Apparatus and method for anaylizing samples

Abstract

A sample analyzer comprises a reaction tray, a sample/reagent tray, and a probe. The reaction tray performs a first number of stops and rotations during an operating cycle, wherein the first number is configured to cause each of the reaction vessels to stop once at a position for the test before any of the number of the reaction vessels stops at the position for a second time. The sample/reagent tray rotates one of a sample container and reagent containers to a sample/reagent retrieving position during an operating cycle. The probe dispenses test sample(s), first reagent, and second reagent during different periods in different stop periods during an operating cycle. A method for analyzing samples is also disclosed.

1 . A sample analyzer, comprising:
 a reaction tray configured for accommodating a number of reaction vessels, wherein
 the reaction tray is configured to rotates during a first number of rotation periods and stops during a second number of stop periods during an operating cycle, 
   a sample and reagent tray which comprises a sample container and a plurality of reagent containers and is configured to stop at least one position during the operation cycle so content from the sample container or at least one of the plurality of the reagent containers may be retrieved; and   a single probe configured for pipetting and dispensing a test sample, a first reagent, and a second reagent based at least on a requirement of a particular sample test, wherein
 the second number of stop periods is configured for causing the single probe to pipet and dispense the first reagent, the test sample, and the second reagent in a sequence. 
   
   
   
       2 . The sample analyzer of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an optical detector, the optical detector performing at least once a photoelectric measurement of a reaction solution comprising a sample and one or more reagents in at least one of the number of reaction vessels during the operating cycle.   
   
   
       3 . The sample analyzer of  claim 2 , the optical detector comprises:
 at least one of a filter-wheeled photometer, a grating photometer, and a photometer with static filters structure, wherein
 the reaction tray rotates and stops a number of times during the operating cycle, 
 the optical detector performs photoelectric measurements two times during an operating cycle, and 
 a first time photoelectric measurement and a second time photoelectric measurement are respectively performed during different periods of the first number of rotation periods of the reaction tray 
   
   
   
       4 . The sample analyzer of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a stirring rod for mixing reaction solutions in at least one of the number of the reaction vessels during a first stop period after dispensing the test sample and a next stop period after dispensing the second reagent respectively.   
   
   
       5 . The sample analyzer of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a probe cleaning cell;   a stirring rod cleaning cell;   a drive mechanism for the reaction tray;   a controller for the reaction tray;   a drive mechanism for the sample and reagent tray;   a controller for the sample and reagent tray;   a drive mechanism for the probe;   a controller for the probe;   a drive mechanism for the stirring rod; and   a controller for the stirring rod, wherein
 the reaction tray and the sample and reagent tray are located adjacent to each other, 
 the movement trace of the tip of the probe passes through a sample and reagent suction position of the sample and reagent tray, 
 a sample and reagent dispensing position of the reaction tray and the probe cleaning cell, 
 the stirring rod being disposed near a periphery of the reaction tray, 
 a drive mechanism for the reaction tray used for driving the reaction tray subject to control of the controller for the reaction tray, 
 the drive mechanism for the sample and reagent tray used for driving the sample and reagent tray subject to control of the controller for the sample and reagent tray, 
 the drive mechanism for the probe used for driving the probe subject to control of the controller for the probe, and 
 the drive mechanism for the stirring rod used for driving the stirring rod subject to control of the controller for the stirring rod. 
   
   
   
       6 . The sample analyzing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the reaction tray comprises a diluted sample suction position located at a position adjacent to or near a sample and reagent dispensing position in a rotation direction of the reaction tray,   where the test sample needs to be diluted, the probe is configured to add distilled water into a clean reaction vessel which stops at the sample and reagent dispensing position of the reaction tray for the first reagent is during the operating cycle,   the probe adds the first reagent into a next reaction vessel which stops at the sample and reagent dispensing position for the first reagent in the next operating cycle;   wherein the reaction vessel having the distilled water dispensed thereinto stops at the sample and reagent dispensing position for a second time for the sample dispensing in a second operating cycle, the test sample which needs to be diluted is dispensed into it, and a stirring operation is initiated,   wherein the reaction vessel having the first reagent dispensed thereinto stops at the sample and reagent dispensing position one more time for the sample dispensing after the second operating cycle, whereas the other reaction vessel having the diluted sample filled therein stops at a diluted sample suction position of the reaction tray, upon which the probe pipets a certain amount of diluted test sample from the other reaction vessel which stops at the diluted sample suction position of the reaction tray and dispenses it into a reaction vessel at the sample and reagent dispensing position of the reaction tray, and   the time interval between the operating cycle and the second operating cycle comprises an incubation period for the first reagent.   
   
   
       7 . The sample analyzer of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an automatic reaction vessel cleaning assembly, wherein
 one time of rotation is inserted during a stop time period of the reaction tray stops for a period of stop time after the reaction tray rotates, 
 for each of the first number of times the reaction tray rotates, the reaction tray passes a respective fixed number of reaction vessel positions, 
 the one or more of the number of the reaction vessels which have finished one or more reactions are configured to stop at one or more automatic cleaning positions during a stop period, and 
 the automatic reaction vessel cleaning assembly is configured for performing an automatic cleaning operation on the one or more of the number of the reaction vessels during a second stop time period after the rotation inserted. 
   
   
   
       8 . The sample analyzer of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a manual reaction vessel replacing mechanism, wherein the manual reaction vessel replacing mechanism is configured for supporting a manual reaction vessel replacing operation.   
   
   
       9 . A method for analyzing a test sample during an operating cycle starting from performing a previous sample dispensing operation to performing a next sample dispensing operation on reaction tray comprising a plurality of reaction vessels, comprising:
 causing the reaction tray to rotate during a first number of rotation periods and to stop during a second number of stop periods, wherein
 the first number of stop periods is configured for causing the single probe to pipet and dispense the first reagent, the test sample, and the second reagent in a sequence; 
   causing at least one of a sample container and a plurality of reagent containers to rotate to a sample and reagent suction position; and   performing a sequence of sample dispensing operation, a sequence of first reagent dispensing operation, and a sequence of second reagent dispensing operation, wherein
 a sample, a first reagent, and a second reagent are respectively dispensed into the plurality of reaction vessels which stop at a sample and reagent dispensing position during respective periods of the second number of stop periods. 
   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 performing a photoelectric measurement of a reaction solution comprising the test sample and one or more reagents in at least one of the plurality of reaction vessels in the operating cycle.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein a first photoelectric measurement and a second photoelectric measurement are respectively performed on the reaction solutions during respective rotation periods in the operating cycle. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 mixing a reaction solution in one of the plurality of reaction vessels during a first stop period after dispensing the sample and a next stop period after dispensing the second reagent.   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein
 the reaction tray comprises a diluted sample suction position which is located at a position adjacent to or near the sample and reagent dispensing position in a first direction;   where the test sample needs to be diluted, dispensing a distilled water into a clean reaction vessel which stops at the sample and reagent dispensing position of the reaction tray during a first time period for dispensing the first reagent in a first operating cycle;   dispensing the first reagent into a next reaction vessel which stops at the sample and reagent dispensing position during a second time period for dispensing the first reagent in a next operating cycle after the first operating cycle;   during a third time period of dispensing the sample in a second operating cycle, where the reaction vessel having the distilled water dispensed thereinto stops at the sample and reagent dispensing position again, dispensing the test sample that needs to be diluted into the reaction vessel and performing a stirring operation;   retrieving a certain amount of the diluted test sample from the reaction vessel at the diluted sample suction position in the reaction tray during the period of dispensing the sample in a next operating cycle after the second operating cycle; where the reaction vessel having the first reagent dispensed thereinto stops at the sample and reagent dispensing position again, and where the reaction vessel having the diluted test sample filled therein stops at a diluted sample suction position in the reaction tray; and   configuring the time interval between the second operating cycle and the first operating cycle to be an incubation period for the first reagent.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 inserting one time of rotation into a first stop time period of the plurality of reaction vessels, wherein
 a fixed number of vessel positions are passed, and 
 the reaction vessels which have finished reactions stop at one or more automatic cleaning positions in the reaction tray during the inserted rotation; and 
   performing an automatic cleaning operation on the reaction vessels during a second stop period after the inserted rotation.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 performing a manual reaction vessel replacement operation after one or more tests.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein
 dispensing the first reagent in each test process;   incubating the dispensed first reagent for a certain time;   dispensing the test sample; and   performing a mixing operation, wherein
 where a test comprises a single-reagent test, starting a reaction after dispensing the test sample and the act of performing the mixing operation, and 
 where the test comprises a double-reagent item test, after the dispensing of the sample and completely eliminating undesirable reactions using a fixed incubation period, dispensing the second reagent and performing a second mixing operation to start a reaction. 
   
   
   
       17 . The sample analyzer of  claim 1 , wherein the reaction tray rotates continuously or rotates while making one or more intermittent stops during at least one of the first number of rotation periods. 
   
   
       18 . The sample analyzer of  claim 1 , wherein the reaction tray rotates during three rotation periods and stops during three stop periods for the single probe to pipet and dispense the test sample, the first reagent, and the second reagent. 
   
   
       19 . The sample analyzer of  claim 1 , wherein the first number of rotation periods or the second number of stop periods is configured to optimize the pipetting and dispensing by minimizing a first number of reaction vessels passed when the reaction tray rotates during the first number of rotation periods while maintaining the sequence during the operating cycle. 
   
   
       20 . The sample analyzer of  claim 1 , wherein
 the first number of rotation periods is configured to cause the reaction tray to pass a first number of reaction vessels during the operating cycle,   the first number of reaction vessels equals to N times the total number of reaction vessels minus or plus one, and   N is an integer.