenges in preventing inter-specimen carry-over contamination, which reduces processing capability and requires lengthy cleaning procedures, especially when handling diverse specimen materials and increasing measurement sensitivity.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a biochemical analyzer with a specimen holding section, dispensing section, dilution container, and controlling section that allows for efficient cleaning of the specimen dispensing section using a cleaning liquid during the measurement process, without interrupting the measurement operation, by using a cleaning agent to clean the original specimen sampling probe multiple times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the original specimen sampling probe is cleaned by using a special cleaning agent to remove carry-over contamination, then the measurement precision is improved, but the processing capability (number of tests per hour) is reduced due to increased cleaning time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing multiple cleaning operations with cleaning liquid before the actual measurement of each specimen. The controlling section causes the specimen dispensing section to perform cleaning operations any number of times by using cleaning liquid while the diluted specimen dispensing section dispenses the diluted specimen, ensuring the probe is pre-cleaned to prevent carry-over contamination before critical measurements occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuity of useful action by running cleaning operations in parallel with measurement operations. The controlling section coordinates so that cleaning of the specimen dispensing section occurs simultaneously with dispensing of diluted specimen, allowing both cleaning and measurement to proceed without interrupting each other, thus maintaining high processing capability while ensuring measurement precision.
2Reliability
If the cleaning operation is performed multiple times with cleaning liquid to prevent inter-specimen carry-over, then the reliability of measurement results is improved, but the time required for processing is increased
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple cleaning operations are performed as a preliminary step before specimen measurement to ensure the probe is free from carry-over contamination. This preliminary cleaning action establishes reliable measurement conditions by removing potential sources of contamination before the actual measurement process begins.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning operations are integrated into the continuous measurement process rather than being performed as separate sequential steps. The controlling section manages the timing so that cleaning occurs during intervals when the diluted specimen dispensing section is actively dispensing, making the cleaning action continuous and non-interruptive to the overall processing flow.
3Measurement precision
If disposable probes are used to prevent contamination of original specimens, then the measurement precision is improved, but the processing capability is reduced due to the time required to replace probes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs disposable probes as short-living objects that are discarded after use to eliminate carry-over contamination completely. Each disposable probe ensures measurement precision by never contacting previous specimens, providing a clean state for each measurement without requiring complex cleaning procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the contamination risk by removing the probe from the system after each use. By taking out and discarding the disposable probe after each measurement, the system eliminates the possibility of carry-over contamination while the automated replacement mechanism minimizes the time penalty associated with probe changes.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An automatic analyzer (1) includes a specimen holding section (2) that holds a specimen container for containing a specimen; a specimen dispensing section (7) that dispenses the specimen from the specimen container into a dilution container; a dilution container holding section (3) that holds the dilution container for containing a diluted specimen, which is the specimen that has been diluted; a diluted specimen dispensing section (8) that dispenses the diluted specimen from the dilution container into a reaction container; and a controlling section (41) that, while the diluted specimen dispensing section (8) dispenses the diluted specimen into the reaction container in accordance with a measurement item, causes the specimen dispensing section (7) to perform a cleaning operation of the specimen dispensing section (7) any number of times by using a cleaning liquid.