EP0052006A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatic chemical analyzer
Assignee: Hitachi Ltd
•
Filing: 1981-11-09
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2001-11-09
Abstract
Abstract An automatic chemical analyzer suitable for performing a number of chemical analysis operations is disclosed. Samples in sample containers are sequentially dispensed to an array of reaction vessels. Reagent solutions for the analysis operations are delivered to the reaction vessels from reagent containers (31') using an electrically conductive pipetting tube (39). The reaction solutions in the reaction vessels are monitored by a photometer. To remove the need for visual checking of the amount of the reagents remaining in the containers (31'), when the reagent solutions are sucked into the pipetting tube (39), the liquid levels of the reagent solutions in the reagent containers are detected by a liquid level sensor formed by the pipetting tube (39) and a conductive electrode (61). The amount of each reagent solution remaining is determined from the position of the liquid level sensor on reaching the liquid level and the number of possible dopes of the reagent solution remaining is displayed on a cathode ray tube.
Inventors
- 👤 Katsuji Yamashita
- 👤 Hiroshi Umetsu
- 👤 Hirotaka Sato
- 👤 Yoshio Matsuoka
- 👤 Kei Kida
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 03:35
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N35/00; G01N35/02; G01N35/00584; G01N35/00594; G01N35/00613; G01N35/00663; G01N35/10; G01N35/1009; G01N35/1011; G01N2035/00673; G01N2035/1025; G01N35/1081; G01N35/1083; G01N2035/1086; G01N35/1004; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T436/00; Y10T436/11; Y10T436/119163; Y10T436/25; Y10T436/2575
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
102 words
An automatic chemical analyzer comprising: a reaction vessel (22) for retaining a sample and reagent solution; means (38,39) for transporting said reagent solution from a reagent container (31,31') to said reaction vessel; and measuring means (27) for measuring physical characteristics of the reaction solution in said reaction vessel after said reagent solution has been put therein; characterized by detection means (39,61) having a vertically movable sensor for detecting the liquid level of said reagent solution in said reagent container; and means (90,95) for obtaining information from said detection means relating to the amount of the reagent solution remaining in said reagent container.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
102 words
An automatic chemical analyzer comprising: a reaction vessel (22) for retaining a sample and reagent solution; means (38,39) for transporting said reagent solution from a reagent container (31,31') to said reaction vessel; and measuring means (27) for measuring physical characteristics of the reaction solution in said reaction vessel after said reagent solution has been put therein; characterized by detection means (39,61) having a vertically movable sensor for detecting the liquid level of said reagent solution in said reagent container; and means (90,95) for obtaining information from said detection means relating to the amount of the reagent solution remaining in said reagent container.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
An automatic chemical analyzer according to claim 1 wherein said means for transporting said reagent solution includes a vertically and horizontally movable pipetting tube (38,39) which tube also forms part of said sensor.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
An automatic chemical analyzer according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said sensor is movable downwardly until it reaches the bottom of said reagent container.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
68 words
An automatic chemical analyzer according to claim 1 wherein said reagent transport means includes a pipetting tube (38,39) for said reagent and said detecting means is arranged to detect the liquid level when an end of said pipetting tube is immersed in the reagent solution within said reagent container; and the apparatus further includes display means (56) for displaying the information relating to the amount of reagent solution.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
An automatic chemical analyzer according to claim 4 wherein said display means is adapted to display a shortage of the reagent solution when the liquid level is not detected by said sensor when said sensor is moved down to the bottom of said reagent container.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
An automatic chemical analyzer according to claim 4 or claim 5 wherein said display means includes a cathode.ray tube (56).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
121 words
An automatic chemical analyzer according to claim 1 comprising: an array of said reaction vessels (22) for retaining samples and reagent solutions; a plurality of said reagent containers (31,31') each containing reagent solution for different analysis operations; and means (56) for displaying the information relating to the amounts remaining of the reagent solutions; said transport means having vertically movable pipetting tubes (38,39) for sucking up reagent solutions from selected reagent containers and supplying the sucked up reagent solutions to corresponding reaction vessels; and there being a plurality of said liquid level sensors (39,61) arranged to be moved with the movement of said pipetting tubes for detecting the liquid levels of the reagent solutions to be sucked up in said pipetting tubes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
An automatic chemical analyzer according to claim 7 further comprising control means operable when the shortage of the reagent solution for a particular said analysis operation is detected to enable continuing analytical operation for the other analysis operations.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
An automatic chemical analyzer according to claim 7 or claim 8 wherein said display means (56) displays the analysis operations and the information relating to the amounts remaining of the reagent solutions on one screen in one-to-one correspondence.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
167 words
An automatic chemical analyzer according to claim 1 having: first pipetting means having a first pipetting tube (38) for sucking up the sample from a sample container and transporting the sucked up sample into said reaction vessel; and said reagent transporting means includes second vertically movable pipetting means having a second pipetting tube (39) for sucking up the reagent solution therein from said reagent container and transporting the sucked up reagent solution into said reaction vessel; said sensor (39,61) for sensing a liquid level of the reagent solution in said reagent container being vertically movable with the movement of said second pipetting tube, and including a pair of electrically conductive members (39,61) of which said second pipetting tube (39) is one; said information obtaining means including means for producing a detection signal when said sensor means is brought into contact with the reagent solution in said reagent container, and the apparatus including means (56) for displaying the information relating to the amount of the remaining reagent solution.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
An automatic chemical analyzer according to claim 10 wherein said measuring means for measuring the characteristics of the reaction solution include a photometer (27).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
An automatic chemical analyzer according to claim 10 or claim 11 wherein said displayed information relating to the amount remaining of the reagent solution includes the number of possible remaining pipetting operations before the container is exhausted.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
An automatic chemical analyzer according to any one of claims 10 to 12 wherein an open end of said second pipetting tube (39) is positioned below the lower end of the other electrically conductive member (61).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
An automatic chemical analyzer according to any one of claims 10 to 13 wherein said reaction vessel, said sample container and said reagent container are at substantially same level.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
84 words
An automatic chemical analyzer according to claim 1 wherein said detecting means includes a pair of electrically conductive members (39,61) vertically movable with respect to a liquid level of said reagent solution; means for stopping downward movement of said electrically conductive members (39,61) when said members are brought into contact with said reagent solution and moving said members upward after the liquid level has been detected; and means for producing a detection signal when said members are brought into contact with said reagent solution.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
42 words
An automatic chemical analyzer according to claim 15 further comprising control means for controlling the upward and downward movement of said electrically conductive members (39,61) so as to prevent the downward movement of said members beyond the bottom of said reagent container.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
57 words
An automatic chemical analyzer according to claim 15 or claim 16 further comprising control means for checking the electrical conduction of said members (39,61) before they start the downward movement and downwardly moving said members till said liquid level when said member does not arrive at said liquid level and when said members are in electrical conduction.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.