Automatic analyzer

An automatic analyzer capable of performing inspection for plural different analysis processes, comprising:

• an incubator for holding plural reaction vessels on circumferential positions;
• a transporting mechanism for supplying the reaction vessels to the incubator;
• and
• a control part,
• wherein the inspection includes a first inspection and a second inspection, and a reaction time from dispensing of a reagent into a specimen solution to completion of reaction between the specimen solution and the reagent is predetermined in the first inspection and the second inspection, a first reaction time is determined for the first inspection and a second reaction time longer than the first reaction time is determined for the second inspection,
• wherein the control part operates the transporting mechanism in accordance with a first sequence previously defined for the first inspection and a second sequence previously defined for the second inspection,
• wherein the first sequence and the second sequence are each defined as a sequence including an even number of apparatus cycles of a predetermined period and the incubator is defined to move in a prescribed direction by {(k+0.5) rotations±1 position} (k:
• 0 or greater integer) in the apparatus cycle, and
• wherein, in a case where operation of the transporting mechanism is defined to be executed in an even-numbered apparatus cycle in the first sequence, the operation of the transporting mechanism is defined to be executed in an odd-numbered apparatus cycle in the second sequence, and in a case where the operation of the transporting mechanism is defined to be executed in an odd-numbered apparatus cycle in the first sequence, the operation of the transporting mechanism is defined to be executed in an even-numbered apparatus cycle in the second sequence,
• a first dispensing mechanism having a first dispensing nozzle capable of arc-shaped movement around a rotational axis as a center and vertical movement, and dispensing a specimen or a reagent to the reaction vessel on the incubator,
• a second dispensing mechanism having a second dispensing nozzle capable of arc-shaped movement around a rotational axis as a center and vertical movement, and dispensing a specimen or a reagent to the reaction vessel on the incubator,
• wherein a path of the arc-shaped movement of the second mechanism comprises a first plurality of reagent aspirating positions, a specimen aspirating position, a second plurality of reaction vessel positions, a dispensing tip installation position, and a dispensing tip discarding position,
• wherein a first locus of the arc-shaped movement of the first dispensing nozzle and a second locus of the arc-shaped movement of the second dispensing nozzle intersect a circumference of the incubator on which the reaction vessels are arranged, each at two positions and the first locus and the second locus do not intersect,
• wherein the first dispensing mechanism performs dispensing operation in the first inspection for the reaction vessel supplied by the transporting mechanism in accordance with the first sequence and the second dispensing mechanism performs dispensing operation in the second inspection for the reaction vessel supplied by the transporting mechanism in accordance with the second sequence,
• wherein the first inspection is a biochemical inspection and the second inspection is an immuno inspection,
• wherein the first dispensing mechanism performs an operation of stirring the specimen solution and the reagent by pipetting of the first dispensing nozzle, and
• wherein the second dispensing mechanism performs an operation of stirring the specimen solution and the reagent by pipetting using the dispensing tip installed to the second dispensing nozzle.

An automatic analyzer capable of performing inspection for plural different analysis processes, comprising:

• an incubator for holding plural reaction vessels on circumferential positions;
• a first dispensing mechanism having a first dispensing nozzle capable of arc-shaped movement around a rotational axis as a center and vertical movement, and dispensing a specimen or a reagent to the reaction vessel on the incubator;
• and
• a second dispensing mechanism having a second dispensing nozzle capable of arc-shaped movement around a rotational axis as a center and vertical movement, and dispensing a specimen or a reagent to the reaction vessel on the incubator,
• wherein a path of the arc-shaped movement of the second mechanism comprises a first plurality of reagent aspirating positions, a specimen aspirating position, a second plurality of reaction vessel positions, a dispensing tip installation position, and a dispensing tip discarding position,
• wherein the inspection includes a first inspection and a second inspection, a reaction time from dispensing of the reagent into a specimen solution to completion of reaction between the specimen solution and the reagent is predetermined in the first inspection and the second inspection,
• wherein a first locus of the arc-shaped movement of the first dispensing nozzle and a second locus of the arc-shaped movement of the second dispensing nozzle intersect a circumference of the incubator on which the reaction vessels are arranged, each at two positions and the first locus and the second locus do not intersect,
• wherein the first dispensing mechanism is used for dispensing operation in the first inspection having a first reaction time and the second dispensing mechanism is used for dispensing operation in the second inspection having a second reaction time longer than the first reaction time,
• wherein the first inspection is a biochemical inspection and the second inspection is an immuno inspection,
• wherein the first dispensing mechanism performs stirring operation between the specimen solution and the reagent through pipetting by the first dispensing nozzle, and
• wherein the second dispensing mechanism performs stirring operation between the specimen solution and the reagent through pipetting by the dispensing tip installed to the second dispensing nozzle.

An automatic analyzer capable of performing inspection for plural different analysis processes, comprising:

• an incubator for holding plural reaction vessels on circumferential positions;
• a transporting mechanism for installing the reaction vessel onto the incubator or taking out the reaction vessel;
• a first dispensing mechanism having a first dispensing nozzle capable of arc-shaped movement around a rotational axis as a center and vertical movement, and dispensing a specimen or a reagent to the reaction vessel on the incubator;
• a second dispensing mechanism having a second dispensing nozzle capable of arc-shaped movement around a rotational axis as a center and vertical movement, and dispensing a specimen or a reagent to the reaction vessel on the incubator;
• a spectrophotometer having a light source and a detector for detecting light from the light source that is transmitted through a reaction liquid in the reaction vessel on the incubator;
• and
• a detection mechanism for measuring luminescence of a marker substance contained in the reaction liquid in the reaction vessel,
• wherein a path of the arc-shaped movement of the second mechanism comprises a first plurality of reagent aspirating positions, a specimen aspirating position, a second plurality of reaction vessel positions, a dispensing tip installation position, and a dispensing tip discarding position,
• wherein the inspection includes a first inspection as a biochemical inspection and a second inspection as an immuno inspection and a reaction time from dispensing of the reagent into a specimen solution to completion of reaction between the specimen solution and the reagent is predetermined in the first inspection and the second inspection,
• wherein the first dispensing mechanism is used for dispensing operation in the first inspection having a first reaction time and the second dispensing mechanism is used for dispensing operation in the second inspection having a second reaction time longer than the first reaction time,
• wherein the first dispensing mechanism performs stirring operation between the specimen solution and the reagent through pipetting by the first dispensing nozzle, and
• wherein the second dispensing mechanism performs stirring operation between the specimen solution and the reagent through pipetting by the dispensing tip installed to the second dispensing nozzle, and
• wherein in the first inspection, absorbance of the reaction liquid in the reaction vessel is measured by the spectrophotometer during the first reaction time and in the second inspection, after end of the second reaction time, the reaction vessel is taken out of the incubator and transported to the detection mechanism by the transporting mechanism.