Abstract: Provided is an electroconductive adhesive which is less apt to suffer cracking, chipping, etc. upon sintering and gives sintered objects having excellent mechanical strength. The electroconductive adhesive comprises metallic microparticles which include a protective layer comprising one or more amines and have an average particle diameter of 30-300 nm, the amines comprising a C5-7 monoalkylamine and/or an alkoxyamine represented by the following general formula (1). NH2—R2—O—R1 (1) In the protective layer, the ratio of the C5-7 monoalkylamine and/or alkoxyamine represented by the general formula (1) to one or more amines different therefrom is in the range of 100:0 to 10:90. [In formula (1), R1 represents a C1-4 alkyl group and R2 represents a C1-4 alkylene group.

Abstract: One actuator (a gripper mechanism and reagent bottle lid opening mechanism drive unit 120) drives a gripper mechanism 106 that holds a reagent bottle 10 and a reagent bottle lid opening mechanism 104 that incises a lid of the reagent bottle 10. The gripper mechanism 106 operates to ascend when the reagent bottle lid opening mechanism 104 operates to descend in order to incise the reagent bottle lid 112, and the reagent bottle lid opening mechanism 104 operates to ascend when the gripper mechanism 106 operates to descend in order to hold the reagent bottle 10. The reagent bottle lid opening mechanism 104 and the gripper mechanism 106 operate without interfering with each other's functions.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: To suppress precipitation of a cleaning solution to a vibration head of an ultrasonic cleaner. An ultrasonic cleaner includes: a cleaning tank which stores a cleaning solution; an ultrasonic transducer; and 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, wherein the ultrasonic transducer is driven at a frequency at which the vibration head is vibrated resonantly, and wherein the vibration head is provided with a hydrophobic or hydrophilic coating film 502 which has an interface between an area 223 corresponding to a vibration antinode and area corresponding to a vibration node during the resonant vibration of the vibration head, and covers the area 222 corresponding to the vibration node.

Abstract: A nozzle cleaner includes: a cleaning tank which stores a cleaning solution; a first conductive member that is disposed to be immersed into the cleaning solution stored in the cleaning tank when the nozzle is cleaned; an ultrasonic wave generating mechanism which is disposed so that at least a part of a second conductive member is immersed into the cleaning solution stored in the cleaning tank when the nozzle is cleaned and generates an ultrasonic vibration in the cleaning solution stored in the cleaning tank; a first voltage control unit which controls a potential applied to the first conductive member; and a second voltage control unit which controls a potential applied to the second conductive member, wherein the first voltage control unit applies a second potential V2 higher than a first potential V1 applied to the nozzle when the nozzle is cleaned to the first conductive member.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A positively chargeable toner includes toner particles. The toner particles each include a toner mother particle containing a binder resin, and an external additive adhering to a surface of the toner mother particle. The external additive includes specific silica particles, specific titania particles, and specific crosslinked resin particles. The specific silica particles each include a silica base, and a first surface treatment layer present on a surface of the silica base. The first surface treatment layer has an alkyl group having a carbon number of at least 8 and no greater than 16, and an amino group. The specific titania particles each include a titania base, and a second surface treatment layer present on a surface of the titania base. The second surface treatment layer has an alkyl group having a carbon number of at least 3 and no greater than 8.

Abstract: An automatic analyzer includes a cleaning mechanism performing cleaning to drying of a probe in a short time even with a wide cleaning range of the probe. The automatic analyzer includes: a cleaning tank into which a probe is insertable and which has a cleaning port provided with suction openings; a vacuum tank; a vacuum pump that causes the vacuum tank to enter a negative pressure state, compared to atmospheric pressure; a vacuum bin; a suction nozzle that connects the suction opening of the cleaning port and the vacuum bin; a vacuum nozzle that connects the vacuum tank and the vacuum bin; and a controller. The controller causes the vacuum tank which is in the negative pressure state and the cleaning port to be conducted via the vacuum bin in a period during which a cleaning solution, with which the probe is cleaned, is discharged through the cleaning port.

Abstract: A positively chargeable toner includes a plurality of toner particles each including a toner mother particle and external additives adhering to a surface of the toner mother particle. The toner particles of the positively chargeable toner each include a silica particle as one of the external additives and a titania particle as another one of the external additives. The silica particle has on a surface thereof an alkyl group having a carbon number of at least 8 and no greater than 16 and an amino group. The titania particle has an amino group on a surface thereof. The titania particle has a volume resistivity of at least 1.0×109 ?·cm and no greater than 1.0×1011 ?·cm. The silica particles have an average primary particle diameter larger than that of the titania particles.

Abstract: To clean a reagent probe 7a, 8a or a sample probe 11a, 12a with a heated cleaning solution, after a first cleaning solution is caused to overflow from a first cleaning container 23 or a second cleaning container 24, the first cleaning solution is temporarily drawn back into the cleaning-solution heating passage 125 to be heated by the heating mechanism 123. After the heating, the first cleaning solution thus heated is re-supplied to the first cleaning container 23 or the second cleaning container 24. As a result, the cleaning solution heated to clean a dispensing probe can be supplied to a cleaning bath with efficiency.

Abstract: A reagent-bottle lid opening mechanism is disclosed, which has a needle for piercing a lid of a reagent bottle to be delivered to a reagent disk, has an aligning mechanism of automatically adjusting a position of the needle with respect to the lid such that a needle body of the needle can stick in the center of the lid, and accurately and repeatedly makes an incision in the center of the lid. As a result, an automatic analyzer is provided that is capable of unsealing the center of the lid of the reagent bottle with accuracy even if the central axis of the needle and the central axis of the lid are offset from each other.

Abstract: A positively chargeable toner includes a plurality of toner particles each including a toner mother particle and external additives adhering to a surface of the toner mother particle. The toner particles of the positively chargeable toner each include a silica particle as one of the external additives and a titania particle as another one of the external additives. The silica particle has on a surface thereof an alkyl group having a carbon number of at least 8 and no greater than 16 and an amino group. The titania particle has an amino group on a surface thereof. The titania particle has a volume resistivity of at least 1.0×109 ?·cm and no greater than 1.0×1011 ?·cm. The silica particles have an average primary particle diameter larger than that of the titania particles.

Abstract: One actuator (a gripper mechanism and reagent bottle lid opening mechanism drive unit 120) drives a gripper mechanism 106 that holds a reagent bottle 10 and a reagent bottle lid opening mechanism 104 that incises a lid of the reagent bottle 10. The gripper mechanism 106 operates to ascend when the reagent bottle lid opening mechanism 104 operates to descend in order to incise the reagent bottle lid 112, and the reagent bottle lid opening mechanism 104 operates to ascend when the gripper mechanism 106 operates to descend in order to hold the reagent bottle 10. The reagent bottle lid opening mechanism 104 and the gripper mechanism 106 operate without interfering with each other's functions.

Abstract: An automatic analyzer has a washing tank providing water for washing a reagent or sample probe is. The washing water from a washing nozzle spreads from a throttle portion and is divided into right and left flows after colliding with a vent plate provided in an overflow portion of the washing tank. The washing water flows between the vent plate and the inner wall of the overflow portion, and the flows join behind the vent plate. After joining, the washing water flows downward along the vent plate and the inner wall of the overflow portion and then is drained. Because a space is created between the washing water which has collided with the vent plate and the washing water joined behind the vent plate, the washing water is prevented from completely covering the overflow portion, and the airflow can be secured during the drainage.

Abstract: An automatic analyzer includes: a reagent mounting unit 103 in which a plurality of reagent bottles 10 are installed when a reagent bottle 10 is loaded into the automatic analyzer; a reagent conveying mechanism 101 including a gripper mechanism 106; and a reagent mounting mechanism 102 for moving the reagent mounting unit 103 between an installation position at which an operator installs the reagent bottle 10 in the reagent mounting unit 103 and a position at which the gripper mechanism 106 grips the reagent bottle 10. It is thereby possible to achieve saving of a mechanism installation space and reduction of the number of constituent components, automatically carry out an operation from opening of the reagent bottle to loading of the reagent bottle into the reagent disk, and alleviate an operator's burden.

Abstract: A needle for forming a cut in a reagent bottle lid is shaped such that an expansion portion which pushes and opens a cut and a piercing portion which forms the cut are integrated with each other. Consequently, only a single operation for moving the needle downwardly will form a cut using the needle and expand the cut using the expansion portion. Further, the smaller diameter of the expansion portion than the diameter of a circumscribed circle of a cross section of the piercing portion but equal to or greater than the diameter of the reagent probe can form cuts uniformly.

Abstract: A pressure sensor detects the inner pressure of a probe at the time of suction of a specimen and a memory stores therein a plurality of clogging detection parameters in accordance with pressure in the vacuum blood collection tube. The clogging detection parameter stored in the memory is selected in accordance with the pressure in the vacuum blood collection tube, and a determination of the clogging of the probe is performed based on the selected clogging detection parameter and the inner pressure at the time of suction of the specimen detected in the pressure sensor.