Shimadzu Corporation

Tatsuya Obe

Tomoyuki Yamazaki

A sampling needle () is inserted into a sample container () by a needle-driving mechanism () to collect a sample liquid from the sample container. A depth information acquirer () acquires insertion depth information, i.e., a piece of information concerning an insertion depth of the sampling needle into the sample container. A needle-rinsing length setter () sets a needle-rinsing length which is an insertion length of the sampling needle into a rinse storage tank () having an open top, based on the insertion depth information. A controller () controls the needle-driving mechanism so that a portion of the sampling needle extending from the tip of the sampling needle over the needle-rinsing length is inserted into the rinse storage tank. The needle-rinsing length setter is configured to set a shorter needle-rinsing length for a smaller insertion depth of the sampling needle into the sample container, to shorten the needle-cleaning time.

Sampling device

A sampling needle () having a suction port at a tip, a movement mechanism () that moves the needle () at least in a vertical direction while holding the needle () in a state where the suction port faces vertically downward, a suction mechanism () for sucking liquid through the needle (), a controller () configured to control operation of the movement mechanism () and the suction mechanism () are included. In sampling of liquid from a container () whose upper surface is opened, the controller () is configured to execute an inserting step of inserting the tip of the needle () into the liquid in the container () by lowering the needle () from above the container (), a sucking step of sucking a predetermined amount of the liquid from the suction port of the needle () after the inserting step is completed, a pulling up step of pulling up the needle () from the liquid to position the suction port above a liquid level of the liquid after the sucking step is completed, and a shaking-off step of repeating shaking-off operation of lowering and suddenly stopping the needle () a plurality of times with standby time in which the needle () is completely stopped or raised in between while maintaining a state where the suction port is positioned above the liquid level after the pulling up step is completed.

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Kyoto, Japan

Tatsuya Obe