Biochemical analysis method and apparatus

Abstract

Samples and dry chemical analysis elements, which are necessary for analyses of the samples, are loaded on a sample tray. Each sample is sucked with a spotting nozzle of a spotting unit and spotted onto one dry chemical analysis element. Analysis information, which contains information representing a type of analysis, is appended to each dry chemical analysis element. The analysis information is read with a reading device located such that, when a certain sample is located at a position for sample suction by an operation of the sample tray, the reading device reads the analysis information, which has been appended to a next dry chemical analysis element to be used for the analysis of the certain sample, at a position at which the next dry chemical analysis element is located.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A biochemical analysis method, comprising the steps of: 
 i) loading a plurality of samples and a plurality of dry chemical analysis elements, which are necessary for analyses of the samples, on a sample tray,    ii) sucking each of the samples, which have been loaded on the sample tray, with a spotting nozzle of a spotting unit, and    iii) spotting the sucked sample onto one of the dry chemical analysis elements with the spotting nozzle of the spotting unit,    wherein analysis information, which contains information representing a type of analysis, is appended to each of the dry chemical analysis elements, and    the analysis information having been appended to each of the dry chemical analysis elements is read with reading means located such that, at the time at which a certain sample is located at a position for sample suction by an operation of the sample tray, the reading means is capable of reading the analysis information, which has been appended to a next dry chemical analysis element to be used for the analysis of the certain sample, from the next dry chemical analysis element and at a position at which the next dry chemical analysis element is located.    
     
     
         2 . A biochemical analysis apparatus, comprising: 
 i) a sample tray, which is capable of being loaded with a plurality of samples and a plurality of dry chemical analysis elements necessary for analyses of the samples, and    ii) a spotting unit for sucking each of the samples, which have been loaded on the sample tray, with a spotting nozzle and spotting the sucked sample onto one of the dry chemical analysis elements with the spotting nozzle,    wherein analysis information, which contains information representing a type of analysis, is appended to each of the dry chemical analysis elements, and    reading means for reading the analysis information having been appended to each of the dry chemical analysis elements is located such that, at the time at which a certain sample is located at a position for sample suction by an operation of the sample tray, the reading means is capable of reading the analysis information, which has been appended to a next dry chemical analysis element to be used for the analysis of the certain sample, from the next dry chemical analysis element and at a position at which the next dry chemical analysis element is located.    
     
     
         3 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 2  wherein a number of dry chemical analysis elements, which number corresponds to the types of the analyses to be made with respect to one sample, are loaded in a laid-up state on the sample tray, 
 the laid-up dry chemical analysis elements are conveyed to a position for sample spotting one after another in an ascending order, beginning with the lowest dry chemical analysis element, and successively spotted with the sample at the position for sample spotting, and  
 the reading means reads the analysis information, which has been appended to a bottom surface of a dry chemical analysis element to be conveyed next.  
 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 2  wherein the dry chemical analysis elements are accommodated in an element cartridge, and 
 the element cartridge, in which the dry chemical analysis elements have been accommodated, is loaded on the sample tray.  
 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 3  wherein the dry chemical analysis elements are accommodated in an element cartridge, 
 the element cartridge, in which the dry chemical analysis elements have been accommodated, is loaded on the sample tray, and  
 a window for information reading is formed at a bottom of the element cartridge.  
 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 2  wherein each of the samples and the dry chemical analysis elements necessary for analyses of the sample are located on the sample tray such that the sample and the dry chemical analysis elements form a pair with each other.  
     
     
         7 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 3  wherein each of the samples and the dry chemical analysis elements necessary for analyses of the sample are located on the sample tray such that the sample and the dry chemical analysis elements form a pair with each other.  
     
     
         8 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 4  wherein each of the samples and the dry chemical analysis elements necessary for analyses of the sample are located on the sample tray such that the sample and the dry chemical analysis elements form a pair with each other.  
     
     
         9 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 3  wherein the reading means is located at a position under the sample tray.  
     
     
         10 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 2  wherein, at the time at which the sample tray has been moved from a position for element takeout to the position for sample suction, the reading means reads the analysis information of the next dry chemical analysis element and at the position, to which the next dry chemical analysis element has been moved.  
     
     
         11 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 2  wherein the sample tray has a circular shape and is moved to a position for element takeout and the position for sample suction through a rotating operation.  
     
     
         12 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 10  wherein the sample tray has a circular shape and is moved to a position for element takeout and the position for sample suction through a rotating operation.  
     
     
         13 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 11  wherein a plurality of sample loading sections, which support the samples and a plurality of element loading sections, which support the unused dry chemical analysis elements necessary for types of analyses of the samples, are located on the sample tray and around a center region of the sample tray, such that each of the sample loading sections is adjacent to one of the element loading sections.  
     
     
         14 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 2  wherein an operation of the reading means for reading the analysis information from a certain dry chemical analysis element is performed before an operation for sucking the corresponding sample and an operation for conveying the certain dry chemical analysis element are started.  
     
     
         15 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 11  wherein an operation of the reading means for reading the analysis information from a certain dry chemical analysis element is performed before an operation for sucking the corresponding sample and an operation for conveying the certain dry chemical analysis element are started.  
     
     
         16 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 10  wherein, in cases where analyses of a new sample are to be made, an operation for reading the analysis information from a first dry chemical analysis element is performed by locating the first dry chemical analysis element at a position for information reading, 
 the first dry chemical analysis element is thereafter moved to the position for element takeout and is taken out and conveyed to a position for sample spotting,  
 the new sample is then moved to the position for sample suction, and  
 an operation for reading the analysis information from a next dry chemical analysis element is performed at the same time as the suction and the spotting of the new sample.  
 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 11  wherein, in cases where analyses of a new sample are to be made, an operation for reading the analysis information from a first dry chemical analysis element is performed by locating the first dry chemical analysis element at a position for information reading, 
 the first dry chemical analysis element is thereafter moved to the position for element takeout and is taken out and conveyed to a position for sample spotting,  
 the new sample is then moved to the position for sample suction, and  
 an operation for reading the analysis information from a next dry chemical analysis element is performed at the same time as the suction and the spotting of the new sample.  
 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 2  wherein the sample tray is constituted such that a position for element takeout and the position for sample suction are located at an identical position of movement of the sample tray, and 
 the reading means reads the analysis information from the dry chemical analysis element, which is being located at the position for element takeout.  
 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 3  wherein the sample tray is constituted such that a position for element takeout and the position for sample suction are located at an identical position of movement of the sample tray, and 
 the reading means reads the analysis information from the dry chemical analysis element, which is being located at the position for element takeout.  
 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 18  wherein the sample tray has a circular shape, and the position for element takeout and the position for sample suction are located on an identical center line of the sample tray.  
     
     
         21 . A dry chemical analysis element for biochemical analysis, comprising: 
 i) a mount section, and    ii) an analyzing region, which is to be spotted with a sample, the analyzing region being supported on the mount section,    wherein analysis type information, production lot information, and advance direction information have been recorded on a surface of the mount section and with a dot recording technique for recording information by a dot array pattern.    
     
     
         22 . A dry chemical analysis element for biochemical analysis as defined in  claim 21  wherein the advance direction information is recorded by the absence of notation at a dot located at a specific site in the dot array pattern.  
     
     
         23 . A dry chemical analysis element for biochemical analysis as defined in  claim 21  wherein the dot array pattern is recorded at a position other than positions which overlap upon a bar code recording region having already been formed on the mount section, and 
 both the dot array pattern and a bar code are capable of being recorded on the dry chemical analysis element.  
 
     
     
         24 . A dry chemical analysis element for biochemical analysis as defined in  claim 21  wherein the dot array pattern is recorded by use of a plurality of colors.