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US 12,730,120 B2Granted
Method for washing dispensing probe included in automated analyzer, and automated analyzer
AssigneeHitachi High-Tech Corporation
InventorsAkihiro Nojima, Yosuke Horie, Masaaki Hirano, Eiichiro Takada, Yuka Miyake, Takamichi Mori
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An object of the invention is to provide a technique capable of enhancing a cleaning effect of a dispensing probe while preventing an influence on an analysis throughput. In a method according to the invention, an inner surface of a dispensing probe is cleaned by repeating an inner surface liquid-feeding period in which a cleaning liquid is fed to an inside of the dispensing probe and an inner surface stop period in which the cleaning liquid is not fed.
Claims20
A method for cleaning a dispensing probe included in an automatic analysis device configured to dispense a liquid, the method comprising:
- cleaning an inner surface of the dispensing probe, wherein
- the cleaning of the inner surface includes performing an inner surface liquid-feeding period in which a cleaning liquid is fed to an inside of the dispensing probe and an inner surface stop period in which the cleaning liquid is not fed, and performing the inner surface liquid-feeding period again after the inner surface stop period,
- the inner surface stop period is configured to be a maximum value under a condition that a sum of the inner surface liquid-feeding periods, a number of the inner surface liquid-feeding periods, and a sum of an inner surface liquid feeding periods and the inner surface stop periods are certain defined values, respectively, and
- while a last inner surface liquid-feeding period in the cleaning of the inner surface is performed, cleaning an outer surface of the dispensing probe includes starting a last outer surface liquid-feeding period, and
- subsequent to the last inner surface liquid-feeding period being completed, the cleaning of the outer surface includes completing the last outer surface liquid-feeding period.
2 more elements
A method for cleaning a dispensing probe included in an automatic analysis device configured to dispense a liquid, the method comprising:
- cleaning an inner surface of the dispensing probe, wherein
- the cleaning of the inner surface includes cleaning the inner surface by repeating an inner surface liquid-feeding period in which a cleaning liquid is fed to an inside of the dispensing probe and an inner surface stop period in which the cleaning liquid is not fed,
- the cleaning of the inner surface includes performing the inner surface liquid-feeding period twice or more, wherein lengths of at least two of the inner surface liquid-feeding periods are different from each other,
- each of the inner surface stop periods is 25% or more of a sum of the inner surface liquid-feeding periods and the inner surface stop periods, and
- while a last inner surface liquid-feeding period in the cleaning of the inner surface is performed, cleaning an outer surface of the dispensing probe includes starting a last outer surface liquid-feeding period, and
- subsequent to the last inner surface liquid-feeding period being completed, the cleaning of the outer surface includes completing the last outer surface liquid-feeding period.
3 more elements
A method for cleaning a dispensing probe included in an automatic analysis device configured to dispense a liquid, the method comprising:
- cleaning an inner surface of the dispensing probe, wherein
- the cleaning of the inner surface includes cleaning the inner surface by repeating an inner surface liquid-feeding period in which a cleaning liquid is fed to an inside of the dispensing probe and an inner surface stop period in which the cleaning liquid is not fed,
- the method further comprises cleaning an outer surface of the dispensing probe,
- the method initiates the cleaning of the outer surface before initiating the cleaning of the inner surface,
- the cleaning of the outer surface includes one or more outer surface liquid-feeding periods in which a cleaning liquid is fed to the outer surface of the dispensing probe, and one or more outer surface stop periods in which the cleaning liquid is not fed,
- while a last inner surface liquid-feeding period in the cleaning of the inner surface is performed, a cleaning an outer surface of the dispensing probe includes starting a last outer surface liquid-feeding period, and
- subsequent to the last inner surface liquid-feeding period being completed, the cleaning of the outer surface includes completing the last outer surface liquid-feeding period.
4 more elements
A method for cleaning a dispensing probe included in an automatic analysis device configured to dispense a liquid, the method comprising cleaning an inner surface of the dispensing probe, wherein
- the cleaning of the inner surface includes cleaning the inner surface by repeating an inner surface liquid-feeding period in which a cleaning liquid is fed to an inside of the dispensing probe and an inner surface stop period in which the cleaning liquid is not fed,
- the method further comprises cleaning an outer surface of the dispensing probe,
- the method initiates the cleaning of the outer surface before initiating the cleaning of the inner surface,
- the cleaning of the outer surface includes one or more outer surface liquid-feeding periods in which a cleaning liquid is fed to the outer surface of the dispensing probe, and one or more outer surface stop periods in which the cleaning liquid is not fed,
- while a last inner surface liquid-feeding period in the cleaning of the inner surface is performed:
- the cleaning of the outer surface includes starting a last outer surface liquid-feeding period, and
- subsequent to the last inner surface liquid-feeding period being completed:
- the cleaning of the outer surface includes completing the last outer surface liquid-feeding period.
5 more elements
A method for cleaning a dispensing probe included in an automatic analysis device configured to dispense a liquid, the method comprising cleaning an inner surface of the dispensing probe, wherein
- the cleaning of the inner surface includes cleaning the inner surface by repeating an inner surface liquid-feeding period in which a cleaning liquid is fed to an inside of the dispensing probe and an inner surface stop period in which the cleaning liquid is not fed,
- the method further comprises cleaning an outer surface of the dispensing probe,
- the method initiates the cleaning of the outer surface before initiating the cleaning of the inner surface,
- the cleaning of the outer surface includes one or more outer surface liquid-feeding periods in which a cleaning liquid is fed to the outer surface of the dispensing probe, and one or more outer surface stop periods in which the cleaning liquid is not fed,
- while a last one of the inner surface liquid-feeding period in the cleaning of the inner surface is performed:
- the cleaning of the outer surface includes starting a last one of the outer surface liquid-feeding period, and
- subsequent to the last one of the inner surface liquid-feeding period being completed:
- the cleaning of the outer surface includes completing the last one of the outer surface liquid-feeding period.
5 more elements
A method for cleaning a dispensing probe included in an automatic analysis device configured to dispense a liquid, the method comprising cleaning an inner surface of the dispensing probe, wherein
- the cleaning of the inner surface includes cleaning the inner surface by repeating an inner surface liquid-feeding period in which a cleaning liquid is fed to an inside of the dispensing probe and an inner surface stop period in which the cleaning liquid is not fed,
- the cleaning of the inner surface includes feeding the cleaning liquid at a first flow rate from a first one of the inner surface liquid-feeding period to a second-to-last one of the inner surface liquid-feeding period, and
- the cleaning of the inner surface includes feeding the cleaning liquid at a second flow rate lower than the first flow rate in a last inner surface liquid-feeding period,
- while the last inner surface liquid-feeding period in the cleaning of the inner surface is performed, a cleaning an outer surface includes starting a last outer surface liquid-feeding period, and
- subsequent to the last inner surface liquid-feeding period being completed, the cleaning of the outer surface includes completing the last outer surface liquid-feeding period.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.