The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 25, 2026
Filed:
Jan. 15, 2021
Hitachi High-tech Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Ruochi Hsu, Tokyo, JP;
Nobuhiro Tsukada, Tokyo, JP;
Kazuhiro Noda, Tokyo, JP;
Shinya Matsuoka, Tokyo, JP;
Hitachi High-Tech Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An automatic analyzer, a dispenser, and associated control methods are provided for suppressing splitting of an air layer in a passage and improving dispensing accuracy. The analyzer includes a nozzle, a pressure source coupled to the nozzle via a passage, and a controller that controls aspiration or discharge of a fluid. During either aspiration or discharge, the controller calculates a position of a gas-liquid phase boundary in the passage based on a volume of an aspired air layer, a cross-sectional area of the passage, and an integrated flow rate of the fluid. The controller then controls flow velocity based on the calculated position and on an orientation in which the gas-liquid phase boundary moves so that the flow velocity remains at or below a critical flow velocity at which air-layer splitting is suppressed, or so that the gas-liquid phase boundary does not pass a cross-sectional change in the passage.