Automatic chemical analyzer

An automatic chemical analyzer comprising:

• a plurality of reaction vessels;
• a plurality of reagent containers each containing reagent solution different from each other;
• pipetting tube means made of electrically conductive material having an open end for introducing a reagent solution;
• metal electrode means having a lower end positioned slightly above the open end of said pipetting tube means;
• means for relatively moving a pair comprised of said pipetting tube means and said metal electrode means with respect to said reagent containers;
• means for detecting a conductive signal which is produced when both said pipetting tube means and said metal electrode means are in contact with one of said reagent solutions;
• pulse motor means for vertically moving said pair of said pipetting tube means and said metal electrode means together;
• means for applying pulses to said pulse motor means to vertically move said pair of the pipetting tube means and the metal electrode means and stopping said pair of the pipetting tube means and the metal electrode means in accordance with the occurrence of said conductive signal during the down movement thereof;
• means for calculating and storing information relating to the amount of the reagent solutions remaining in said corresponding reagent containers on the basis of height positions of said pipetting tube means when said conductive signals are obtained;
• visual display means for displaying said information relating to the amount of said remaining reagent solutions stored in said calculating and storing means;
• and
• measuring means for measuring physical characteristics of a reaction solution in a reaction vessel after the reagent solution has been charged therein.

An automatic chemical analyzer comprising:

• a plurality of reagent containers each containing a reagent solution different from each other;
• a train of reaction vessels each for retaining a sample and reagent solution, said reaction vessels being positioned at a reagent receiving position in order;
• pipetting tube means made of electrically conductive material having an open end for introducing the reagent solution;
• metal electrode means having a lower end positioned slightly above the open end of said pipetting tube means;
• means for moving a pair comprised of said pipetting tube means and said metal electrode means together between said reagent receiving position and at least one of said reagent containers;
• means for detecting a conductive signal which is produced when both said pipetting tube means and said metal electrode means are in contact with one of said reagent solutions;
• pulse motor means for vertically moving said pair of the pipetting tube means and the metal electrode means together;
• means for applying pulses to said pulse motor means to vertically move said pair of the pipetting tube means and the metal electrode means and stopping movement of said pair of the pipetting tube means and the metal electrode means in accordance with the occurrence of said conductive signal during the down movement thereof;
• means for calculating and storing information relating to the amount of the reagent solutions remaining in said corresponding reagent containers on the basis of the number of pulses applied to said pulse motor means;
• visual display means for displaying said information relating to the amount of said remaining reagent solutions stored in said calculating and storing means;
• and
• measuring means for measuring physical characteristics of a reaction solution in a reaction vessel after the reagent solution has been put therein.

An automatic chemical analyzer comprising:

• a plurality of reaction vessels;
• a plurality of reagent containers each containing reagent solution different from each other;
• pipetting tube means made of electrically conductive material having an open end for introducing a reagent solution;
• metal electrode means having a lower end positioned slightly above the open end of said pipetting tube means;
• means for moving a pair comprised of said pipetting tube means and said metal electrode means together relative to each of said reagent containers;
• means for detecting a conductive signal which is produced when both said pipetting tube means and said metal electrode means are in contact with one of said reagent solutions;
• pulse motor means for vertically moving said pair of the pipetting tube means and the metal electrode means together;
• means for applying pulses to said pulse motor means to vertically move said pair of the pipetting tube means and the metal electrode means, said pulse applying means stopping the pulses to said pulse motor means responsive to the occurrence of said conductive signal during the down movement thereof to stop the movement of said pair of the pipetting tube means and the metal electrode means, said pulse applying means stopping the pulses to said pulse motor means when said pipetting motor means reaches a lower limit position;
• means for converting and storing the number of pulses to be applied to said pulse motor means by said pulse applying means while said pair of the pipetting tube means and the metal electrode means moves from a reference position to said stopping position, into information relating to the amount of the reagent solutions contained remaining in said corresponding reagent containers;
• visual display means for displaying said information relating to the amount of said remaining reagent solutions;
• means for detecting that said pair of the pipetting tube means and the metal electrode means reaches a predetermined height position during the up movement thereof to stop said pulse motor means;
• control means for causing said visual display means to display said information relating to the amount of the remaining reagent solutions when it is ordered to obtain said information from said converting and storing means, and causing the analysis operation to continue with regard to possible analysis items even if a reagent solution for an analysis item fails;
• and
• measuring means for measuring physical characteristics of a reaction solution in a reaction vessel after the reagent solution has been introduced therein.

An automatic chemical analyzer comprising:

• a plurality of reaction vessels;
• a plurality of reagent containers each containing a reagent solution;
• pipetting tube means made of electrically conductive material having an open end for introducing a reagent solution;
• metal electrode means having a lower end positioned slightly above the open end of said pipetting tube means;
• means for detecting a conductive signal which is produced when both said pipetting tube means and said metal electrode means are in contact with one of said reagent solutions in a reagent container;
• pulse motor means for vertically moving a pair of said pipetting tube means and said metal electrode means together;
• means for applying pulses to said pulse motor means to vertically move said pair of the pipetting tube means and the metal electrode means, said pulse applying means stopping the pulses to said pulse motor means responsive to the occurrence of said conductive signal during the down movement thereof to stop the movement of said pair of the pipetting tube means and the metal electrode means, said pulse applying means stopping the pulses to said pulse motor means when said pipetting tube means reaches a lower limit position;
• means for detecting that said pair of the pipetting tube means and the metal electrode means reaches a predetermined height position during the up movement thereof to stop said pulse motor means;
• means for calculating and storing information relating to the amount of the reagent solutions remaining in said corresponding reagent containers on the basis of height positions of said pipetting tube means when said conductive signals are obtained;
• visual display means for displaying said information relating to the amount of said remaining reagent solutions stored in said calculating and storing means;
• and
• measuring means for measuring physical characteristics of a reagent solution in a reaction vessel after the reagent solution has been introduced therein.

An automatic chemical analyzer comprising:

• a plurality of reaction vessels;
• a plurality of reagent containers each containing a reagent solution;
• pipetting tube means made of electrically conductive material having an open end for introducing a reagent solution;
• metal electrode means having a lower end positioned slightly above the open end of said pipetting tube means;
• means for detecing a conductive signal which is produced when both said pipetting tube means and said metal electrode means are in contact with one of said reagent solutions in a reagent container;
• pulse motor means for vertically moving a pair comprised of said pipetting tube means and said metal electrode means together;
• means for applying pulses to said pulse motor means to vertically move a pair of the pipetting tube means and the metal electrode means and stopping said pair of the pipetting tube means and the metal electrode means in accordance with the occurrence of said conductive signal during the down movement thereof;
• means for calculating and storing information relating to the amount of the reagent solutions remaining in said corresponding reagent containers on the basis of height positions of said pipetting tube means when conductive signals are obtained;
• visual display means for displaying said information relating to the amount of said remaining reagent solutions stored in said calculating and storing means;
• and
• measuring means for measuring physical characteristics of a reaction solution in a reaction vessel after the reagent solution has been introduced therein.