Shimadzu Corporation

Shunsuke Atsumi

Takeshi Maji

Yosuke Iwata

Hiroaki Murakami

Akiko Bamba

Kuniaki Kanamaru

A sample pretreatment device of an aspect of the present invention includes a conveyance mechanism () including a Z-axis guide () that linearly moves in two axes of an X axis and a Y axis and expands/contracts in a Z-axis direction on a table () where a unit that performs each step of pretreatment is arranged. The Z-axis guide () is integrally provided with a liquid handler () and a grip handler () oriented in opposite directions to each other. A side wall of a housing () on the autosampler side is provided with a sample conveyance opening (). When pretreatment of a sample ends, the Z-axis guide () is moved to a position close to the opening () in a state where a gripper () grips a pretreated plate. An arm () enters a housing of the autosampler through the opening () and an opening formed in the autosampler, and sets a plate at a predetermined position. Thus, the sample pretreatment device can eliminate the labor of the worker setting a pretreated sample in the analysis device.

Sample pretreatment device, analysis system including the device, and autosampler

Provided is an aperture-plate moving mechanism, including: a drive blockfixed to an aperture plate; a linear motion guidefor allowing the drive block to move along an axis while preventing the drive block from moving in other directions; a feed screwlaid in a direction of the axis; a nut memberhaving a threaded hole engaged with the feed screw, the nut member being prevented from rotating due to a rotation of the feed screw; and an urging memberfor pressing the drive block onto the nut member in the direction of the axis. With respect to the direction of the axis, the contact portion of either the drive block or the nut member is a convex surface, while the contact portion of the other member is a concave surface having a larger radius of curvature than the convex surface.

Aperture-plate moving mechanism

Provided is an aperture-plate drive mechanism including an aperture-plate open-close mechanism and a rotation mechanism for rotating the open-close mechanism. The open-close mechanism includes: drive blocksfixed to a pair of aperture plates; a linear motion guideallowing the drive blocks to move along an axis; a feed screwparallel to the axis, on which a pair of helical threads proceeding in opposite directions formed; nut memberseach of which is provided in a manner to be engaged with one of the pair of helical threads and is prevented from rotating due to a rotation of the feed screw; an urging memberfor pressing the drive blocks onto the nut members, respectively; and a distance adjustment memberplaced between one drive block and the corresponding nut member, for adjusting the distance between them. With this mechanism, a discrepancy between the open-close center of the aperture plates from the rotation center can be cancelled even after the mechanism is assembled.

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Kyoto, Japan

Shunsuke Atsumi