Hitachi-High-Technologies Corporation

Hitachi High-Tech Corporation

Tatsuya Fukugaki

Hiroshi Ohga

Tetsuya Isobe

Kuniaki Onizawa

Masaaki Hanawa

Yoshiteru Hirama

Kenichi Takahashi

Takahiro Sasaki

Hiroaki Sakai

Kazuhiro Noda

Yukinori Sakashita

Shigeru Yano

Shinji Azuma

Kazuma Tamura

Kenichi Yasuzawa

Atsushi Suzuki

Nozomi Hasegawa

Shugo Okabe

Hirofumi Sasaki

Taku Sakazume

Katsuhiro Kambara

Akihiro Yasui

Masashi Akutsu

Masaharu Nishida

Naoto Tsujimura

Shigeki Yamaguchi

Naoto Suzuki

Mitsuru Onuma

Masashi Endo

Takahiro Kumagai

Shigemi Oba

Yoshihiro Kabe

Tomoyuki Nemoto

Yoshio Kiyonari

Yasushi Aoki

Akihiro Ohiso

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

A specimen transporting apparatus and method are provided, in which a specimen container having a non-printed region and a printed region on a side surface of the specimen container is rotated intermittently, each time through a certain angle, during a first rotation. Information printed on the printed region is read during the first rotation, and the location of the non-printed region is identified based on the success or failure of the reading. Next, a second rotation is performed, in which the specimen container is rotated continuously. The information printed on the printed region is read during the second rotation, and the location of the printed region is identified based on the success or failure of the reading. Accordingly, the location of an end portion of the printed region is identified, and the orientation of a specimen bar code is aligned relative to a transfer destination rack.

Specimen transporting device and specimen transporting method

The purpose of the present invention is to constantly keep a state in a flow cell steady by filling a detection flow channel with a liquid. The configuration of the present invention for solving the aforementioned problem is as follows. Specifically, the present invention is an automatic analysis apparatus provided with a detection unit including a flow cell that accommodates a liquid serving as an analysis subject; a suction nozzle that is positioned upstream of the flow cell and that sucks the liquid to be introduced into the flow cell; a pump that is positioned downstream of the flow cell and that supplies the liquid to the flow cell; flow channels that connect the flow cell, the suction nozzle, and the pump; a power source; and a power-cutting instructing unit that gives an instruction to cut the power supply at least to the pump. The automatic analysis apparatus is characterized by being provided with a control unit that performs first liquid supply processing when the power-cutting instruction from the power-cutting instructing unit is not received, and that performs second liquid supplying processing when the power-cutting instruction from the power-cutting instructing unit is received, thus supplying the liquid to the flow cell.

Automatic analysis apparatus

An automatic analysis device is provided with a storage chamber for adjusting the temperature of and storing a container in which liquid is stored, an opening provided in a portion of the storage chamber, and a loader mechanism for bringing the container in and out of the storage chamber by moving the container through the opening, and is characterized in that the loader mechanism and storage chamber are closed by an elastic body. In the present invention, attaching a sealing member for sealing to an upper part from among overlapping parts makes it difficult for debris and dust to adhere to the sealing member and makes it possible to maintain the sealed state of a reagent storage chamber over a long period of time.

The present invention provides an automatic analysis device and an automatic specimen processing system having a component-rack supply mechanism that, in a state where a plurality of component racks each having a disposable component mounted thereon are stacked, separates only a component rack at the leading stage of the stack from the other component racks, and supplies the separated component rack to the automatic analysis device or the automatic specimen processing system. Specifically, the automatic analysis device and the automatic specimen processing system have a supply mechanism including a separation mechanism that, in a state where a plurality of component racks are stacked, separates only a component rack at the leading stage of the stack from the other component racks, where the separation mechanism includes a movable mechanism having a pair of downward-movement prevention members that can separate the leading stage from the second stage of the stacked component racks; and a correction mechanism having a pair of correction members that correct a positional deviation of the component racks in order to avoid an influence of the positional deviation of the stacked component racks.

Automatic analysis device

A sample test automation system which is capable of reducing the workload of an operator and precisely carrying out necessary processes of each of samples without stagnation. In the sample test automation system, a sample trayon which a plurality of samplescan be installed is prepared, an identifier for distinguishing the sample trayis attached to the sample tray, a sample introducing unitis provided with an identifier reading apparatuswhich reads the identifier of the sample tray, and information about the samplesis switched based on the read identifier of the sample tray

Sample test automation system

A plurality of transport lines having driving belts are driven to transport specimen racks on which a specimen container is disposed. A single driving motor having a rotating shaft, a shaft for transmitting power of the driving motor, drives the driving belt and a plurality of pulleys transmit rotation of the shaft to the belts to drive the belts.

Specimen transport device, specimen pretreatment system, analysis system, and specimen testing automation system

The specimen storage apparatus includes: a specimen conveyor line which conveys a specimen for which the pre-processing is completed and which is installed on a specimen conveyance holder; a lift mechanism capable of driving a specimen tray having the specimen installed therein in front-and-back and vertical directions; a specimen chuck mechanism which transfers the specimen from a specimen acquisition position of the specimen conveyor line to the specimen tray on the lift mechanism; a specimen storage unit which receives the specimen tray from the lift mechanism, includes hierarchical specimen storage spaces in a vertical direction, and accommodates a plurality of specimen trays in a lateral direction while keeping them cold; a shutter mechanism which is opened and closed at the time of delivery of the specimen tray between the lift mechanism and the specimen storage unit; and a control unit which controls each of the mechanisms.

Specimen storage apparatus, specimen processing system, and controlling method thereof

In a conventional conveyor line, an empty specimen rack conveyor line is provided separately from a specimen rack conveyor line having a specimen mounted thereon. However, crossing of the conveyor lines leads to the decrease in processing speed. Also, when a specimen rack conveyor line and an empty specimen rack conveyor line are configured on two stages, a vertical movement mechanism needs to be added in order to connect the upper-stage conveyor line and the lower-stage conveyor line, and there is a possibility that the system is complicated and the cost thereof is increased. In the present invention, by connecting an empty holder conveyor line and a main conveyor line disposed up and down on two stages via one conveyor line having a horizontal part and an inclined part, crossing of the conveyor lines can be eliminated and an inexpensive structure can be achieved.

Sample conveyor apparatus and specimen testing automation system

A test tube holder holds various types of test tubes substantially perpendicular, and is structured to be durable against extraction and insertion of the test tubes. The test tube holder includes a housing part having a hollow portion, a holding part positioned on an upper side of the housing part and having an opening portion, which accepts a test tube, and a housing portion, which houses the accepted test tube. An elastic part is formed inside the holding part so as to abut on the housed test tube. The test tube holder has a weight housed inside the hollow portion. The holding part and the elastic part may be integrally formed. Inside the hollow portion of the housing part, besides the weight, an individual identification tag, an electromagnetic wave absorbent, and a support member for a tapered test tube can be housed in accordance with usage.

Holder for transferring test tube

A sample processing system includes a sample vessel holder including a disk-shaped base section disposed so as to have a central axis extending in a vertical direction and a sample vessel holding section that is formed coaxially with, and above, the base section for holding a sample vessel in an upright posture. A conveyor conveys the sample vessel holderplaced thereon; and a holding plate is disposed so as to extend along an outer peripheral portion of a columnar space that has a central axis extending in the vertical direction, and is disposed at a position above a space past which the base section of the sample vessel holder moves along the conveyor and at a position past which at least the sample vessel holding section moves. This enables individual conveyance processing to be performed for each of multiple sample vessels.

Sample processing system

This invention provides a sample processing system in which only one sample container is rested in one holder, the system being contemplated to prevent a mix-up of samples from occurring. A barcode labeler moduleincludes an identifier-reading device Rthat reads an identifier of a holder holding a primary-sample container, a printerB that prints a label based on information from a control PC unitas well as on the identifier of the primary-sample container holder that has been read by the identifier-reading device R, and affixes the label to a secondary-sample container, and a second identifier-reading device Rthat reads an identifier of the holder having the secondary-sample container mounted therein. A aliquoter moduleincludes an identifier-reading device Rthat reads the identifier of the holder conveyed from the barcode labeler moduleand having the primary-sample container mounted therein, an identifier-reading device Rthat reads the identifier of the holder having the secondary-sample container mounted therein, and a aliquoter unitA that dispenses a sample from the primary-sample container into the secondary-sample container.

A laboratory automation system capable of reducing a wasting time of an operator work by giving a notification that enables a device state and a summary of an operator call to be recognized. The laboratory automation system having notifying means such as a display unit or a speaker which can be recognized by the operator distant from the device, includes a notifying unit for calling the operator, and a notifying unit for notifying a status of the device, in which a state device and a summary of the work conducted by the operator can be easily recognized by the combination of notifications of those notifying units.

Laboratory automation apparatus, automated analytical apparatus and system

After being dispensed, a sample that needs to be quickly measured passes through another unit and is transported to an automatic analyzer. A plurality of units are provided for functions of processing including a dispensing unit that dispenses the sample stored in a sample vessel into another sample vessel. At least one discharge line discharges the sample from the dispensing unit to a transport line and a line that is perpendicular to the discharge line. A reverse direction transport line transports the sample in a direction reverse to a direction in which the sample loaded in the system is transported to the dispensing unit. The sample that is processed by the dispensing unit is transported to a storage unit located on the upstream side of the system, through the reverse direction transport line.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Tatsuya Fukugaki