Patents Assigned to Precision System Science Co., Ltd.
  • Publication number: 20040173537
    Abstract: The invention relates to a concentration device using magnetic particles and a method therefor aimed at performing concentration of a large volume of liquid efficiently and reliably with a simple structure and on a small device scale. The construction involves having: a liquid suction passage in which liquid can pass through only in a suction direction; a liquid discharge passage in which liquid can pass through only in a discharge direction; a magnetic force device which can exert a magnetic field from outside of the liquid passage on at least one liquid passage thereof or remove the magnetic field, and which can separate magnetic particles having directly or indirectly captured a target substance suspended in the liquid by having the magnetic particles adhere to the inner wall of the liquid passage; a storage section communicated with each liquid passage, for storing the sucked liquid; and a pressure adjustment device for sucking and discharging the liquid by adjusting the pressure in the storage section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2004
    Publication date: September 9, 2004
    Applicant: Precision System Science Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideji Tajima
  • Patent number: 6723237
    Abstract: The invention relates to a concentration device using magnetic particles and a method therefor aimed at performing concentration of a large volume of liquid efficiently and reliably with a simple structure and on a small device scale. The construction involves having: a liquid suction passage in which liquid can pass through only in a suction direction; a liquid discharge passage in which liquid can pass through only in a discharge direction; a magnetic force device which can exert a magnetic field from outside of the liquid passage on at least one liquid passage thereof or remove the magnetic field, and which can separate magnetic particles having directly or indirectly captured a target substance suspended in the liquid by having the magnetic particles adhere to the inner wall of the liquid passage; a storage section communicated with each liquid passage, for storing the sucked liquid; and a pressure adjustment device for sucking and discharging the liquid by adjusting the pressure in the storage section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Precision Systems Science Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideji Tajima
  • Patent number: 6691748
    Abstract: An object is to provide a container transfer and processing system which can simplify total construction and control, does not increase time and cost in manufacturing and use, which is easy to use, and which runs efficiently, and for which processing of large quantities of containers can be performed rapidly and easily.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Precision System Science Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideji Tajima
  • Patent number: 6602474
    Abstract: In comparison with the treatment using only a single vessel, this invention can more efficiently and more completely facilitate the temperature of liquid to be kept at a predetermined temperature by transferring liquid from a liquid storage vessel to a vessel maintained at a predetermined temperature. In comparison with the case using only a single vessel, in which control of raising and lowering the temperature needs be executed by a heating means or transferring a container accompanied by liquid to a heating position, the reaction can more efficiently be executed by this aspect of the invention, and the amplification can be executed more easily and in a shorter time. And as the mechanism for transferring the container needs not be mounted, the structure of the equipment can be simplified. Furthermore, all the process including the control of temperature, can be executed with one continuous operation by this aspect of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: Precision System Science Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideji Tajima
  • Patent number: 6509193
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling magnetic particles by a sample distributor and is intended to process a sample liquid with high precision, sensitivity and reliability by arresting magnetic particles to separate them from the liquid and by suspending the magnetic particles in a liquid to mix the magnetic particles with the liquid again. The pipette portion of this invention has a front end portion, a reservoir portion, a liquid passage connecting the front end portion and the reservoir portion, and a separation region in the liquid passage that is subjected to a magnetic field. The pipette portion of this construction draws in or discharges a liquid for processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2003
    Assignee: Precision System Science Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideji Tajima
  • Patent number: 6455325
    Abstract: Technological preposition of the present invention is a liquid processing method making use of a pipette device which sucks a liquid containing a target high molecular substance from inside of a vessel through a chip detachably set on a sucking port or a discharging port of a liquid sucking/discharging line and transfers this liquid or target high molecular substance to the next target processing position for the purpose to execute such works as quantifying, separating, taking out, pipetting, clarifying condensing, and diluting a liquid or a target high molecular substance contained in a liquid and also such works as extracting, recovering, and isolating the target high molecular substance by means of sucking and discharging a liquid with a pipette device and controls by a magnetic body over magnetic particles and/or a filter combined according to the necessity, and the chip can isolate the target high molecular substance by having the substance attracted onto magnetic particles or with a filter set on each c
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Precision System Science Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideji Tajima
  • Publication number: 20020064866
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a carrier holding micro-substances, system suspending such carriers, apparatus for manipulating such carriers and method of controlling the position of such carriers. The object of the present invention is to execute assays for various target substances and so on efficiently, at low cost, easily, and reliably.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Publication date: May 30, 2002
    Applicant: Precision System Science Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideji Tajima, Yoshiro Okami
  • Patent number: 6337053
    Abstract: A multiple vessel container for testing fluids comprises a gap part formed to have a width smaller than the caliber of a front end portion of a liquid sucking/discharging line. The gap part has a shape capable of aspirating and discharging all liquid through the front end portion of the line, even when the front end portion is in contact with the inside bottom of the container. The container is formed such that, upon fluid discharging, reaction between a sample and a reagent can be made uniform by discharging and diffusing aspirated liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2002
    Assignee: Precision System Science Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideji Tajima
  • Patent number: 6331277
    Abstract: A magnetic material attracting/releasing control method makes use of a pipette device sucking a liquid from or discharging a liquid into a container. A magnet body or bodies are provided in a liquid suction line of the pipette device, and any magnetic material contained in liquid sucked into the liquid suction line by magnetic force are deposited on the internal surface of the line. The magnetic material is released and discharged together with liquid from the liquid suction line to a state where the effect of the magnetic force generated by the magnet body is cut off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2001
    Assignee: Precision System Science Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideji Tajima
  • Patent number: 6231814
    Abstract: A magnetic material attracting/releasing control method makes use of a pipette device sucking a liquid from or discharging a liquid into a container. A magnet body or bodies are provided in a liquid suction line of the pipette device, and any magnetic material contained in liquid sucked into the liquid suction line by magnetic force are deposited on the internal surface of the line. The magnetic material is released and discharged together with liquid from the liquid suction line to a state where the effect of the magnetic force generated by the magnet body is cut off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: Precision System Science Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideji Tajima
  • Patent number: 6143250
    Abstract: A multiple vessel container for testing fluids comprises a gap part formed to have a width smaller than the caliber of a front end portion of a liquid sucking/discharging line. The gap part has a shape capable of aspirating and discharging all liquid through the front end portion of the line, even when the front end portion is in contact with the inside bottom of the container. The container is formed such that, upon fluid discharging, reaction between a sample and a reagent can be made uniform by discharging and diffusing aspirated liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Precision System Science Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideji Tajima
  • Patent number: 6133037
    Abstract: A magnetic material attracting/releasing control method makes use of a pipette device sucking a liquid from or discharging a liquid into a container. A magnet body or bodies are provided in a liquid suction line of the pipette device, and any magnetic material contained in liquid sucked into the liquid suction line by magnetic force are deposited on the internal surface of the line. The magnetic material is released and discharged together with liquid from the liquid suction line to a state where the effect of the magnetic force generated by the magnet body is cut off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Precision System Science Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideji Tajima
  • Patent number: 6123903
    Abstract: This invention provides a measuring apparatus that allows measurements of light in various inspections based on different light generating principles to be performed by a single measuring apparatus and thus widens the range of reagents that can be used, increasing the versatility of this single measuring apparatus and significantly enhancing its usefulness for users and reagent manufacturers. The measuring apparatus of this invention comprises: a light receiving unit and/or a light receiving unit holder connected to a light measuring device; a nozzle holder holding a nozzle for injecting reagents including luminescent reagents into a container; and a container containing a specimen and/or a container holder; wherein the container or container holder and the light receiving unit or light receiving unit holder, and/or the nozzle holder are coupled together to form an enclosed space shielded from external light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: Precision System Science Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideji Tajima
  • Patent number: 6100094
    Abstract: In the present invention, a disposable tip or a tip of a cleaning system is attached to a lower edge section of a nozzle, and the nozzle detects a liquid level by receiving fluctuation of a light close to the disposable tip or to an opening section at a lower end of the tip in the cleaning system, for instance, a light reflected from the liquid surface. In the present invention, not only the liquid level is detected, but also a liquid is filled in the disposable tip or the tip of a cleaning system detachably attached to the nozzle, a light is passed through the liquid in the disposable tip or the tip of a cleaning system, and a change of a light amount of the sucked liquid is detected, so that, for instance, a suction rate of the liquid, transparency thereof, contaminated by bubbles therein, clogging and a state wherein water has been exhausted are determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Precision System Science Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideji Tajima
  • Patent number: 6100079
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are described for purifying and separating biopolymers from a homogenized biological milieu using a pipette tip. The biopolymers are complexed with first magnetic particles. A magnet is applied to the pipette tip to attract the biopolymer/magnetic particle complex to the inner surface of the pipette tip adjacent to the magnet for separation from the biological milieu. The magnet is removed and the magnetic particles dissociated and removed from the biopolymers. Second magnetic particles are bound to the biopolymers. The magnet is replaced against the exterior surface of the pipette tip, thereby attracting the bound biopolymers to the inner surface of the pipette tip adjacent to the magnet to allow separation from impurities. The biopolymers are then labeled for detection, which may include detecting the concentration and identity of the biopolymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Precision System Science Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideji Tajima
  • Patent number: 6096554
    Abstract: A magnetic material attracting/releasing control method makes use of a pipette device sucking a liquid from or discharging a liquid into a container. A magnet body or bodies are provided in a liquid suction line of the pipette device, and any magnetic material contained in liquid sucked into the liquid suction line by magnetic force are deposited on the internal surface of the line. The magnetic material is released and discharged together with liquid from the liquid suction line to a state where the effect of the magnetic force generated by the magnet body is cut off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Precision System Science Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideji Tajima
  • Patent number: 5919706
    Abstract: In the present invention, a disposable tip or a tip of a cleaning system is attached to a lower edge section of a nozzle, and the nozzle detects a liquid level by receiving fluctuation of a light close to the disposable tip or to an opening section at a lower end of the tip in the cleaning system, for instance, a light reflected from the liquid surface. In the present invention, not only the liquid level is detected, but also a liquid is filled in the disposable tip or the tip of a cleaning system detachably attached to the nozzle, a light is passed through the liquid in the disposable tip or the tip of a cleaning system, and a change of a light amount of the sucked liquid is detected, so that, for instance, a suction rate of the liquid, transparency thereof, contaminated by bubbles therein, clogging and a state wherein water has been exhausted are determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Assignee: Precision System Science Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideji Tajima
  • Patent number: 5895631
    Abstract: The present invention is a liquid processing method making use of a pipette device which sucks a liquid containing a target high molecular substance from inside of a vessel through a chip detachably set on a sucking port or a discharging port of a liquid sucking/discharging line and transfers this liquid or target high molecular substance to the next target processing position for the purpose to execute such works as quantifying, separating, taking out, pipetting, clarifying, condensing, and diluting a liquid or a target high molecular substance contained in a liquid and also such works as extracting, recovering, and isolating the target high molecular substance by means of sucking and discharging a liquid with a pipette device and controls by a magnetic body over magnetic particles and/or a filter combined according to the necessity, and the chip can isolate the target high molecular substance by having the substance attracted onto magnetic particles or with a filter set on each chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Assignee: Precision System Science Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideji Tajima
  • Patent number: 5702950
    Abstract: A magnetic material attracting/releasing control method makes use of a pipette device sucking a liquid from or discharging a liquid into a container. A magnet body or bodies are provided in a liquid suction line of the pipette device, and any magnetic material contained in liquid sucked into the liquid suction line by magnetic force are deposited on the internal surface of the line. The magnetic material is released and discharged together with liquid from the liquid suction line to a state where the effect of the magnetic force generated by the magnet body is cut off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1997
    Assignee: Precision System Science Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideji Tajima
  • Patent number: D414562
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: Precision System Science Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideji Tajima