Sample analyzer

Abstract

A sample analyzer comprises a container setting part on which a liquid container is to be set, a liquid supplying part configured to supply a liquid to the liquid container, an aspiration tube configured to aspirate a sample or a reagent, a movement mechanism configured to move the aspiration tube, a liquid surface sensor configured to detect contact of the aspiration tube with a liquid surface, and a controller configured to execute an aspiration tube adjustment operation. The aspiration tube adjustment operation comprises supplying the liquid to the liquid container by the liquid supplying part, lowering the aspiration tube by the movement mechanism toward the liquid container set on the container setting part, and obtaining information regarding a position in a height direction of the aspiration tube at a time when the aspiration tube has come into contact with the liquid surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for position adjustment of a piercer of an analyzer comprising a tube for supplying liquid to a liquid container, comprising:
 receiving an instruction to replace a piercer which is a metal tube member and is used to aspirate a sample;   moving the piercer to a piercer replacement position to replace the piercer with a replacement piercer,   moving the tube to be supplied with the liquid;   supplying the liquid to the liquid container using the tube;   lowering the replacement piercer toward the liquid container containing the liquid supplied by the tube; and   obtaining information of a vertical height position of the replacement piercer based on detecting contact between the replacement piercer and the liquid surface in the liquid container which the liquid is supplied by the tube.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising moving the replacement piercer based on the obtained information of the vertical height position of the replacement piercer when sample analysis is performed. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the analyzer configured to measure a measurement specimen including the sample and a reagent. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid container is a cuvette and the liquid container is supplied by the tube with the sample or a reagent for sample analysis, wherein the tube supplies the sample or a reagent to the liquid container which is a cuvette for sample analysis. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising executing a piercer adjustment operation upon receiving an input for executing adjustment of the replacement piercer. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , comprising, when executing the piercer adjustment operation, executing a piercer setting process for setting a set value regarding the vertical height position of the replacement piercer, based on the obtained information of the vertical height position of the replacement piercer, and when sample analysis is performed, moving the replacement piercer by the motorized movement mechanism, based on the set value set in the piercer setting process. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising executing a piercer adjustment operation, wherein the piercer adjustment operation comprises supplying the liquid container to a cuvette setting part. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the piercer adjustment operation comprises supplying the liquid container to the cuvette setting part, before supplying the liquid by the tube to the liquid container set on the cuvette setting part. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising executing a piercer adjustment operation, wherein the piercer adjustment operation comprises executing a horizontal direction set value setting process for setting a set value regarding a position in the horizontal direction of the replacement piercer before lowering the replacement piercer toward the liquid container. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the horizontal direction set value setting process comprises positioning the replacement piercer in the horizontal direction, by the replacement piercer being moved in a vertical direction while the replacement piercer is inserted in a hole of an aspiration tube path being a hole formed in a cap portion of the liquid container, which the aspiration tube path allows the replacement piercer to be inserted thereinto. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the horizontal direction set value setting process comprises determining whether the replacement piercer is inserted in the hole of the aspiration tube path before the replacement piercer is moved in the vertical direction while the replacement piercer is inserted in the hole of the aspiration tube path. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising executing a piercer adjustment operation, wherein the piercer adjustment operation comprises transporting the liquid container from a cuvette setting part to a discarding opening by a transporting catcher arm, after obtaining the information regarding the position in the height direction of the replacement piercer. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the transporting catcher arm transports the liquid container which contains the sample or reagent supplied by the tube for sample analysis. 
     
     
         14 . A method for position adjustment of a piercer of an analyzer comprising a tube for supplying liquid to a liquid container, comprising:
 receiving an instruction to replace a piercer which is a metal tube member and is used to aspirate a sample;   moving the piercer to a piercer replacement position to replace the piercer with a replacement piercer;   moving the tube to be supplied with the liquid;   supplying the liquid to the liquid container using the tube;   lowering the replacement piercer toward the liquid container containing the liquid supplied by the tube;   obtaining information of a vertical height position of the replacement piercer based on detecting contact between the replacement piercer and the liquid surface in the liquid container which the liquid is supplied by the tube; and   moving the replacement piercer based on the obtained information of the vertical height position of the replacement piercer when sample analysis is performed, wherein the analyzer is configured to measure a measurement specimen including the sample and a reagent.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the liquid container is a cuvette and the liquid container is supplied by the tube with the sample or a reagent for sample analysis, wherein the tube supplies the sample or a reagent to the liquid container which is a cuvette for sample analysis. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , comprising executing a piercer adjustment operation upon receiving an input for executing adjustment of the replacement piercer. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , comprising, when executing the piercer adjustment operation, executing a piercer setting process for setting a set value regarding the vertical height position of the replacement piercer, based on the obtained information of the vertical height position of the replacement piercer, and when sample analysis is performed, moving the replacement piercer by the motorized movement mechanism, based on the set value set in the piercer setting process. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , comprising executing a piercer adjustment operation, wherein the piercer adjustment operation comprises supplying the liquid container to a cuvette setting part. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the piercer adjustment operation comprises supplying the liquid container to the cuvette setting part, before supplying the liquid by the tube to the liquid container set on the cuvette setting part. 
     
     
         20 . A method for position adjustment of a piercer of an analyzer comprising a tube for supplying liquid to a liquid container, comprising:
 receiving an instruction to replace a piercer which is a metal tube member and is used to aspirate a sample;   moving the piercer to a piercer replacement position to replace the piercer with a replacement piercer,   supplying the liquid container to a cuvette setting part   moving the tube to be supplied with the liquid;   supplying the liquid to the liquid container using the tube;   lowering the replacement piercer toward the liquid container containing the liquid supplied by the tube;   obtaining information of a vertical height position of the replacement piercer based on detecting contact between the replacement piercer and the liquid surface in the liquid container which the liquid is supplied by the tube; and   moving the replacement piercer based on the obtained information of the vertical height position of the replacement piercer when sample analysis is performed.