Analyzing apparatus and method for immunological agglutination reactions

A method for analyzing an immunological agglutination reaction in blood samples comprising:

• carrying a plurality of sample tubes containing blood samples including separate blood cells and serum to be analyzed in a first direction to a sample delivery position;
• carrying, independently of said sample tubes, a sample plate containing a plurality of diluting vessels in said first direction through said delivery position and a diluted sample dilivery position extending in said first direction, said sample plate containing at least three diluting vessels;
• separately delivering, together with a diluent, said blood cells and said serum contained in one of said plurality of sample tubes situated at said sample delivery position into said at least three diluting vessels situated at said sample delivery position, so as to form at least one diluted blood cell sample and at least two diluted serum samples having different dilution rates;
• carrying said diluted blood cell sample and said diluted serum samples in the first direction to said diluted sample delivery position;
• feeding at least one microplate into an entrance of a reaction line, extending in said first direction, to a reagent delivery position perpendicular to said first direction, said at least one microplate having a multiplicity of reaction vessels arranged in a plurality of rows aligned in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction, each said row containing a plurality of reaction vessels necessary for determining blood type;
• linearly moving and rotating a row of delivery nozzles, equal in number to the number of diluting vessels in said sample plate, from a rest position perpendicular to said first direction to said diluted sample delivery position above said at least three diluting vessels situated at said diluted sample delivery position, said row of delivery nozzles being secured to a rotatable delivery arm which is pivotally connected to a linearly and vertically moveable supporting arm;
• moving said delivery nozzles downward until they are in proper position with respect to said diluting vessels, and quantitatively, simultaneously sucking said diluted blood cell sample and said diluted serum samples from said diluting vessels;
• moving said delivery nozzles upward away from said diluting vessels;
• linearly moving and rotating said delivery nozzles from said diluted sample delivery position to said reagent delivery position above one of said rows of reaction vessels situated at the reagent delivery position;
• moving said delivery nozzles downward until they are in proper position with respect to said one row of reaction vessels, and successively delivering each of said samples into two of said plurality of reaction vessels of said one row;
• quantitatively, simultaneously delivering reagent into said plurality of reaction vessels of said one row according to an analysis-item to be tested;
• moving said delivery nozzles upward away from said one row of reaction vessels;
• vertically and horizontally conveying said at least one microplate having blood samples and reagent along the reaction line while simultaneously reacting the blood samples and reagent;
• photoelectrically detecting an agglutination pattern formed on an inclined bottom surface of said multiplicity of reaction vessels at a measuring position on said reaction line due to an antigen and antibody reaction of said blood cell sample and said serum samples with said reagent, by moving a photoelectric measuring means in the direction of each said row so as to obtain a plurality of photoelectrically converted signals of a sample substantially simultaneously;
• receiving said photoelectrically converted signals to effect an analysis due to said agglutination pattern;
• and
• discharging said at least one microplate from an exit of said reaction line after an agglutination pattern formed in each of said multiplicity of reaction vessels in said microplate has been detected.