Hitachi High-tech Corporation

Hitachi-high-technologies Corporation

Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.

Roche Diagnostics Gmbh

F. Hoffmann-la Roche Ag

Yosuke Horie

Takamichi Mori

Kouhei Nonaka

Tomohiro Inoue

Hitoshi Tokieda

Masato Ishizawa

Tetsuji Kawahara

Manabu Ochi

Isao Yamazaki

Atsushi Kazama

Hiroyuki Takayama

Akihiro Nojima

Yoichi Aruga

Kohei Nonaka

Alexander Seiler

Andrew McCaughey

Yasuhiro Yoshimura

Satoru Yamamoto

Takashi Saegusa

Yoichiro Suzuki

Katsuhiko Kimura

Kenshiro Sakata

Provided is a technique for detecting deviation amounts in two directions between a tip of a nozzle of a pipetting device and a target stop position from one image. An imaging device of the present disclosure is an imaging device installed in a pipetting device including a nozzle that aspirates and dispenses liquid and an arm that holds the nozzle and moves the nozzle by a rotation operation. The imaging device includes: a camera that includes an image sensor and a lens; and a pair of mirrors that includes a first mirror having a first reflective surface and a second mirror having a second reflective surface. The pair of mirrors is arranged such that the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface face each other. The pair of mirrors is arranged one by one between the tip of the nozzle and a bottom surface of the arm, on both sides across a plane that includes a rotation axis of the arm and a central axis of the nozzle. The first mirror is disposed closer to the arm than the second mirror, with the first reflective surface facing toward the tip of the nozzle, and the second reflective surface facing toward the camera.

Imaging device

The present invention provides an ultrasonic washer that radiates ultrasonic waves from a plurality of vibration surfaces, radiates ultrasonic waves at the same phase, effectively generates cavitation around a nozzle through ultrasonic vibration, and has a high washing effect. The ultrasonic washer of the present invention is characterized by having: a washing tank in which is washed a nozzle that suctions a sample or reagent; and an ultrasonic vibrator having a piezoelectric element sandwiched between a front mass and a back mass, wherein a diaphragm between opposing upper and lower plates is formed at a leading end of the front mass installed at a leading end of the ultrasonic vibrator, and the nozzle is ultrasonically washed in a region between the upper plate and the lower plate.

Ultrasonic washer and automatic analysis device

Provided is an automated analyzer comprising an ultrasonic cleaner capable of obtaining a consistent cleaning effect regardless of the operating temperature environment. This automated analyzer comprises: a dispensing mechanism having a nozzle for dispensing a sample or reagent; an ultrasonic cleanerfor cleaning the nozzle; and a control unit. The ultrasonic cleaner comprises: a cleaning tank; an ultrasonic vibrator; and a vibration headthat extends from the ultrasonic vibrator to the cleaning tank and has a distal end part that is inserted into the cleaning tank. The control unit inserts the nozzle into the cleaning tank and carries out a heating operation for heating the ultrasonic vibrator by driving the ultrasonic vibrator according to a driving condition different from that for a cleaning operation for cleaning the nozzle by driving the ultrasonic vibrator.

Automatic analyzer

A method of washing an aspiration probe of an in-vitro diagnostic system is disclosed. The aspiration probe comprises an outer surface and an inner surface forming an inner space for receiving a fluid. The method comprises dipping the aspiration probe into a first wash fluid so that the outer surface is immersed at least in part into the first wash fluid, aspirating an amount of the first wash fluid into the inner space of the aspiration probe, propagating an ultrasonic vibration to the outer surface of the aspiration probe via the first wash fluid, and rinsing the outer surface and the inner surface of the aspiration probe with a second wash fluid. Further, an in-vitro diagnostic method and an in-vitro diagnostic system are disclosed.

Method of washing an aspiration probe of an in-vitro diagnostic system, in-vitro diagnostic method, and in-vitro diagnostic system

Provided is an automatic analyzer provided with a liquid level sensing function in which liquid levels in sample containers having various heights can be precisely detected using ultrasonic waves. This device is provided with: a conveyance rack for conveying a sample container which contains a sample and is loaded thereon; a fixed ultrasonic distance sensor for measuring the liquid level position in the sample container loaded on the conveyance rack; sound wave guides for suppressing diffusion of sound waves transmitted from the ultrasonic distance sensor, the sound wave guides being disposed between the sample container and the ultrasonic distance sensor; and a sound wave guide control unit for adjusting the length or switching the length of the sound wave guides in accordance with the distance between the ultrasonic distance sensor and the sample container.

An ultrasonic cleaner according to the present invention includes a vibrating partfor enlarging ultrasonic vibration of a bolt-clamped Langevin type transducer (BLT)on a side surface side in a cleaning tank, generates cavitation by the ultrasonic vibration with respect to cleaning liquid supplied into the cleaning tankby driving the BLTon the periphery of a nozzle without unevenness, and is capable of performing effective nozzle cleaning.

Ultrasonic cleaner and automatic analyzer using the same

An ultrasonic cleaner includes: a cleaning tank; an ultrasonic transducer; a vibration head which extends from the ultrasonic transducer toward the cleaning tank and of which a tip portion includes a cylindrical hole having a longitudinal direction aligned to a vertical direction; and an air layer or a metallic member that is provided in an area formed by projecting at least the vibration head in the vertical direction under the cleaning tank, wherein the ultrasonic transducer is driven at a frequency at which the vibration head is vibrated resonantly in a vibration mode accompanied by a deformation in the longitudinal direction of the cylindrical hole and a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, wherein an area formed by projecting at least the vibration head in the vertical direction in a bottom portion of the cleaning tank is formed of a material mainly including resin.

An ultrasonic cleaner according to the present invention includes a vibrating partfor enlarging ultrasonic vibration of a BLTon a side surface side in a cleaning tank, generates cavitation by the ultrasonic vibration with respect to cleaning liquid supplied into the cleaning tankby driving the BLTon the periphery of a nozzle without unevenness, and is capable of performing effective nozzle cleaning.

A CTS nozzle achieves the object of reducing rubber chips produced when the CTS nozzle is inserted into and extracted from a rubber plug of a sample container during dispensing of a sample, thereby inhibiting the wear of the tip of the CTS nozzle. The CTS nozzle has two cut surfaces at its tip, and the pressure applied from the rubber when the nozzle is inserted into the rubber plug is dispersed onto the two cut surfaces without being deflected onto one of the cut surfaces. The pressure applied to the nozzle due to the resilience of the rubber being pushed away by the nozzle is thus dispersed and the rubber chips produced by the friction between the cut surfaces of the nozzle and the rubber are reduced. As a result of the reduced friction, the wear of the tip of the nozzle is minimized.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Yosuke Horie