Olympus Optical Company, Ltd.

Hiroshi Takekawa

Taiichi Banno

Kazuo Hijikata

Ryo Fujimori

Kiyozo Koshiishi

Takashi Yamada

Tadao Yamamoto

Taichi Banno

Shirou Ishiwatari

Masahiko Sakai

Method for generating an automatic chemical analyzer for measuring given substances in samples in accordance with an enzyme-immunoassay including a turntable rotated intermittently at a given pitch and holding a number of reaction tubes arranged equidistantly along a periphery of the turntable to define a circular reaction line; a carrier supply device for supplying carriers into reaction vessels one by one at a given position in the reaction line, the carrier having given antibody or antigen fixed thereto; a sample delivery device for pouring given amounts of samples into reaction vessels at a given position in the reaction line; a washing device for washing reaction vessels and carriers contained therein to effect B-F separation; a color reagent delivery device for pouring given amounts of a color reagent into reaction vessels to form test liquids; a colorimeter for photometering the test liquids; and a carrier discharge device for removing carriers out of reaction vessels. For respective samples, a reaction vessel is passed through the washing device by a plurality of times to perform a plurality of washing operations including the B-F separation.

Method for effecting heterogeneous immunological analysis

An agglutination analyzing vessel for use in an immunological agglutination reaction in which there is provided a liquid-absorbable member made of porous material in at least a portion of an inclined bottom surface of a well provided in the analyzing vessel. A solution for a test liquid is absorbed into the liquid-absorbable member to cause a liquid flow directed downwardly in the test liquid. This downward liquid flow promotes the sedimentation of particles. Thus, both agglutination and non-agglutination particle patterns can be formed on the bottom surface of the vessel within a short time period.

Agglutination analyzing vessel

A carrier transporting apparatus for use in an automatic chemical analyzer for measuring given substances in samples in accordance with an enzyme-immuno-assay includes a carrier supply device for supplying the predetermined number of carriers from a carrier container into successive reaction vessels and a carrier discharge device for discharging the carriers from the reaction vessels, in a simple and accurate manner. Moreover, the carrier container from which the carriers can be put out one by one in an accurate manner is also disclosed.

Carrier transporting apparatus and carrier container for use in an

In a distributing method for sucking a desired amount of a sample liquid in a sample vessel and discharging the thus sucked sample liquid into a reaction vessel, a probe for sucking and discharging the liquid is connected to a syringe driven by a pulse motor. A photoelectric detector is provided for detecting whether the sample liquid is existed or not up to a predetermined level in the sample vessel and an actual amount of the sample liquid aspirated by the syringe is detected by a counter which counts clock pulses during the aspirating operation. When the liquid level descends lower than the predetermined level, the counting operation is stopped. The actual amount of the aspirated liquid in the probe is compared with a desired amount stored in a memory. When the actual amount of the sucked liquid is smaller than the desired value, an alarm is produced.

Liquid distributing device for use in chemical analyzer

A photometering apparatus for use in a chemical analyzer of multi-channel type includes a liquid type thermostat made of transparent material and a block made of transparent material and movably mounted on a bottom wall of the thermostat, a number of reaction vessels being constituted by depressions formed in said block in a matrix form. An absorption of a test liquid contained in respective reaction vessels on each channel is measured by projecting a light beam emitted from a light source incident perpendicularly upon the test liquid and by receiving the light beam transmitted through the test liquid, a bottom portion of the reaction vessel and the bottom wall of thermostat.

Photometering apparatus for use in chemical analyzer

An automatic chemical analyzer for measuring quantitatively a plurality of kinds of substances of a number of sample liquids comprises: a reagent delivery unit including a plurality of reagent bottles containing different kinds of reagents which are required for measuring the plurality of kinds of substances and a syringe type dispenser for delivering given amounts of reagents into a plurality of empty reaction vessels set in a cassette, a reaction vessel supply unit for holding a plurality of cassettes and for supplying successively the reaction vessels in which given reagents have been previously delivered in accordance with given test items to be performed, an analyzing unit for receiving the successive reaction vessels from the reaction vessel supply unit and including a syringe type sample delivery pump for supplying given amounts of sample liquids into the reaction vessels and a colorimetric device for measuring colorimetrically test liquids in the reaction vessels, a first control unit for controlling the operation of the reagent delivery unit and a second control unit for controlling the operation of the reaction vessel supply unit in accordance with a given program. In the reagent delivery unit, the reagents are delivered into the reaction vessels in accordance with a program which can be previously determined statistically.

Method of automatically analyzing chemical substances and an automatic

Method and apparatus for detecting immunological agglutinating reaction comprises steps of measuring light absorptions of a liquid medium with antibody before and after antigen-antibody reaction by using a light which is absorbable by the antibody, and calculating the difference of the light absorptions, for determining the presence or absence of the agglutination based on the fact that the agglutinating reaction reduces the concentration of the antibody affecting the light absorption of the liquid medium. The apparatus includes a turntable, two photometers, sample and reagent handling means and calculator.

Automated apparatus for photometrically detecting immunological

An immunological agglutination pattern detection device, which can precisely detect an agglutination pattern formed on the base surface of a reaction vessel and which is simple in construction and easy in operation. The device comprises a reaction vessel provided with a base surface which is provided with at least one concave portion and a centrally located V-shaped section, a point light source for emitting light for evenly illuminating the base surface of the reaction vessel, a projection lens for projecting an image formed on the base surface of the reaction vessel illuminated with the light emitted from the point light source onto an image formation surface, apparatus for scanning the image formed on the image surface inclusive of the image of the agglutination pattern, and a light receiving element for receiving the image scanned by the scanning means and delivering an output signal.

Immunological agglutination pattern detection device

In a distributing device for sucking a desired amount of a sample liquid in a sample vessel and discharging the thus sucked sample liquid into a reaction vessel, a probe for sucking and discharging the liquid is connected to a syringe driven by a pulse motor. A photoelectric detector is provided for detecting whether the sample liquid is present or not up to a predetermined level in the sample vessel and an actual amount of the sample liquid aspirated by the syringe is detected by a counter which counts clock pulses during the aspirating operation. When the liquid level descends lower than the predetermined level, the counting operation is stopped. The actual amount of the aspirated liquid in the probe is compared with a desired amount stored in a memory. When the actual amount of the sucked liquid is smaller than the desired value, an alarm is produced.

Method for measuring agglutinating reaction by checking an agglutinates pattern caused by immunological agglutinating reaction while using a reaction vessel having at least one smooth recess formed on an inner sidewall surface thereof. After reaction liquid is placed therein, the reaction vessel is rotated about an axis thereof, so as to accelerate the agglutinating reaction by collecting corpuscles of the liquid in the recess. If the agglutinating reaction occurs, agglutinates released from the recess quickly sediment on the bottom of the reaction vessel to form an agglutinates pattern to be detected.

Method of measuring agglutinating reaction and a reaction vessel therefor

In the disclosed method, ion activity is measured by placing a cup filled with a test solution to be measured on a cup receiver, lifting a cup lifting arm to engage the cup receiver with a rotary plate, rotating the rotary plate to stir the test solution in the cup, measuring a potential difference between a reference electrode and other electrodes after completion of the stirring of the solution, and indicating the ion activity as a function of the potential differences.

Method for measuring ion activity

In an apparatus for measuring ion activity, a reference electrode and an at least one test electrode project through an opening in a rotating plate while a cup receiver which holds a cup filled with the test solution is lifted from a disengaged position into a position where the cup receiver engages and is rotated by the rotating plate while the electrodes project into the solution. A measuring circuit connected to the electrodes measures the ion activity with the use of a reverse logarithmic amplifier.

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Sagamihara, Japan

Hiroshi Takekawa