Hitachi-high-technologies Corporation

Hitachi High-tech Corporation

Masashi Akutsu

Akihiro Yasui

Hiroyuki Mishima

Hitoshi Tokieda

Akihisa Makino

Yoshimitsu Takagi

Yoshihiro Suzuki

Takeshi Shibuya

Naoto Suzuki

Koji Kamoshida

Kenichi Takahashi

Naoto Tsujimura

Hiroshi Ohga

Osamu Watabe

Satoshi Yokotsuka

Kenichi Yasuzawa

Takahiro Sasaki

Shigeki Matsubara

Kuniaki Onizawa

Tatsuya Fukugaki

Masashi Fukaya

Shigeru Yano

Takeshi Setomaru

Hiroki Fujita

Tsukasa Suenari

Chikook Ha

Takayuki Noda

Atsushi Suzuki

Takeshi Matsuka

Satoru Chida

Kenichi Yagi

Misato Koike

Megumi Kato

Kunio Enta

Shotaro Sagawa

Maki Furukawa

Provided are an automatic analysis apparatus in which plurality of units are connected and which can perform maintenance on any unit in parallel, and a maintenance guide method for the automatic analysis apparatus. The control unitcauses a display unitto display a maintenance guide screenin which maintenance guidance (a display region for sampler module, a display region for second analysis module, and a display region for first analysis module) independent of analysis modulesand a sampler moduleis arranged in the same screen.

Automatic analysis device and maintenance guide method in automatic analysis device

An automatic analysis apparatus includes: an automatic analysis unitwhich includes a dispensing mechanism including a probe which is configured to dispense a sample or a reagent into a reaction container, a cleaning mechanism; and a control unit. The control unit includes a storage unitconfigured to store count values which indicate weightings to contamination and are set in advance in accordance with a plurality of analysis conditions, a processing unitconfigured to obtain a cumulative count for each dispensing of the sample or the reagent on the basis of the stored count values and to determine whether the obtained cumulative count exceeds a threshold value set in advance, and an instruction unitconfigured to instruct an operation of the cleaning mechanism to clean the probe when a result of determination is that the cumulative count exceeds the threshold value.

Automatic analysis apparatus and cleaning method for same

Provided is an automated analysis device with which sufficient reaction process data can be acquired irrespective of the scale of the device, and with which it is possible to ensure freedom of the device configuration. An automated analysis deviceis provided with: a reaction diskwhich circumferentially accommodates a plurality of reaction vessels; a specimen dispensing mechanismwhich dispenses a specimen into the reaction vessels; a reagent dispensing mechanismwhich dispenses a reagent into the reaction vessels; a measuring unitwhich measures a reaction process of a mixture of the specimen and the reagent in the reaction vessels; and a cleaning mechanismwhich cleans the reaction vesselsafter measurement. Further, the automated analysis deviceincludes a controllerwhich controls the drive of the reaction disksuch that in one cycle the reaction vesselsmove by an amount A in the circumferential direction in such a way that N and A are mutually prime, B and C are mutually prime, and the relationship A×B=N×C±1 holds, where N is the total number of reaction vesselsaccommodated in the reaction disk, the reaction diskmoves through C (where C>1) rotations+an amount equivalent to one reaction vessel after B (where B>2) cycles, and the number of reaction vesselsmoved in one cycle is A (where N>A>N/B+1).

Automated analysis device

The automatic analyzer is capable of performing other operations concurrently with a maintenance operation and notifying a user when a user action is required in executing maintenance and displaying guidance. Automatic analyzer includes analysis modules and that analyze a sample, a display device that displays information related to maintenance in the analyzer including the analysis modules and, and an overall management computer that controls a constant display area to be displayed on a display screen of the display device, in which when there is a need to notify a user of a maintenance status at a timing when the maintenance in the analyzer is executed in a background and a screen other than a maintenance screen is displayed on the display device, the overall management computer displays notification information on the screen including global areas and of the display device.

Automatic analyzer with a control unit for displaying background maintenance operation notifications

The present invention comprises: an incubator diskupon which a plurality of reaction containers holding a reaction solution being an analyte and a reagent that have been mixed and reacted are mounted; a immunoassay unitthat measures the physical properties of the reaction solution; and a planning unitthat determines the order for measurement of analyte requested to be executed by the immunoassay unit. Measurement by the immunoassay unitincludes items having different measurement times. When measurement of sequence items having the longest measurement time will occur at least a prescribed number of times in a row, said prescribed number being at least two, the planning unitprovides at least one empty cycle after measurement has occurred at least the prescribed number of times.

Automatic analysis device, automatic analysis system, and automatic analysis method for analytes

An automatic analysis device and an automatic analysis system capable of executing separate operations by respective analysis units even in a device configuration where a same control part controls two or more analysis units, the automatic analysis device including a biochemistry analysis unit; an electrolyte analysis unit; one analysis unit control CPU for controlling operations of the biochemistry analysis unit and the electrolyte analysis unit; and a storage part for storing time charts of operations having different purposes for the biochemistry analysis unit and the electrolyte analysis units. Two or more of the biochemistry analysis units and the electrolyte analysis units operate independently to each other based on the time charts stored in the storage part.

Automatic analysis device and automatic analysis system

An automatic analyzer is capable of transporting a sample at an optimum timing and a method of transporting the sample. An automatic analyzer includes an analysis unit which measures a sample, a transport unit which transports the sample to the analysis unit, and a control unit which controls the analysis unit and the transport unit. A sample is transported to the analysis unit by a time of starting an aspirating operation on the sample by allowing the analysis unit to perform a pre-measurement operation for each measuring method which needs to be performed before aspirating the sample even when the sample is still in the transport unit.

Automated analysis device, and method for conveying sample

Provided is an automated analysis device with which sufficient reaction process data can be acquired irrespective of the scale of the device, and with which it is possible to ensure freedom of the device configuration. An automated analysis deviceis provided with: a reaction diskwhich circumferentially accommodates a plurality of reaction vessels; a specimen dispensing mechanismwhich dispenses a specimen into the reaction vessels; a reagent dispensing mechanismwhich dispenses a reagent into the reaction vessels; a measuring unitwhich measures a reaction process of a mixture of the specimen and the reagent in the reaction vessels; and a cleaning mechanismwhich cleans the reaction vesselsafter measurement. Further, the automated analysis deviceincludes a controllerwhich controls the drive of the reaction disksuch that in one cycle the reaction vesselsmove by an amount Ain the circumferential direction in such a way that N and A are mutually prime, B and C are mutually prime, and the relationship A&#xd7;B=N&#xd7;C&#xb1;1 holds, where N is the total number of reaction vesselsaccommodated in the reaction disk, the reaction diskmoves through C (where C&#x3e;1) rotations+an amount equivalent to one reaction vessel after B (where B&#x3e;2) cycles, and the number of reaction vesselsmoved in one cycle is A (where N&#x3e;A&#x3e;N/B+1).

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.

The present invention reduces the turnaround time of an automated analyzer. During a period when cyclic measurement by a measurement unit is unnecessary, a controller washes a reaction vessel using a washing cycle having a cycle time shorter than that of an analysis cycle. A single analysis cycle and a single washing cycle both include a reaction disc stopping period and rotation period. In the washing cycle, there is no time during the stopping period when a sample dispensing mechanism, reagent dispensing mechanism, or stirring mechanism operates but there is a time when a washing mechanism operates. The washing cycle stopping period is shorter than the analysis cycle stopping period. The amount of rotation of the reaction disk in the analysis cycle rotation period is the same as the amount of rotation of the reaction disk in the washing cycle rotation period.

Automated analyzer

The present invention is provided with a sample rack insertion unitthat is capable of holding one or more sample rackshaving mounted therein one or more sample containersaccommodating a sample to be analyzed, one or more analysis devicesfor analyzing the sample accommodated in the sample containers, a sample rack conveyance unitfor conveying the sample racksfrom the sample rack insertion unitto the analysis devices, and a control devicefor acquiring, for each analysis device, load information that is information expressing an operating condition of the analysis device, and, if there is an analysis devicefor which the load information is larger than a predetermined conveyance permission value, carrying out control so as to stop the conveyance of the sample racksfrom the sample rack insertion unitto the analysis device(s). As a result of this configuration, it is possible to mitigate in-device sample conveyance congestion occurring as a result of the insertion of many samples and keep the sample environment and analysis processing power at high levels.

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 automated analyzer is provided with one or more dispensing linesthat are each for loading and unloading, at one end thereof, a sample rackhaving placed therein one or more sample containers accommodating a sample for analysis and for conveying the sample rack back and forth from a dispensing position for dispensing the sample from the sample containers and sample rack removal partsthat are provided adjacent to the other ends of the dispensing linesand provide and receive sample racks to and from the dispensing lines. According to this configuration, it is possible to convey an urgent sample while suppressing device complexity, preventing cost from increasing, and also maintaining speed.

Provided is an automated analysis device with which sufficient reaction process data can be acquired irrespective of the scale of the device, and with which it is possible to ensure freedom of the device configuration. An automated analysis deviceis provided with: a reaction diskwhich circumferentially accommodates a plurality of reaction vessels; a specimen dispensing mechanismwhich dispenses a specimen into the reaction vessels; a reagent dispensing mechanismwhich dispenses a reagent into the reaction vessels; a measuring unitwhich measures a reaction process of a mixture of the specimen and the reagent in the reaction vessels; and a cleaning mechanismwhich cleans the reaction vesselsafter measurement. Further, the automated analysis deviceincludes a controllerwhich controls the drive of the reaction disksuch that in one cycle the reaction vesselsmove by an amount A in the circumferential direction in such a way that N and A are mutually prime, B and C are mutually prime, and the relationship A&#xd7;B=N&#xd7;C&#xb1;1 holds, where N is the total number of reaction vesselsaccommodated in the reaction disk, the reaction diskmoves through C (where C&#x3e;1) rotations+an amount equivalent to one reaction vessel after B (where B&#x3e;2) cycles, and the number of reaction vesselsmoved in one cycle is A (where N&#x3e;A&#x3e;N/B+1).

Growing community of inventors

Hitachinaka, Japan

Masashi Akutsu