# US 11,906,406 B2 · Automatic analyzer and analysis method

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- Number: US 11,906,406 B2
- Document ID: US11906406B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/618,630
- Filed: 2018-04-05
- Published: 2020-06-11
- Granted: 2024-02-20
- Earliest claimed: 2017-06-02
- Assignees: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation; Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.
- Applicants: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation; Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.
- Inventors: Daisuke Ebihara; Shinya Matsuoka; Taku Sakazume; Yuzuru Shimazaki
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11906406B2

## CPC

- G01N 1/38: Diluting, dispersing or mixing samples
- G01N 35/1011: {Control of the position or alignment of the transfer device}
- G01N 35/025: {having a carousel or turntable for reaction cells or cuvettes}
- G01N 35/04: Details of the conveyor system {(G01N35/021 - G01N35/028 take precedence)}
- G01N 35/1002: {Reagent dispensers}
- G01N 2035/00514: {Stationary mixing elements}
- G01N 2035/00524: {Mixing by agitating sample carrier}
- G01N 2035/00534: {Mixing by a special element, e.g. stirrer}
- G01N 2035/00554: {using ultrasound}
- G01N 2035/0443: {for reagents}
- G01N 2035/0444: {for cuvettes or reaction vessels}
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

Provided is an automatic analysis technique that prevents liquid contained in a reaction container from locally contacting with liquid added afterward and has less occurrence frequency of equipment malfunction and high performance. An automatic analyzer (1) includes: a reaction container disk (120) that holds a reaction container (116); a stirring mechanism (124) that stirs liquid contained in the reaction container (116) in a non-contact manner; a carrying mechanism (125) that carries the reaction container (116) between the reaction container disk (120) and the stirring mechanism (124); a reagent disk (122) that holds a reagent container (121); and a reagent dispensing mechanism (123) that suctions and discharges a reagent contained in the reagent container (121), the stirring mechanism (124) is provided at a position where the reagent dispensing mechanism (123) discharges the reagent, and the reagent dispensing mechanism (123) discharges the reagent, which is sucked from the reagent container (121), to the reaction container (116) installed in the stirring mechanism (124).

## Claims

### Claim 1

An analysis method comprising:
a step in which a carrying mechanism carries a reaction container containing a sample from a reaction container disk to a stirring mechanism and installs the reaction container in the stirring mechanism;
a step in which the stirring mechanism, including an ultrasonic wave emission apparatus configured to emit ultrasonic waves from a piezoelectric element to a side surface of the reaction container to form a rotational flow of a liquid in the reaction container, starts to stir the sample contained in the reaction container without contacting the sample;
a step in which a reagent dispensing mechanism intermittently discharges a reagent to the reaction container a plurality of times after the stirring mechanism starts the stirring, and the stirring mechanism stirs the liquid contained in the reaction container while the reagent dispensing mechanism stops discharging the reagent to the reaction container;
a step in which the carrying mechanism returns the reaction container, to which the reagent is discharged, from the stirring mechanism to the reaction container disk;
a step in which a detector measures a light emission amount of the reagent; and
a step in which a controller controls analysis of the light emission amount of the reagent;
wherein a stirring speed of the stirring mechanism is controlled by controlling an intensity of ultrasonic waves emitted to the reaction container, and the stirring mechanism stirs the liquid contained in the reaction container such that a relation of UN≤UN+1 is established, where UN represents a first stirring speed performed after the reagent dispensing mechanism discharges the reagent N times and UN+1 represents a second stirring speed performed after the reagent dispensing mechanism discharges the reagent (N+1) times.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The analysis method according to claims 1, wherein
the stirring mechanism stirs the liquid contained in the reaction container before the reagent dispensing mechanism completely discharges a predetermined amount of the reagent to the reaction container.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The analysis method according to claims 1, wherein
the reagent dispensing mechanism changes an amount per unit time of the reagent to be discharged, based on a total amount of the reagent discharged to the reaction container or a period of time elapsed from the start of discharge of the reagent to the reaction container.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The analysis method according to claims 1, wherein
the reagent dispensing mechanism discharges the reagent such that a relation of VA≤VB is established, where VA represents an amount per unit time of the liquid to be discharged after TA seconds from the start of discharge of the reagent to the reaction container, and VB represents an amount per unit time of the liquid to be discharged after TB seconds (where TA≤TB) from the start of discharge of the reagent to the reaction container.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The analysis method according to claim 1, wherein
the reagent dispensing mechanism discharges the reagent to the reaction container several times such that a relation of VN≤VN+1 is established, where VN represents an amount of the liquid to be discharged at an N-th time and VN+1 represents an amount of the liquid to be discharged at an (N+1)-th time.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The analysis method according to claim 1, wherein
a stirring speed of the stirring mechanism is controlled by controlling an intensity of ultrasonic waves emitted to the reaction container, and changes to the stirring speed are determined based on a total amount of the reagent discharged to the reaction container by the reagent dispensing mechanism or a period of time elapsed from the start of discharge of the reagent to the reaction container.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The analysis method according to claim 1, wherein
the reaction container is installed in the stirring mechanism and the stirring mechanism is temperature-controlled such that the reaction container maintains a temperature within a predetermined range.