Automated Analysis Device

Abstract

This automated analysis device is provided with a plurality of analysis units for analyzing a specimen, a buffer portion which holds a plurality of specimen racks on which are placed specimen containers holding the specimen, a sampler portion which conveys the specimen racks held in the buffer portion to the analysis units, and a control portion which, when performing a process to deliver the specimen racks to the plurality of analysis units, outputs synchronization signals to all the plurality of analysis units, wherein the analysis unit performs a delivery process starting from the synchronization signal, and the analysis unit performs a delivery process starting from the synchronization signal.

1 . An automated analysis device that analyzes specimens, the automated analysis device comprising:
 a plurality of analysis units that analyze the specimens;   a specimen container buffer portion that is provided in the automated analysis device and holds a plurality of specimen containers holding the specimens;   a conveyance device that is provided in the automated analysis device and delivers the specimen containers held in the specimen container buffer portion to the analysis units; and   a control portion that outputs synchronization signals to all of the plurality of analysis units at different timings when the specimen containers are delivered to the plurality of analysis units; wherein   the analysis units deliver the specimen containers starting from the synchronization signals;   the conveyance device is operated in a same cycle as an analysis unit having a shortest analysis cycle among the plurality of analysis units, which are separately connected to the conveyance device; and   the control portion outputs the synchronization signals to all of the plurality of analysis units at the different timings in one operation cycle of the conveyance device.   
     
     
         2 . The automated analysis device according to  claim 1 , wherein the control portion shifts output timings of the synchronization signals output to the plurality of analysis units by an amount equal to 1/a number of connected analysis units in the one operation cycle of the conveyance device. 
     
     
         3 . The automated analysis device according to  claim 1 , wherein the control portion first outputs the synchronization signals to the analysis unit having the shortest analysis cycle, and sequentially outputs the synchronization signals to another analysis unit other than the analysis unit having the shortest analysis cycle immediately after a period required in a delivery process of the specimen containers in the one operation cycle of the conveyance device. 
     
     
         4 . The automated analysis device according to  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of analysis units ignore the synchronization signals in a case in which the synchronization signals are input when there is no delivery request for the specimen containers. 
     
     
         5 . The automated analysis device according to  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of analysis units ignore the synchronization signals in a case in which the synchronization signals are input when there is no delivery request for the specimen containers. 
     
     
         6 . The automated analysis device according to  claim 1 , wherein not all of the plurality of analysis units have a same analysis cycle of the specimens. 
     
     
         7 . The automated analysis device according to  claim 1 , wherein not all of the analysis units have a same analysis cycle of the specimens, and an analysis cycle of another analysis unit is not a common multiple of the analysis unit having the shortest analysis cycle. 
     
     
         8 . The automated analysis device according to  claim 1 , wherein not all of the analysis units have a same analysis cycle of the specimens, and a number of analyses scheduled to be performed up to a period that is a common multiple of analysis cycles of the plurality of the analysis units is 3% or more of a number of analyses per unit time required of the analysis units. 
     
     
         9 . The automated analysis device according to  claim 1 , wherein the specimen container buffer portion has a rotor structure, and the specimen containers are held radially on a concentric circle. 
     
     
         10 . The automated analysis device according to  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of analysis units are arranged relative to the conveyance device at an interval of 90 degrees. 
     
     
         11 . The automated analysis device according to  claim 1 , wherein the control portion and the specimen container buffer portion are provided in the conveyance device. 
     
     
         12 . The automated analysis device according to  claim 1 , wherein the analysis units include a first unit that performs a biochemical analysis and a second unit that performs an immune analysis.