Patents by Inventor Shinji Azuma

Shinji Azuma has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11994529
    Abstract: The object of the invention is to avoid a decrease in dispensing accuracy of a sample, a reagent, or the like as a temperature changes. In an automatic analyzer, a dispensing nozzle sucks the sample from a sample container holding the sample and discharges the sample to a reaction container. A syringe pump controls an amount of change in a volume of water. A first pipe connects the dispensing nozzle and the syringe pump. An electromagnetic valve flows or stops the water. A second pipe connects the electromagnetic valve and the syringe pump. A branch pipe branches the water. A third pipe connects the electromagnetic valve and the branch pipe. A case accommodates at least the syringe pump, the first pipe, the electromagnetic valve, the second pipe, the branch pipe, and the third pipe. Further, the third pipe includes a heat exchange unit that performs heat exchange of the water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Shinji Azuma, Isao Yamazaki, Masashi Fukaya, Takumi Ito
  • Publication number: 20240094234
    Abstract: The present invention controls liquid shaking during transportation while maintaining high-precision with respect to the stopping position of a specimen at the time of device start-up.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Hiroyuki KOBAYASHI, Satoru KANEKO, Takahiro SUZUKI, Yasuaki AOYAMA, Ryosuke HOSHI, Hiroshi WATANABE, Shinji AZUMA
  • Publication number: 20240067467
    Abstract: There are provided a sample conveyance system and a sample conveyance method capable of conveying a sample in a more stable manner than in the related art corresponding to a conveyance method using an electromagnetic actuator. A driving unit 208 applies a first voltage to a first coil 207a located on a front side in a traveling direction of a holder 202, which is selected to attract or repel the holder 202, to excite the first coil 207a and applies a second voltage having a polarity opposite to a polarity of the first voltage to at least one or more of second coils 207b among coils 207 adjacent to the first coil 207a except for the coils 207 in the front side in the traveling direction to excite the second coil 207b, and a control unit 210A estimates a position of the holder 202 based on a value of a current flowing through a winding 206 of the first coil 207a.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2021
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Takeshi TAMAKOSHI, Shigeru YANO, Shinji AZUMA, Yuichiro SHIGA, Daigo SHISHIDO
  • Publication number: 20240036068
    Abstract: In a two-dimensional conveyance line employing an electromagnetic conveyance technique, carriers are conveyed in consideration of the length of a group of stagnated carriers, so as to reduce idle positions and ensure conveyance efficiency of a specimen inspection system and maximize the number of carriers conveyed simultaneously. Current is supplied to a winding of an electromagnetic circuit and an electromagnetic force is generated between the winding and a carrier with a magnet that holds a test tube to move the carrier. The processing efficiency of a specimen inspection system is improved by changing the current of the electromagnetic circuit to change a conveyance speed of the carrier to which the specimen sample is mounted, and by shortening the conveyance time, and reducing the conveyance speed of the carrier and increasing the number of carriers that are conveyed simultaneously as an alternative to detouring the carrier during congestion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2021
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventors: Shigeru YANO, Shinji AZUMA, Takeshi MATSUKA
  • Publication number: 20230366899
    Abstract: There are provided a sample container carrier and a sample conveying device capable of reducing a frictional force generated between a container carrier and a conveying plane during conveyance of the container carrier as compared with a case in the related art. In a conveying device 700, a container carrier 100 includes: a magnetic material body 105; a grip 101 that supports a sample container 150; and a rotating body 111 that is disposed so as to be in contact with a conveying surface 120 for conveying the container carrier 100 and rotates as the container carrier 100 moves, in which the container carrier is conveyed by an electromagnetic force acting on the magnetic material body 105.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Applicant: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Shinji AZUMA, Hiroshi WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20230365354
    Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to provide a conveyance device that can increase inductance variation while suppressing the lowering of thrust. A conveyance device 1 conveys an article 110 to be conveyed. The article 110 to be conveyed can be conveyed by a magnetic force. The conveyance device 1 comprises a plurality of electromagnets 25a and 25b. Each electromagnet 25a, 25b comprises: teeth 22, 22a, 22b, 22c and 22e including a magnetic body; and windings 21, 21a and 21b wound around the teeth 22, 22a, 22b, 22c and 22e. The conveyance device 1 comprises a yoke 26 for magnetically coupling the electromagnets 25a and 25b, and driving circuits 50a and 50b for supplying current to the windings 21, 21a and 21b. The teeth 22, 22a, 22b, 22c and 22e have a cavity 27 extending in the axial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Inventors: Ryosuke HOSHI, Yasuaki AOYAMA, Satoru KANEKO, Hiroyuki KOBAYASHI, Hiroshi WATANABE, Shinji AZUMA, Kuniaki ONIZAWA
  • Publication number: 20230251280
    Abstract: The object of the invention is to avoid a decrease in dispensing accuracy of a sample, a reagent, or the like as a temperature changes. In an automatic analyzer, a dispensing nozzle sucks the sample from a sample container holding the sample and discharges the sample to a reaction container. A syringe pump controls an amount of change in a volume of water. A first pipe connects the dispensing nozzle and the syringe pump. An electromagnetic valve flows or stops the water. A second pipe connects the electromagnetic valve and the syringe pump. A branch pipe branches the water. A third pipe connects the electromagnetic valve and the branch pipe. A case accommodates at least the syringe pump, the first pipe, the electromagnetic valve, the second pipe, the branch pipe, and the third pipe. Further, the third pipe includes a heat exchange unit that performs heat exchange of the water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2023
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Inventors: Shinji AZUMA, Isao YAMAZAKI, Masashi FUKAYA, Takumi ITO
  • Patent number: 11662358
    Abstract: The object of the invention is to avoid a decrease in dispensing accuracy of a sample, a reagent, or the like as a temperature changes. In an automatic analyzer, a dispensing nozzle sucks the sample from a sample container holding the sample and discharges the sample to a reaction container. A syringe pump controls an amount of change in a volume of water. A first pipe connects the dispensing nozzle and the syringe pump. An electromagnetic valve flows or stops the water. A second pipe connects the electromagnetic valve and the syringe pump. A branch pipe branches the water. A third pipe connects the electromagnetic valve and the branch pipe. A case accommodates at least the syringe pump, the first pipe, the electromagnetic valve, the second pipe, the branch pipe, and the third pipe. Further, the third pipe includes a heat exchange unit that performs heat exchange of the water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Shinji Azuma, Isao Yamazaki, Masashi Fukaya, Takumi Ito
  • Patent number: 11353473
    Abstract: Provided is a technique related to an automatic analyzer and capable of ensuring cleaning performance of a reaction container by a cleaning process including a tip suction step, and preventing decrease in analysis accuracy or improving the analysis accuracy. The automatic analyzer includes a control apparatus, a block suction mechanism that moves a suction nozzle and a suction block for suctioning a liquid in the reaction container up and down and suctions the liquid, and a block cleaning mechanism for cleaning the suction block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Takumi Ito, Shinji Azuma, Masashi Fukaya
  • Patent number: 11262371
    Abstract: An automatic analyzer controls a sequence including optical measurement and cleaning and includes a discharge mechanism including a discharge nozzle for discharging a liquid into a reaction vessel; and an overflow suction mechanism including an overflow suction nozzle for sucking an overflow amount of the liquid in the reaction vessel. In a liquid discharge step included in a cleaning process and interposed between a preceding step using a detergent and a succeeding blank value measurement step, the automatic analyzer establishes a first state where a lower end of the discharge nozzle is located in a height-wise lower part of the reaction vessel and a lower end of the overflow suction nozzle is located in an upper part of the reaction vessel, and provides control to carry out the discharge of liquid from the discharge nozzle and the suction of the overflow amount of liquid through the overflow suction nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Masashi Fukaya, Shinji Azuma, Takuya Takahashi, Takumi Ito
  • Publication number: 20220018869
    Abstract: The object of the invention is to avoid a decrease in dispensing accuracy of a sample, a reagent, or the like as a temperature changes. In an automatic analyzer, a dispensing nozzle sucks the sample from a sample container holding the sample and discharges the sample to a reaction container. A syringe pump controls an amount of change in a volume of water. A first pipe connects the dispensing nozzle and the syringe pump. An electromagnetic valve flows or stops the water. A second pipe connects the electromagnetic valve and the syringe pump. A branch pipe branches the water. A third pipe connects the electromagnetic valve and the branch pipe. A case accommodates at least the syringe pump, the first pipe, the electromagnetic valve, the second pipe, the branch pipe, and the third pipe. Further, the third pipe includes a heat exchange unit that performs heat exchange of the water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2021
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Inventors: Shinji AZUMA, Isao YAMAZAKI, Masashi FUKAYA, Takumi ITO
  • Patent number: 11162965
    Abstract: The object of the invention is to avoid a decrease in dispensing accuracy of a sample, a reagent, or the like as a temperature changes. In an automatic analyzer, a dispensing nozzle sucks the sample from a sample container holding the sample and discharges the sample to a reaction container. A syringe pump controls an amount of change in a volume of water. A first pipe connects the dispensing nozzle and the syringe pump. An electromagnetic valve flows or stops the water. A second pipe connects the electromagnetic valve and the syringe pump. A branch pipe branches the water. A third pipe connects the electromagnetic valve and the branch pipe. A case accommodates at least the syringe pump, the first pipe, the electromagnetic valve, the second pipe, the branch pipe, and the third pipe. Further, the third pipe includes a heat exchange unit that performs heat exchange of the water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Shinji Azuma, Isao Yamazaki, Masashi Fukaya, Takumi Ito
  • Publication number: 20200378997
    Abstract: The object of the invention is to avoid a decrease in dispensing accuracy of a sample, a reagent, or the like as a temperature changes. In an automatic analyzer, a dispensing nozzle sucks the sample from a sample container holding the sample and discharges the sample to a reaction container. A syringe pump controls an amount of change in a volume of water. A first pipe connects the dispensing nozzle and the syringe pump. An electromagnetic valve flows or stops the water. A second pipe connects the electromagnetic valve and the syringe pump. A branch pipe branches the water. A third pipe connects the electromagnetic valve and the branch pipe. A case accommodates at least the syringe pump, the first pipe, the electromagnetic valve, the second pipe, the branch pipe, and the third pipe. Further, the third pipe includes a heat exchange unit that performs heat exchange of the water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Inventors: Shinji AZUMA, Isao YAMAZAKI, Masashi FUKAYA, Takumi ITO
  • Publication number: 20200072856
    Abstract: To provide a technique that is related to a cleaning mechanism of an automatic analyzer and which is adapted to reduce variability of a cleaning range in a reaction vessel so that blank value measurement and the like are less affected by the variability of the cleaning range. The automatic analyzer controls a sequence including optical measurement and cleaning and includes a discharge mechanism including a discharge nozzle for discharging a liquid into a reaction vessel; and an overflow suction mechanism including an overflow suction nozzle for sucking an overflow amount of the liquid in the reaction vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Masashi FUKAYA, Shinji AZUMA, Takuya TAKAHASHI, Takumi ITO
  • Publication number: 20200064364
    Abstract: Provided is a technique related to an automatic analyzer and capable of ensuring cleaning performance of a reaction container by a cleaning process including a tip suction step, and preventing decrease in analysis accuracy or improving the analysis accuracy. The automatic analyzer includes a control apparatus, a block suction mechanism that moves a suction nozzle and a suction block for suctioning a liquid in the reaction container up and down and suctions the liquid, and a block cleaning mechanism for cleaning the suction block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: Takumi ITO, Shinji AZUMA, Masashi FUKAYA
  • Publication number: 20180038881
    Abstract: Proposed is a sample transport apparatus including at least one transport line stage including first and second transport lines each configured to transport sample holders each capable of holding at least one sample along a side wall of a housing along a long-side direction, a drive mechanism configured to transport the sample holders along the first and second transport lines, and wires accommodated in the housing and connected to at least the drive mechanism, in which the first transport line and the second transport line of the transport line stage are arranged in parallel along a long-side side face of the housing, and a first distance between the first transport line and the long-side side face that is adjacent the first transport line is shorter than a second distance between the first transport line and the second transport line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2017
    Publication date: February 8, 2018
    Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuru Oonuma, Yoko Sato, Hiroyuki Noda, Shinji Azuma, Naoto Tsujimura
  • Patent number: 9884725
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Shugo Okabe, Tatsuya Fukugaki, Shinji Azuma
  • Patent number: 9709585
    Abstract: A transport line cover with excellent workability that can be operated by an operator even with one hand. Proposed is a transport line cover that includes a cover body adapted to cover an opening at a top of a sample transport apparatus, the sample transport apparatus accommodating a plurality of transport lines that extend in one direction; and a first groove formed on an upper face of the cover body, the first groove extending from one short side to another short side of the cover body. A lower end of a long-side side face of the cover body is located at a level below a bottom face of the first groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuru Oonuma, Yoko Sato, Hiroyuki Noda, Shinji Azuma, Naoto Tsujimura
  • Publication number: 20160251164
    Abstract: In the prior art, in transport lines equipped with multiple stages of transport lines driven in different directions, it was necessary that drive power sources for driving the belts of the transport lines be provided in a number equal to the number of transport lines. This led to an increased number of drive power sources and to an unavoidable increase in the power consumed by the device as a whole. In the present invention, there is adopted a mechanism for the parallel driving of a plurality of transport lines by a single drive power source, whereby the number of drive power sources needed to drive the transport lines can be reduced, as can the power consumed by the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Inventors: Shugo OKABE, Tatsuya FUKUGAKI, Shinji AZUMA
  • Patent number: D750271
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuru Oonuma, Yoko Sato, Hiroyuki Noda, Shinji Azuma, Naoto Tsujimura