Hitachi-high-technologies Corporation

Hitachi High-tech Corporation

Hitachi, Ltd.

Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.

Roche Diagnostics Gmbh

F. Hoffmann-la Roche Ag

Hitoshi Tokieda

Yoshimitsu Takagi

Mitsuru Oonuma

Masashi Akutsu

Takeshi Shibuya

Takamichi Mori

Akihiro Yasui

Hiroyuki Noda

Isao Yamazaki

Takenori Okusa

Miki Taki

Tomohiro Inoue

Yoshihiro Suzuki

Masato Ishizawa

Masaaki Hanawa

Yosuke Horie

Kouhei Nonaka

Yoshiaki Saito

Kazuhiro Nakamura

Stephan Sattler

Toshihide Orihashi

Naoto Suzuki

Akihiro Nojima

Susumu Kai

Katsushi Takahashi

Toshiyuki Ikeda

Takuya Takahashi

Shigeki Matsubara

Masaharu Nishida

Masashi Fukaya

Eiichiro Takada

Kosuke Matoba

Heino Eikmeier

Masaki Hara

Osamu Watabe

Masaki Shiba

Dietmar Kappelhoff

Shotaro Sagawa

Christoph Möllers

A sample-processing system that improves total system processing efficiency, and reduces a sample-processing time, by establishing a functionally independent relationship between a rack conveyance block with rack supply, conveyance, and recovery functions, and a processing block with sample preprocessing, analysis, and other functions. A buffer unit with random accessibility to multiple racks standing by for processing is combined with each of multiple processing units to form a pair, and the system is constructed to load and unload racks into and from the buffer unit through the rack conveyance block so that one unprocessed rack is loaded into the buffer unit and then upon completion of process steps up to automatic retesting, unloaded from the buffer unit. Functional dependence between any processing unit and a conveyance unit is thus eliminated.

Automatic analyzer and sample-processing system

An ultrasonic cleaner according to the present invention includes a vibrating partfor enlarging ultrasonic vibration of a bolt-clamped Langevin type transducer (BLT)on a side surface side in a cleaning tank, generates cavitation by the ultrasonic vibration with respect to cleaning liquid supplied into the cleaning tankby driving the BLTon the periphery of a nozzle without unevenness, and is capable of performing effective nozzle cleaning.

Ultrasonic cleaner and automatic analyzer using the same

An automatic analyzer includes: a reagent mounting unitin which a plurality of reagent bottlesare installed when a reagent bottleis loaded into the automatic analyzer; a reagent conveying mechanismincluding a gripper mechanismand a reagent mounting mechanismfor moving the reagent mounting unitbetween an installation position at which an operator installs the reagent bottlein the reagent mounting unitand a position at which the gripper mechanismgrips the reagent bottleIt is thereby possible to achieve saving of a mechanism installation space and reduction of the number of constituent components, automatically carry out an operation from opening of the reagent bottle to loading of the reagent bottle into the reagent disk, and alleviate an operator's burden.

Automatic analyzer and reagent bottle loading method

An automatic analyzer capable of controlling an interval between the tip of a sample nozzle and the bottom of a reaction container regardless of individual differences between reaction containers and sample nozzles and suppressing adhesion of a sample to the sample nozzle is disclosed. Sample nozzlesandare moved toward the bottom surface of a reaction container, the movement of the sample nozzles is stopped at a point in time when a stop position detectordetects a stop position detection plate, the sample nozzles are ascended from the stop position to a position where the stop position detection plateseparates from a detection range of the stop position detector, and an armis moved upward by a moving distance stored in a memory.

Automatic analyzer

An automatic analyzer is capable of ensuring sufficient nozzle cleaning and suppressing of deterioration in the accuracy of analysis. When it is judged that there remains no analysis item of the sample, a judgment is made on whether the sample dispensation quantity of the n-th sample dispensation is less than a dispensation quantity threshold value or not, and if less, a cleaning pattern is selected by making a judgment on whether or not all the sample dispensation quantities of the first through (n&#x2212;1)-th sample dispensations are less than the dispensation quantity threshold value. If the sample dispensation quantity of the n-th sample dispensation is the dispensation quantity threshold value or more, another cleaning pattern selected by making the judgment on whether or not all the sample dispensation quantities of the first through (n&#x2212;1)-th sample dispensations are less than the dispensation quantity threshold value.

An ultrasonic cleaner according to the present invention includes a vibrating partfor enlarging ultrasonic vibration of a BLTon a side surface side in a cleaning tank, generates cavitation by the ultrasonic vibration with respect to cleaning liquid supplied into the cleaning tankby driving the BLTon the periphery of a nozzle without unevenness, and is capable of performing effective nozzle cleaning.

One actuator (a gripper mechanism and reagent bottle lid opening mechanism drive unit) drives a gripper mechanismthat holds a reagent bottleand a reagent bottle lid opening mechanismthat incises a lid of the reagent bottle. The gripper mechanismoperates to ascend when the reagent bottle lid opening mechanismoperates to descend in order to incise the reagent bottle lid, and the reagent bottle lid opening mechanismoperates to ascend when the gripper mechanismoperates to descend in order to hold the reagent bottle. The reagent bottle lid opening mechanismand the gripper mechanismoperate without interfering with each other's functions.

A CTS nozzle achieves the object of reducing rubber chips produced when the CTS nozzle is inserted into and extracted from a rubber plug of a sample container during dispensing of a sample, thereby inhibiting the wear of the tip of the CTS nozzle. The CTS nozzle has two cut surfaces at its tip, and the pressure applied from the rubber when the nozzle is inserted into the rubber plug is dispersed onto the two cut surfaces without being deflected onto one of the cut surfaces. The pressure applied to the nozzle due to the resilience of the rubber being pushed away by the nozzle is thus dispersed and the rubber chips produced by the friction between the cut surfaces of the nozzle and the rubber are reduced. As a result of the reduced friction, the wear of the tip of the nozzle is minimized.

Sampling nozzle, automatic analyzer using the same, and method of manufacturing sampling nozzle

In a case where a sample containerhas a rubber-made lid, if a sample nozzle descends and comes into contact with the lid, the sample nozzle is relatively moved inside an arm as far as a lid detection distance, and a detector detects a detection plate. A fact that the sample nozzle comes into contact with the lid is stored together with position information of the sample nozzle, into an operation commanding unit. The sample nozzle further continues to descend, and a suction operation of a sample is performed at a predetermined position. In a case where the sample nozzle collides with a frame portion of the lid and external force is applied thereto, the detector detects that the detection plate is relatively moved as far as the detection distance.

Automated analyzer device

An automated analyzer maintains high processing capacity and dispensation accuracy even when items requiring dilution/pretreatment and general reaction measurement are mixed. A plurality of sample dispensing mechanisms are independently driven and each include a sample collection position, a sample nozzle for collecting the sample, and a washing tank for washing the sample nozzle. The sample dispensing mechanisms are configured to collect the sample from a plurality of sample collection positions and are operated independently to perform sample dispensation into reaction containers on a reaction disc. At least one of the sample dispensing mechanisms is provided for each of a sample requiring dilution/pretreatment and a sample that does not require dilution/pretreatment. The automated analyzer is provided with a control means for causing the respective mechanisms to be operated in a dedicated manner. The sample is dispensed such that no vacancy is created in the reaction containers.

Automated analyzer

With the increase in the speed of operation of a device, it is necessary to perform washing to drying for a wide range of a probe in a short time. A probe, a washing nozzle which ejects a washing liquid, a vacuum nozzle which sucks air, a washing tank, which is connected to the washing nozzle and the vacuum nozzle, and in which washing and drying of the probe is performed by ejecting the washing liquid from the washing nozzle and then sucking air by the vacuum nozzle, a waste liquid flow path, which is connected to the washing tank, and into which the washing liquid is discharged, and a shielding memberwhich shields a flow path between the washing tank and the waste liquid flow path after the washing liquid is ejected from the washing nozzle.

An automatic analyzer is capable of controlling the gap between the tip of the sample nozzle and the bottom surface of the reaction container and restricting the sample attached to the tip of the sample nozzle. A movement distance of an arm is calculated and stored while the tip of the sample nozzle contacts a coordinate measurement stand until a stop position detector detects a stop position detection plate. The sample nozzle is moved toward the bottom surface of the reaction container and is stopped at the time when the stop position detector detects the stop position detection plate. The arm is moved upwardly for the movement distance stored in memory from this position. The sample nozzle can be stopped such that the tip of the sample nozzle is contacted to the bottom surface of the reaction container and the bend (warp) of the sample nozzle is restricted.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Hitoshi Tokieda