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: An automatic analyzer is capable of controlling the gap between the tip of the sample nozzle and the bottom surface of the reaction container and restricting the sample attached to the tip of the sample nozzle. A movement distance of an arm is calculated and stored while the tip of the sample nozzle contacts a coordinate measurement stand until a stop position detector detects a stop position detection plate. The sample nozzle is moved toward the bottom surface of the reaction container and is stopped at the time when the stop position detector detects the stop position detection plate. The arm is moved upwardly for the movement distance stored in memory from this position. The sample nozzle can be stopped such that the tip of the sample nozzle is contacted to the bottom surface of the reaction container and the bend (warp) of the sample nozzle is restricted.

Abstract: With the increase in the speed of operation of a device, it is necessary to perform washing to drying for a wide range of a probe in a short time. A probe, a washing nozzle which ejects a washing liquid, a vacuum nozzle which sucks air, a washing tank, which is connected to the washing nozzle and the vacuum nozzle, and in which washing and drying of the probe is performed by ejecting the washing liquid from the washing nozzle and then sucking air by the vacuum nozzle, a waste liquid flow path, which is connected to the washing tank, and into which the washing liquid is discharged, and a shielding member 100 which shields a flow path between the washing tank and the waste liquid flow path after the washing liquid is ejected from the washing nozzle.

Abstract: An automated analyzer maintains high processing capacity and dispensation accuracy even when items requiring dilution/pretreatment and general reaction measurement are mixed. A plurality of sample dispensing mechanisms are independently driven and each include a sample collection position, a sample nozzle for collecting the sample, and a washing tank for washing the sample nozzle. The sample dispensing mechanisms are configured to collect the sample from a plurality of sample collection positions and are operated independently to perform sample dispensation into reaction containers on a reaction disc. At least one of the sample dispensing mechanisms is provided for each of a sample requiring dilution/pretreatment and a sample that does not require dilution/pretreatment. The automated analyzer is provided with a control means for causing the respective mechanisms to be operated in a dedicated manner. The sample is dispensed such that no vacancy is created in the reaction containers.

Abstract: In a case where a sample container 15 has a rubber-made lid 35, if a sample nozzle descends and comes into contact with the lid, the sample nozzle is relatively moved inside an arm as far as a lid detection distance, and a detector detects a detection plate. A fact that the sample nozzle comes into contact with the lid is stored together with position information of the sample nozzle, into an operation commanding unit. The sample nozzle further continues to descend, and a suction operation of a sample is performed at a predetermined position. In a case where the sample nozzle collides with a frame portion of the lid and external force is applied thereto, the detector detects that the detection plate is relatively moved as far as the detection distance.

Abstract: An automated analyzer maintains high processing capacity and dispensation accuracy even when items requiring dilution/pretreatment and general reaction measurement are mixed. A plurality of sample dispensing mechanisms are independently driven and each include a sample collection position, a sample nozzle for collecting the sample, and a washing tank for washing the sample nozzle. The sample dispensing mechanisms are configured to collect the sample from a plurality of sample collection positions and are operated independently to perform sample dispensation into reaction containers on a reaction disc. At least one of the sample dispensing mechanisms is provided for each of a sample requiring dilution/pretreatment and a sample that does not require dilution/pretreatment. The automated analyzer is provided with a control means for causing the respective mechanisms to be operated in a dedicated manner. The sample is dispensed such that no vacancy is created in the reaction containers.

Abstract: A sample-processing system that improves total system processing efficiency, and reduces a sample-processing time, by establishing a functionally independent relationship between a rack conveyance block with rack supply, conveyance, and recovery functions, and a processing block with sample preprocessing, analysis, and other functions. A buffer unit with random accessibility to multiple racks standing by for processing is combined with each of multiple processing units to form a pair, and the system is constructed to load and unload racks into and from the buffer unit through the rack conveyance block so that one unprocessed rack is loaded into the buffer unit and then upon completion of process steps up to automatic retesting, unloaded from the buffer unit. Functional dependence between any processing unit and a conveyance unit is thus eliminated.

Abstract: A sample-processing system that improves total system processing efficiency, and reduces a sample-processing time, by establishing a functionally independent relationship between a rack conveyance block with rack supply, conveyance, and recovery functions, and a processing block with sample preprocessing, analysis, and other functions. A buffer unit with random accessibility to multiple racks standing by for processing is combined with each of multiple processing units to form a pair, and the system is constructed to load and unload racks into and from the buffer unit through the rack conveyance block so that one unprocessed rack is loaded into the buffer unit and then upon completion of process steps up to automatic retesting, unloaded from the buffer unit. Functional dependence between any processing unit and a conveyance unit is thus eliminated.

Abstract: An automatic analyzer is capable of ensuring sufficient nozzle cleaning and suppressing of deterioration in the accuracy of analysis. When it is judged that there remains no analysis item of the sample, a judgment is made on whether the sample dispensation quantity of the n-th sample dispensation is less than a dispensation quantity threshold value or not, and if less, a cleaning pattern is selected by making a judgment on whether or not all the sample dispensation quantities of the first through (n?1)-th sample dispensations are less than the dispensation quantity threshold value. If the sample dispensation quantity of the n-th sample dispensation is the dispensation quantity threshold value or more, another cleaning pattern selected by making the judgment on whether or not all the sample dispensation quantities of the first through (n?1)-th sample dispensations are less than the dispensation quantity threshold value.

Abstract: An automatic analyzer is provided that can promptly process a request for additional test items for a sample being analyzed or an error that has occurred in the sample. The automatic analyzer can output measurements of a sample analyzed, determine whether or not re-analyzing is necessary, and perform the re-analyzing. The automatic analyzer includes a buffer area for standby until analysis is completed and measurements are outputted. Each of analysis units includes a pair of buffer units that can randomly access the buffer area. The automatic analyzer further includes a position disposed near the buffer area, at which a sample can be unloaded and reloaded. A rack that stands by within the buffer area can be unloaded onto the unloading position by a command to unload issued by an operator. Subsequent reloading of the sample allows samples other than the sample in question to be analyzed continuously.

Abstract: An automatic analyzer having reagent disks disposed inside and outside a reaction disk. A plurality of reagent probes are alternately accessed one by one to each of the reagent disks per cycle. Each reagent probe comprises two arms rotatable independently of each other so that the reagent probe is able to access a plurality of points and interference between the plurality of reagent probes can be avoided. A first reagent and a second reagent can be loaded on each of the reagent disks.

Abstract: There is provided an analysis apparatus in which congestion does not occur and whose analysis efficiency is high as a whole even when the apparatus is an automatic analyzing apparatus to which a plurality of functional modules having different functions and process performances from each other are connected. Also, there is provided an automatic analysis system in which, even when a new functional module is added, it is not required to consider influence on the existing functional modules and restructure a carrying plan or others for improving process performances as a whole. Buffer units paired with the respective functional modules are connected to a specimen carrying line, and an operating-section computer issues an instruction for carrying to the respective functional modules in accordance with requests for specimens, so that carrying-in/out operations are performed as managing respective carrying-possible states among the buffer units and functional modules.

Abstract: An automated analyzer maintains high processing capacity and dispensation accuracy even when items requiring dilution/pretreatment and general reaction measurement are mixed. A plurality of sample dispensing mechanisms are independently driven and each include a sample collection position, a sample nozzle for collecting the sample, and a washing tank for washing the sample nozzle. The sample dispensing mechanisms are configured to collect the sample from a plurality of sample collection positions and are operated independently to perform sample dispensation into reaction containers on a reaction disc. At least one of the sample dispensing mechanisms is provided for each of a sample requiring dilution/pretreatment and a sample that does not require dilution/pretreatment. The automated analyzer is provided with a control means for causing the respective mechanisms to be operated in a dedicated manner. The sample is dispensed such that no vacancy is created in the reaction containers.

Abstract: An automatic analyzer is capable of controlling the gap between the tip of the sample nozzle and the bottom surface of the reaction container and restricting the sample attached to the tip of the sample nozzle. A movement distance of an arm is calculated and stored while the tip of the sample nozzle contacts a coordinate measurement stand until a stop position detector detects a stop position detection plate. The sample nozzle is moved toward the bottom surface of the reaction container and is stopped at the time when the stop position detector detects the stop position detection plate. The arm is moved upwardly for the movement distance stored in memory from this position. The sample nozzle can be stopped such that the tip of the sample nozzle is contacted to the bottom surface of the reaction container and the bend (warp) of the sample nozzle is restricted.

Abstract: In a sample-processing system that includes one or more function modules and one or more buffer units each combined as a pair with one of the function modules, in case of device stoppage due to failure, since a number of sample racks are held in the buffers, resetting involves a huge amount of time for storage of the racks. In addition, if the system configuration includes a plurality of buffer units, the resetting time increases with the number of buffer units. Sample rack ID reading means is provided in each buffer unit and during resetting, IDs of the sample racks in the buffer unit are read in the buffer unit. The buffer unit then uses the read information to make an inquiry to a control unit as to transport destinations of each sample rack. After this, sample processing based on transport destination instructions from the control unit is restarted using the buffer unit as a restarting position.