Automatic sample analyzer and its components

Abstract

An automatic sample analyzer includes: a pipette, a pipette driving device which moves the pipette to a sample vessel present in a predetermined position to cause the pipette to suck up a sample from the sample vessel, and then moves the pipette to an open vessel provided in another predetermined position to cause the pipette to discharge the sample into the open vessel, and an analyzing section for analyzing the discharged sample, the pipette driving device comprising a vertically movable main arm and an elongated guide arm cantilevered by the main arm and extending horizontally, the guide arm having a smaller flexural rigidity than the main arm, wherein the main arm vertically moves the pipette when the sample is to be sucked up from the sample vessel, and the guide arm guides the pipette to the open vessel and then vertically moves the pipette when the sample is to be discharged into the open vessel.

1 . A sample analyzer comprising: a display device; a start button displaying section for displaying a start button in a display form for starting an analytic operation on the display device; a monitoring section for monitoring an operation state of the sample analyzer; and a control section for changing the display form of the start button if the monitoring section judges that the analytic operation cannot be started.  
     
     
         2 . The sample analyzer as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the control section erases the start button on the display device if the analytic operation cannot be started.  
     
     
         3 . The sample analyzer as set forth in  claim 2 , further comprising: a message displaying section for displaying a message in a space on the display device where the start button has been erased, the message indicating that the analytic operation cannot be started.  
     
     
         4 . The sample analyzer as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring section monitors the sample analyzer to judge whether the sample analyzer is short of a reagent used for an analysis, and the control section changes the display form of the start button if the monitoring section judges that the sample analyzer is short of a reagent.  
     
     
         5 . The sample analyzer as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein if the monitoring section judges that there is an abnormality in the sample analyzer, the control section changes the display form of the start button.  
     
     
         6 . The sample analyzer as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the start button displaying section three-dimensionally displays the start button on the display device.  
     
     
         7 . The sample analyzer as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising: a measurement screen displaying section for erasing the start button and displaying a measurement screen for displaying an analytical result of a sample when the start button is input by a user of the sample analyzer.  
     
     
         8 . A computer program product used for a sample analyzer, comprising: first computer code for displaying a start button in a display form for starting an analytic operation on a display device of the sample analyzer; second computer code for monitoring an operation state of the sample analyzer; and third computer code for changing the display form of the start button if the second computer code judges that the analytic operation cannot be started.  
     
     
         9 . The computer program product as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein the third computer code erases the start button on the display device if the analytic operation cannot be started.  
     
     
         10 . The computer program product as set forth in  claim 9 , further comprising: fourth computer code for displaying a message in a space on the display device where the start button has been erased, the message indicating that the analytic operation cannot be started.  
     
     
         11 . The computer program product as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein the second computer code monitors the sample analyzer to judge whether the sample analyzer is short of a reagent used for an analysis, and the third computer code changes the display form of the start button if the second computer code judges that the sample analyzer is short of a reagent.  
     
     
         12 . The computer program product as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein if the second computer code judges that there is an abnormality in the sample analyzer, the third computer code changes the display form of the start button.  
     
     
         13 . The computer program product as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein the first computer code three-dimensionally displays the start button on the display device.  
     
     
         14 . The computer program product as set forth in  claim 8 , further comprising: fifth computer code for erasing the start button and displaying a measurement screen for displaying an analytical result of a sample when the start button is input by a user of the sample analyzer.  
     
     
         15 . A method of displaying a start button on a display device of a sample analyzer, comprising: 
 displaying a start button in a display form for starting an analytic operation on the display device of the sample analyzer;    monitoring an operation state of the sample analyzer; and    changing the display form of the start button if it is judged in the monitoring step that the analytic operation cannot be started.    
     
     
         16 . The method as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the start button on the display device is erased in the changing step if the analytic operation cannot be started.  
     
     
         17 . The method as set forth in  claim 16 , further comprising: message displaying a message in a space on the display device where the start button has been erased, the message indicating that the analytic operation cannot be started.  
     
     
         18 . The method as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein it is judged in the monitoring step whether the sample analyzer is short of a reagent used for an analysis, and the display form of the start button is changed in the changing step if it is judged that the sample analyzer is short of a reagent.  
     
     
         19 . The method as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein if it is judged in the monitoring step that there is an abnormality in the sample analyzer, the display form of the start button is changed in the changing step.  
     
     
         20 . The method as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the start button is three-dimensionally displayed on the display device in the start button displaying step.