Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi-high-technologies Corporation

Other

Hitachi High-tech Corporation

Ricoh Printing Systems, Ltd.

Takeshi Shibuya

Hitoshi Tokieda

Yoshimitsu Takagi

Hiroyasu Uchida

Mitsuru Oonuma

Masashi Akutsu

Katsuhiro Kambara

Taisaku Seino

Tatsunari Satou

Kouki Uefune

Hiroshi Mitsumaki

Tatsuki Inuzuka

Ryo Miyake

Takao Terayama

Yoshihiro Nagaoka

Tsuyoshi Takahashi

Hajime Katou

Shigenori Watari

Atsushi Onose

Eiji Yoshino

Ramaswamy Kalyanasundaram

Naoki Maeda

Naoyuki Urata

Masayuki Kanda

Tadashi Okada

Bernard Salafsky

Akira Sasaki

Hiroshi Watanabe

Yasuhiro Yoshimura

Yasuhiko Sasaki

Hitoshi Tamura

Hiroshi Nishida

Toshiaki Nakamura

Hajime Kato

Taichiro Yamashita

Kenichiro Matsubara

Yuzo Yamaguchi

Junichi Matsuno

Nobuo Suzuki

Akira Koide

Masaharu Nishida

Hiroyuki Tadokoro

Naruo Watanabe

Mieko Ishii

Kouichi Suzuki

Masanori Akutsu

Toshiyuki Yamada

Katsuhiro Kanbara

Yukio Yamamoto

Natsuhiko Hirayama

Hiroshi Tanigaki

Tatsunari Satoo

Shinichi Nagara

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

A cover opener for opening a coverthat is rotationally removed from and fixed to a reagent containerincludes: a rotational drive unitand a cover retainerto retain the coverby becoming engaged with a concave portionprovided on an upper portion of the cover. A carrieris driven to rotate as the rotational drive unit rotates, as well as to move in a direction of a rotational axis with respect to the rotational drive unit. Springsand, one of which is provided between the rotational drive unit and the cover retainer, and the other between the rotational drive unit and the carrier, bias the rotational drive unit and the cover retainer or the carrier in relative fashion to move away from each other. This enables the cover of the reagent container to be reliably opened.

Cover opener and automatic analyzing device using same

The present invention provides an automatic analyzer for analyzing blood, urine, or other samples in which, for the purpose of reducing the workload of the operator, the process of reagent replacement is automated such that the measurement operation of the analyzer need not be halted during the reagent replacement. A sample rack transfer mechanism and reagent storage/transfer mechanisms are placed on different levels of two-story structure. This configuration allows reagent replacement even when the analyzer is performing an analysis, as well as achieving size reduction of the analyzer. The automation of reagent replacement is achieved by the following: a sensor's detection of the remaining reagent amount in a reagent vessel reaching a particular value; and the analyzer's detection of a measurement request for a sample rack when necessary reagents are not present in any reagent storage mechanism of an analyzer unit.

Automatic analyzer

Multiple piezoelectric elementsare arranged in a row along the top of liquid level in the reaction vessel. An ultrasonic reflecting materialis installed on the bottom of the portion of the heat insulating bathwhere heat insulating mediumis stored. A lateral ultrasonic waveis generated on the lower side is generated by actuation of the piezoelectric element. Waveis reflected by the ultrasonic reflecting material. As a lower ultrasonic waveadvances along the wall surface of the reaction vessel, it collides with the specimen liquid level, thereby causing a portion of the liquid level closer to the piezoelectric elementto be raised. When the lateral ultrasonic waveis applied to this portion, it reaches the inclined portion of the raised liquid level of the specimen. Swirling flow by agitationis produced by the acoustic radiation pressure of the ultrasonic wave. The specimen and reagent are mixed and agitated by this swirling flow.

ISE analytical unit for clinical analyzer

Sample buffer unit for clinical analyzer

Sampler unit for clinical analyzer

An automatic analyzer which is applied to a device for analyzing specimen by the transfer of a specimen holding rack to an analysis unit and designed not to complicate the transfer system of the rack even if the number of the analysis units is one or increased to two or more, wherein a rack standby disk capable of rotating and stopping under the condition that a plurality of racks are waiting is installed, an exclusive rack reciprocatingly transfer line is provided between each analysis unit and the rack standby disk, only a single rack is led to each rack reciprocatingly transfer line, and the rack is returned to the rack standby disk after the sampling and treatment of the specimen have been completed.

Automatic analyzer and rack transfer device

A reagent dispensing mechanism (), first and second dispensing-mechanism transfer means (), and a second reagent vessel (reagent cassette) carrying-in/out mechanism (), which are constructed by employing an XY-mechanism, are arranged so as to travel above a reagent table () to carry in/out a reagent cassette (). As compared with the case where the reagent cassette carrying-in/out mechanism () is installed radially of the reagent table (), the area of an automatic analyzer in the horizontal direction can be reduced and a reagent vessel () can be moved to a predetermined position in a shorter time by combining the rotation of the reagent table () with the movement of the XY-mechanism. Further, as compared the case of dispensing reagents from reagent vessels in a matrix pattern by using the reagent dispensing/transferring mechanism, the travel distance of the transferring mechanism can be shortened and so can be the travel time. Thus, an analyzer adaptable as a machine of high processing capability with a shorter cycle time can be constructed.

In an image output device a test chartincluding tests chartsof each color is used, and a tone correction table is calculated. The test chartsare patterned in a checkered pattern, each including continuous areasin which the tones increase in steps and reference areasfor comparison with the continuous areas. The reference areasare formed of white ground of paper in a highlight proof part, a solid pattern with a maximum density in a shadow proof part, and halftone dot-concentrated or line screens with a lower resolution than in the continuous areas in a middle proof part. Tone correction values are calculated from characteristic values of the highlight, shadow and middle parts, obtained from visual data of the test chart

Image output device and test chart for the same

An image processing apparatus for a laser printer, wherein a halftone control through laser pulse modulation (PWM) is used in combination with distributed clustered-dot halftone processing which distributes a tone level over four clustered-dots, and the value represented by higher bits of a threshold are used to switch a PWM pulse pattern in a highlight area to a discontinuous pattern, thereby implementing the high density halftone processing, which provides a high highlight tone density and stability, only with a small scale memory and circuit.

Halftone processing apparatus using distributing PWM method

To invisibly embed additional information in a base pattern and to visualize the additional information, a dislocation is provided in a boundary between the base pattern compose of striped thin lines and the additional information pattern composed of striped thin lines. This dislocation makes the stripes of the patterns discontinuous. The additional information pattern is invisibly embedded in the base pattern such that a sequence of dislocations in the stripes forming the boundary is at an angle equal to or larger than a predetermined angle with respect to the stripe direction.

Printed matter including invisible information and printing system

Growing community of inventors

Hitachinaka, Japan

Takeshi Shibuya