Patents Assigned to Toa Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
  • Patent number: 6379886
    Abstract: A diagnostic reagent for hepatitis C virus infection obtained by sensitizing a solid phase with HCV antigen and a conjugated antigen prepared by chemical bonding of HCV antigen and a carrier protein, and a method of diagnosing hepatitis C virus infection, which comprises adding the diagnostic reagent for hepatitis C virus infection to a sample, and measuring the degree of agglutination of carrier particles as the solid phase. The diagnostic reagent and the method of diagnosis enable many samples to be measured with higher sensitivity and rapidity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: TOA Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi Takahama, Junichi Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 5974338
    Abstract: A non-invasive blood analyzer includes a light source unit for irradiating a portion of a living body, the portion including a blood vessel, and includes an image capturing unit for capturing an image of the irradiated portion. An analyzing unit is included for setting an analysis region in the captured image and analyzing a blood vessel portion in the set analysis region. The image capturing unit captures images of the irradiated portion of the living body a plurality of times and the analyzing unit specifies analysis regions including the same blood vessel portions with respect to the captured images. The analyzing unit determines these regions based upon a position of a feature in sequential images and calculates at least one of blood vessel width, blood component concentration and blood component concentration ratio with respect to the blood vessel portion in each specified analysis region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Toa Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kaoru Asano, Yasuhiro Kouchi
  • Patent number: 5934278
    Abstract: A non-invasive blood analyzer includes a light applying device for applying light to a detection region including a blood vessel in a living body and a capturing device for capturing an image of the detection region to which the light is applied. Finally, an analyzing device is included for further processing the captured image to analyze blood cells in the blood vessel included in the detection region. Preferably, the analyzing device includes a reference image forming device for forming a reference image by using at least one of a plurality of images which the capturing device repeatedly captures with respect to the same detection region. In addition, it includes a differential image forming device for calculating a difference in pixel information between the reference image and one of the plurality of images to form a differential image by using the calculated difference as pixel information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: TOA Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ken Ishihara, Kaoru Asano, Yasunori Maekawa
  • Patent number: 5928949
    Abstract: A reagent and a method for classifying leukocytes with a flow cytometer by means of optical measurements on fluorochrome-stained blood cells are included.The reagent and the method are useful in the practice of clinical testing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Toa Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Sakata, Tomoyuki Kuroda
  • Patent number: 5905214
    Abstract: A particle detector includes: a flow cell having two chambers (A) and (B) communicating with each other via a through-hole, the chamber (A) having an inlet for a sheath liquid and the chamber (B) having an outlet for a waste liquid; a sheath liquid supplier; a nozzle for ejecting a particle-containing specimen with a tip portion of the nozzle being disposed at an appropriate position in the chamber (A), the nozzle being disposed coaxially with the flow cell and movable in an axial direction; an air cylinder for reciprocating the nozzle in the axial direction so as to switch between a sheath flow state for allowing the specimen and the sheath liquid to flow through the through-hole and a non sheath flow state for allowing only the specimen to flow through the through-hole; and a pair of electrodes for detecting a particle in the specimen when the specimen passes through the through-hole. Also, a particle analyzing apparatus including the particle detector is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Assignee: Toa Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Keiichi Inami
  • Patent number: 5896804
    Abstract: A compact syringe pump having a high quantitative accuracy and a high durability is provided. The syringe pump comprises a motor, a rotating cylinder, a moving element, a guide means for introducing the moving element in an axial direction of the rotating cylinder, a piston rod disposed on the moving element and a cylinder within which the piston rod moves, wherein the guide means comprises a guide pin extending through the moving element in the axial direction of the rotating cylinder and a pair of upper supporting member and lower supporting member for supporting both ends of the guide pin so that the guide pin becomes in parallel to the axial direction of the rotating cylinder, the upper supporting member rotatably supports the rotating cylinder at an upper end portion of the rotating cylinder and the lower supporting member rotatably supports the rotating cylinder at an upper surface portion of the bottom portion of the rotating cylinder, thereby preventing the rotating cylinder from swinging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1999
    Assignee: Toa Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Rokusaburo Kimura, Nobuhiro Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 5897837
    Abstract: A dispensing device, which may be used with an immunoassay apparatus, includes at least two dispensing pipettes for sucking and discharging liquid; a pipette elevating device for selectively raising and lowering each pipette along an elevating path thereof; a base for holding the pipette elevating device; a base moving device for moving the base; a washing vessel in which each pipette is alternately immersed to be cleaned; and a washing vessel moving device for allowing the washing vessel to selectively move between locations in the elevating paths of the pipettes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1999
    Assignee: TOA Medical Electronics Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshiteru Mizuno
  • Patent number: 5891731
    Abstract: A reagent for measuring reticulocytes which has at least one dye which specifically stains reticulocytes and at least one dye which specifically stains leukocytes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: TOA Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasumasa Akai, Yuji Itose, Kayo Hatanaka, Takashi Sakata
  • Patent number: 5891733
    Abstract: A reagent for analyzing solid components in urine comprising: (i) a buffer agent for maintaining pH at 5.0 to 9.0, (ii) an osmotic pressure compensating agent for maintaining osmotic pressure at 100 mOsm/kg to 600 mOsm/kg, (iii) a first dye which is a condensed benzene derivative, (iv) a second fluorescent dye capable of staining a damaged cell, and (v) a chelating agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: Toa Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Junya Inoue
  • Patent number: 5888823
    Abstract: A standard fluid for a flow cytometer which shows, after staining, almost the same fluorescence intensity and scattered light intensity as those of the cells to be assayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Assignee: Toa Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Teruya Matsumoto, Masakazu Fukuda
  • Patent number: 5879142
    Abstract: A fluid transfer system employing a roller pump for squeezing an elastically deformable tube by a roller to allow fluid to be transferred from a transfer source to a transfer destination, said fluid transfer system being characterized by comprising: a short-cut passageway connecting between an inlet passageway and an outlet passageway of said tube fitted onto said roller pump; and a passageway switching means for selectively bringing fluid into fluid communication with said short-cut passageway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Assignee: Toa Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Nobuhiro Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 5851487
    Abstract: A data checking apparatus receives and checks observation data on a plurality of observation items including first and second observation items. The observation data is obtained by analyzing a single object with a plurality of analyzers including first and second analyzers. The apparatus includes an input device for inputting, beforehand, correlation data indicating correlation among the plurality of observation items, a memory for storing the input correlation data, a judgment device for cross-checking the observation data on the plurality of items to judge as to whether the received observation data conforms to the stored correlation data, and an output device for outputting results of the judgment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1998
    Assignee: Toa Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Katayama, Chisato Itoh
  • Patent number: 5831723
    Abstract: A particle analyzer includes a sheath flow cell for converting a particle containing sample into a sample flow, a first light source for illuminating the sample flow by a continuous light, a light detecting element for detecting a light emitted from a particle illuminated by the first light source and for converting the light into a particle signal indicative of a characteristic of the particle, a second light source for illuminating the sample flow by a momentary light, an imaging device for capturing an image of a particle illuminated by the second light source, an analyzing section for performing particle analysis by employing the particle signal and the image of the particle as analysis data for analyzing the particle, and an inhibiting section for inhibiting the analyzing section from employing, as the analysis data, the particle signal obtained when the second light source illuminates the sample flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: TOA Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumio Kubota, Hideo Kusuzawa
  • Patent number: 5825477
    Abstract: A particle measuring apparatus includes a resistance detecting section for converting a sample solution containing particles into sample flow to detect an electric resistance thereof, an image capturing section for converting the sample solution into a flat flow to capture an image of the flat flow on a wider side thereof to obtain a particle image, and an analyzing section for analyzing a particle on the basis of the detected electric resistance and the captured particle image, the analyzing section including a first detecting section for detecting information on a volume of each particle from the detected electric resistance, a second detecting section for detecting information on a projected area of each particle from the captured particle image, a depth calculating section for calculating information on a depth dimension of the particle by using a first particle size distribution calculated on the basis of the information on the volume and a second particle size distribution calculated on the basis of the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Assignee: TOA Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dai Furuie
  • Patent number: 5824269
    Abstract: A flowcytometer includes a sheath flow cell for forming a sample stream containing particles; a detector for detecting the particle at a first area to generate a signal representative of the particle; an imaging device for capturing an image of the particle at a second area of the sample stream; a display; a calculator for calculating a plurality of characteristic parameters of each particle; a distribution preparation device for preparing a distribution of the characteristic parameters to display the distribution on the display; a designation device for previously designating a region in the distribution; a region memory for storing the designated region; a decision device for deciding whether the characteristic parameters of the particle detected at the first area by the detection means are located in the designated region stored in the region memory; an image controller for allowing the imaging device to imaging the particle when the characteristic parameters are located in the designated region; an image
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Assignee: Toa Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tokihiro Kosaka, Hiroyuki Nakamoto, Fumio Kubota
  • Patent number: 5821127
    Abstract: A compound represented by the formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is hydrogen atom or a lower alkyl group; R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are independently hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group or a lower alkoxy groups; R.sub.4 is hydrogen atom, an acyl group or a lower alkyl group; R.sub.5 is hydrogen atom or an optionally substituted lower alkyl group; Z is sulfur atom, oxygen atom or carbon atom substituted with a lower alkyl group; n is 1 or 2; and X.sup.- is an anion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Toa Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasumasa Akai, Kiminori Miyazaki, Takashi Sakata
  • Patent number: 5822062
    Abstract: A particle analyzer which can maintain optical characteristics of an optical system which is one component thereof at a fixed level for a long period of time is provided. In the particle analyzer comprising a flow cell for forming a sheathed sample flow containing particulate components; an irradiating optical system for irradiating a sheathed sample flow formed in the flow cell; and a light receiving optical system for receiving light emitted from the sheathed sample flow in the flow cell irradiated by the irradiating optical system, the light receiving optical system comprises a rod lens to which the light emitted from the sheathed sample flow in the flow cell enters and an entrance surface of the rod lens is curved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Toa Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideo Kusuzawa
  • Patent number: 5820824
    Abstract: An apparatus for efficiently mixing and sucking a sample capable of performing sucking collection from a sample plural times even when the amount of the sample contained in a vessel is small and requiring a shortened processing time, is provided comprising a first pipet having a through-hole for mixing a liquid sample contained in a vessel by sucking the liquid sample from the vessel through the through-hole and discharging the liquid sample thus sucked into the vessel; and a second pipet having a through-hole having an inner diameter different from that of the through-hole of the first pipet for collecting the sample from the vessel through the through-hole thereof by suction, the first and second pipets being integral with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Toa Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yosuke Tanaka
  • Patent number: 5804448
    Abstract: A method of staining cellular material where a sample containing the cellular material is stained with a stain solution containing a cyanine dye excitable by infrared rays to contrast its nuclear material from its cytoplasmic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Assignee: Toa Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fu-sheng Wang, Berend Houwen
  • Patent number: RE36074
    Abstract: A particle detector is designed to detect particles such as cells and blood corpuscles, and this particle detector includes means for passing and recovering a multilayer flow consisting of an inner layer A of conductive liquid specimen, a middle layer B of conductive first sheath liquid, and an outer layer C of nonconductive second sheath liquid surrounding them, in an orifice 12, and a pair of electrodes disposed on both sides of the orifice so as to contact the conductive liquid respectively. A detector circuit 44 is connected to the pair of electrodes so as to detect a particle signal on the basis of difference of electric impedance between the electrodes. The diameter of the orifice 12 is substantially the diameter of the middle layer. By varying the flow rate balance of the conductive liquids and nonconductive liquid, the diameter of the middle layer may be freely changed. Accordingly, the diameter of the orifice may be apparently changed as desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: Toa Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chihiro Kouzuki