EP-4737904-A1 - SAMPLE ANALYSIS SYSTEM

EP4737904A1EP 4737904 A1EP4737904 A1EP 4737904A1EP-4737904-A1

Abstract

To simplify the setting of automatic continuous analysis. A control device (700) included in a sample analysis system is provided with a selection receiving unit (701, 702, 706, 707) that displays buttons corresponding to each of sample containers (201) in an autosampler (200) and each of liquid supply units (300, 400, 500) provided outside the autosampler and allows a user to select an appropriate one. The control device is also provided with a liquid supply control unit (703). When a button corresponding to a sample container is selected, the liquid supply control unit controls the autosampler to insert a sampling needle (206) into the sample container corresponding to the button and controls a flow path switching valve to connect the autosampler and a sample analysis apparatus. When a button corresponding to a liquid supply unit is selected, the liquid supply control unit controls the flow path switching valve to connect the liquid supply unit corresponding to the button to the sample analysis apparatus and controls the autosampler to move the sampling needle (206) to a standby position (209).

Inventors

KATO, RUI
NISHI, NOBUHIKO
MATSUSHITA, TOMOYOSHI
WAKASUGI, Sachiko
OHO, Kensuke
KOBAYASHI, YUKO
SAIMURA, Tetsuya

Assignees

SHIMADZU CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date: 20260506
Application Date: 20240219

Claims (3)

A sample analysis system, comprising: a sample analysis apparatus; an autosampler including a plate placement unit where a sample plate having a plurality of sample accommodating portions each holding a liquid sample is placed, a nozzle for aspirating a liquid from any of the plurality of sample accommodating portions, a sampling flow path into which the liquid aspirated by the nozzle is sent, and a moving mechanism for moving the nozzle in horizontal and vertical directions; one or more liquid supply units provided outside the autosampler; a flow path switching valve for selectively connecting any one of the one or more liquid supply units and the sampling flow path to a flow path leading to the sample analysis apparatus; and a control device for executing an automatic continuous analysis including a plurality of sample analysis steps and one or more rinsing steps by controlling at least the operations of the sample analysis apparatus, the autosampler, and the flow path switching valve, wherein the control device includes: a selection receiving unit that displays, on a display screen, buttons or identifiers corresponding to each of the plurality of sample accommodating portions and each of the one or more liquid supply units, and allows a user to select, from among the buttons or the identifiers, a supply source of a liquid to be supplied to the sample analysis apparatus in each of the plurality of sample analysis steps and the rinsing step; and a liquid supply control unit that, for a step in which a button or an identifier corresponding to any of the plurality of sample accommodating portions is selected by the selection receiving unit among the plurality of sample analysis steps and the rinsing step, controls the moving mechanism so that the nozzle is inserted into the sample accommodating portion corresponding to the button or the identifier, and controls the flow path switching valve so that the sampling flow path is connected to the flow path leading to the sample analysis apparatus, and for a step in which a button or an identifier corresponding to the one or more liquid supply units is selected by the selection receiving unit, controls the flow path switching valve so that the liquid supply unit corresponding to the button or the identifier is connected to the flow path leading to the sample analysis apparatus, and controls the moving mechanism so that the nozzle is moved to a predetermined standby position.
The sample analysis system according to claim 1, wherein the autosampler further includes a liquid container placement unit where one or more liquid containers are placed, and the nozzle aspirates a liquid from any of the plurality of sample accommodating portions and the one or more liquid containers, the selection receiving unit further displays buttons or identifiers corresponding to each of the one or more liquid containers, and the liquid supply control unit further, for a step in which a button or an identifier corresponding to any of the one or more liquid containers is selected by the selection receiving unit among the plurality of sample analysis steps and the rinsing step, controls the moving mechanism so that the nozzle is inserted into the liquid container corresponding to the button or the identifier, and controls the flow path switching valve so that the sampling flow path is connected to the flow path leading to the sample analysis apparatus.
A program for causing a computer to function as the control device in the sample analysis system according to claim 1 or 2.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a sample analysis system including an autosampler and a sample analysis apparatus that analyzes a liquid sample supplied from the autosampler. BACKGROUND ART When performing continuous analysis on a plurality of liquid samples using an analysis apparatus such as a mass spectrometer or a liquid chromatograph, an autosampler is generally used, which automatically and sequentially collects liquid samples one by one from a large number of prepared sample containers and introduces them into the analysis apparatus (see, for example, Patent Literature 1). An autosampler includes, for example, a tray placement unit where one or more sample trays loaded with a plurality of sample containers holding samples are placed; a bottle placement unit where one or more bottles holding a rinsing solution, a calibration sample, or the like (hereinafter collectively referred to as "rinsing solution, etc.") are placed; a suction nozzle for aspirating liquid from the sample containers or the bottles; and a nozzle moving mechanism for moving the suction nozzle in the horizontal and vertical directions. When performing automatic continuous analysis using a sample analysis system that includes such an autosampler and an analysis apparatus, an analysis operator first loads a plurality of sample containers holding samples to be analyzed onto a sample tray, sets the sample tray in the tray placement unit within the autosampler, and also sets bottles holding the rinsing solution, etc., in the bottle placement unit. Thereafter, the analysis operator performs a setting operation for the automatic continuous analysis on a control device (typically a personal computer with dedicated control software installed) for controlling the autosampler and the analysis apparatus. In the setting operation, for each analysis step in the automatic continuous analysis, matters are set such as which sample container (or a bottle holding a calibration sample) in the autosampler to collect a sample from (i.e., the position of the suction nozzle in each analysis step), what analysis conditions to apply to each analysis, at what timing during the automatic continuous analysis to execute a rinsing step for the flow path with a rinsing solution, and from which bottle in the autosampler to collect the rinsing solution in the rinsing step (i.e., the position of the suction nozzle in the rinsing step). After performing the setting operation as described above, when the analysis operator instructs the start of automatic continuous analysis on the control device, the automatic continuous analysis by the autosampler and the analysis apparatus is executed under the control of the control device. CITATION LIST PATENT LITERATURE [Patent Literature 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2015-190801 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION TECHNICAL PROBLEM However, since only relatively small-capacity bottles can be placed in the autosampler, it has been necessary to limit the number of steps (i.e., the number of analysis steps and rinsing steps) included in the continuous automatic analysis to prevent the rinsing solution, etc., in the bottles from being used up during the execution of the continuous automatic analysis. Therefore, a configuration is conceivable in which one or more large-capacity bottles holding the rinsing solution, etc., are placed outside the autosampler, and the rinsing solution, etc., is collected from these large-capacity bottles. In that case, the sample analysis system is provided with a flow path switching valve for connecting one of a plurality of flow paths, through which the rinsing solution, etc., collected from the one or more large-capacity bottles flows, and a flow path, through which the liquid collected by the autosampler flows, to a flow path leading to the analysis apparatus, in addition to the aforementioned autosampler, analysis apparatus, and control device. According to such a configuration, the number of steps that can be included in the continuous automatic analysis can be increased compared to the conventional art. On the other hand, however, there is a problem that the workload of the analysis operator during the setting operation increases because the analysis operator must preset the position of the flow path switching valve for each step, in addition to the position of the suction nozzle within the autosampler for each step. For example, for a step of analyzing a liquid sample held in any of the sample containers in the autosampler, it is necessary to set the suction nozzle tip to be inserted into the target sample container and also to set the position of the flow path switching valve so that the flow path through which the liquid sample collected by the autosampler flows is connected to the flow path leading to the analysis apparatus. For a step of analyzing a calibration sample held in the large-capacity bottle, it is necessary to set the suction nozzle to be at a predet