Abstract: A boundary calculating unit is provided for determining boundaries between separated plasma and blood cell or air and plasma whose image is picked up by an image pickup unit. With such boundary calculating unit provided, the boundaries between the separated plasma and blood cell or air and plasma can be determined, and areas of the separated air, plasma, and blood cell can be determined accurately. Particularly, a straight line drawing unit is provided for drawing, on the image picked up, a plurality of straight lines parallel to grooves in a disk which performs plasma separation. The boundary calculating unit can easily determine the boundaries by determining the boundaries based on a profile of the plurality of straight lines drawn by the straight line drawing unit.

Abstract: A blood collecting apparatus includes a cleaning solution piping. The cleaning solution piping feeds into a flow path a heparin solution which is a liquid other than blood to be measured, in order to return the blood present in the flow path to a catheter disposed upstream of a blood inlet of the flow path. Thus, the blood having flowed into the flow path in an amount more than is necessary for blood collection, which corresponds to a portion returned to the upstream catheter of the blood to be measured present in the flow path, can be used in a next blood collection. As a result, the amount of collected blood can be reduced. The liquid to be measured is separated apart by means of a gas, and the flow path is cleaned in a way to leave no impurities in the flow path, thereby preventing impurities from mixing into the liquid to be measured.

Abstract: A blood collecting apparatus includes a main flow path and a pressure generator. The pressure generator is provided in an intermediate position of the main flow path to insert a gas as separators at designated predetermined intervals, thereby to take out blood to be measured, as separated in a time series. The blood can be taken out in minute volumes by inserting the separators consisting of the gas while feeding the blood continuously into the main flow path in this way. And consumption of the blood can be held down, and the amount of collected blood can be minimized. Since the operation to insert the separators is excellent in speed, repeated collection in a short time, i.e. frequency of blood collection, can be secured.

Abstract: A boundary calculating unit is provided for determining boundaries between separated plasma and blood cell or air and plasma whose image is picked up by an image pickup unit. With such boundary calculating unit provided, the boundaries between the separated plasma and blood cell or air and plasma can be determined, and areas of the separated air, plasma, and blood cell can be determined accurately. Particularly, a straight line drawing unit is provided for drawing, on the image picked up, a plurality of straight lines parallel to grooves in a disk which performs plasma separation. The boundary calculating unit can easily determine the boundaries by determining the boundaries based on a profile of the plurality of straight lines drawn by the straight line drawing unit.

Abstract: A blood collecting apparatus includes a cleaning solution piping. The cleaning solution piping feeds into a flow path a heparin solution which is a liquid other than blood to be measured, in order to return the blood present in the flow path to a catheter disposed upstream of a blood inlet of the flow path. Thus, the blood having flowed into the flow path in an amount more than is necessary for blood collection, which corresponds to a portion returned to the upstream catheter of the blood to be measured present in the flow path, can be used in a next blood collection. As a result, the amount of collected blood can be reduced. The liquid to be measured is separated apart by means of a gas, and the flow path is cleaned in a way to leave no impurities in the flow path, thereby preventing impurities from mixing into the liquid to be measured.

Abstract: A blood collecting apparatus includes a main flow path and a pressure generator. The pressure generator is provided in an intermediate position of the main flow path to insert a gas as separators at designated predetermined intervals, thereby to take out blood to be measured, as separated in a time series. The blood can be taken out in minute volumes by inserting the separators consisting of the gas while feeding the blood continuously into the main flow path in this way. And consumption of the blood can be held down, and the amount of collected blood can be minimized. Since the operation to insert the separators is excellent in speed, repeated collection in a short time, i.e. frequency of blood collection, can be secured.