Patents by Inventor Masaaki Hanawa

Masaaki Hanawa has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20120183438
    Abstract: The automatic analyzer includes: a first reagent container storage section storing a plurality of reagent containers; a regent dispensing mechanism for dispensing a reagent from a reagent container stored in the first reagent container storage section; a second reagent container storage section storing a plurality of reagent containers; a reagent container transfer mechanism for transferring a reagent container selected from among reagent containers stored in the second reagent container storage section to the first reagent container storage section; and a controller configured to control the reagent container transfer mechanism to transfer a reagent container from the second reagent container storage section to the first reagent container storage section on the basis of a predetermined priority condition. The predetermined priority condition is one of a reagent provided with an effective calibration curve result, a number of remaining tests, and an expiration date of a reagent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaki SHIBA, Masaaki HANAWA, Masaharu NISHIDA, Hitoshi OTAKE
  • Publication number: 20120177547
    Abstract: An empty rack transport line is arranged at a lower stage and independent of a main transport line, a fast emergency line and a reverse line. In a rack stocker, an inclined transport line connects the empty rack transport line to the rack stocker. The rack stocker is arranged between a storage module and a loading module. The rack stocker is capable of continuously supplying and collecting empty racks, while transport lines do not cross each other. It is, therefore, possible to continuously supply and collect empty racks in a simple configuration, without an increase in the size system, an intersection of transport lines and a reduction in processing capability. In addition, it is possible to provide an automated sample testing system that is highly extendable for a facility size.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tatsuya Fukugaki, Masaaki Hanawa, Hiroshi Ohga
  • Patent number: 8197754
    Abstract: The invention provides a small-sized automatic analyzer being compact, enabling a large number of analysis items to be carried out, and having a high processing speed. The automatic analyzer is particularly suitably applied to a medical analyzer used for qualitative/quantitative analysis of living body samples, such as urine and blood. A plurality of sample dispensing mechanism s capable of being operated independently of each other are provided to suck a sample from any one of a plurality of sample suction positions and to discharge the sucked sample to any one of a plurality of positions on a reaction disk. The automatic analyzer having a high processing capability can be thus realized without increasing the system size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Hideyuki Yanami, Isao Yamazaki, Masaaki Hanawa, Hitoshi Otake
  • Patent number: 8158058
    Abstract: An automatic analyzer is disclosed that includes a supplementary reagent storage section and reagent bottle transfer mechanism besides an analysis reagent storage section, and that, by managing information on reagents stored in these two reagent storage sections, is capable of automating reagent management such as reagent replacing work, thereby reducing the burden on an operator, minimizing the interruption of an analysis due to reagent registration and reagent replacement, mounting many reagents thereon, and achieving a high throughput.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Shiba, Masaaki Hanawa, Masaharu Nishida, Hitoshi Otake
  • Publication number: 20120070343
    Abstract: An automatic analyzer includes a plurality of reagent disks having reagent containers thereon, a reaction disk having a plurality of reaction cuvettes and a plurality of reagent dispensing probes arranged on each of the reagent disks. Each of the dispensing probes includes a first arm rotatable about a first rotary shaft and a second arm rotatable about a second rotary shaft arranged on the first arm with the arms being rotatable independently of each other. A mechanism analyzes reactions of the reagents and samples in the cuvettes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hitoshi Tokieda, Isao Yamazaki, Masaaki Hanawa
  • Patent number: 8071025
    Abstract: An automatic analyzer having a smaller size, allowing a larger number of reagents to be loaded, and having a higher processing capability. Reagent disks are disposed inside and outside a reaction disk. Reagent probes are disposed to be able to suck reagents from the reagent disks and eject the reagents at common positions. 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, and the number of loadable reagents can be increased without enlarging an overall system size. Thus, an automatic analyzer having a shorter cycle time and a higher processing capability can be realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Tokieda, Isao Yamazaki, Masaaki Hanawa
  • Patent number: 7887751
    Abstract: A reagent cassette used in an automatic analyzer for a clinical examination room, which provides an analysis environment enabling an operator to select reagent bottles with proper capacities depending on the number of tests to be performed in each different type of facility and to properly set reagents with ease. In the automatic analyzer comprising a sample pipetting section, a reagent pipetting section, a reaction cuvette, etc., one component in a sample is analyzed by using the reagent cassette in which one or a plurality of reagent bottles containing two or more types of reagents are combined together. The reagent cassette is provided with a reagent identifier including information regarding the presence or absence of a reagent opening of the reagent bottle for each of a plurality of positions of the openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Tomonori Mimura, Masaaki Hanawa, Masaharu Nishida, Yoshiaki Igarashi, Yoshimitsu Takagi
  • Publication number: 20110014085
    Abstract: The invention provides a small-sized automatic analyzer being compact, enabling a large number of analysis items to be carried out, and having a high processing speed. The automatic analyzer is particularly suitably applied to a medical analyzer used for qualitative/quantitative analysis of living body samples, such as urine and blood. A plurality of sample dispensing mechanism s capable of being operated independently of each other are provided to suck a sample from any one of a plurality of sample suction positions and to discharge the sucked sample to any one of a plurality of positions on a reaction disk. The automatic analyzer having a high processing capability can be thus realized without increasing the system size.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Yanami, Isao Yamazaki, Masaaki Hanawa, Hitoshi Otake
  • Patent number: 7824915
    Abstract: The invention provides a small-sized automatic analyzer being compact, enabling a large number of analysis items to be carried out, and having a high processing speed. The automatic analyzer is particularly suitably applied to a medical analyzer used for qualitative/quantitative analysis of living body samples, such as urine and blood. A plurality of sample dispensing mechanism s capable of being operated independently of each other are provided to suck a sample from any one of a plurality of sample suction positions and to discharge the sucked sample to any one of a plurality of positions on a reaction disk. The automatic analyzer having a high processing capability can be thus realized without increasing the system size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Yanami, Isao Yamazaki, Masaaki Hanawa, Hitoshi Otake
  • Patent number: 7749441
    Abstract: An automatic analyzer is disclosed that dispenses a sample and a reagent into each of a plurality of reaction vessels to allow them to react with each other, and that measures the liquid formed as a result of the reaction. This automatic analyzer includes a first reagent storage case for storing the reagent to be used for the reaction, a second reagent storage case for storing the reagent for supplemental purpose, and a reagent conveying unit for conveying the reagent from the second reagent storage case to the first reagent storage case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignees: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation, Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Masaaki Hanawa, Isao Yamazaki, Hitoshi Tokieda, Masaharu Nishida, Masaki Shiba, Heino Eikmeier, Dietmar Kappelhoff, Christoph Möllers, Stephan Sattler
  • Publication number: 20060062692
    Abstract: An automatic analyzer having a smaller size, allowing a larger number of reagents to be loaded, and having a higher processing capability. Reagent disks are disposed inside and outside a reaction disk. Reagent probes are disposed to be able to suck reagents from the reagent disks and eject the reagents at common positions. 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, and the number of loadable reagents can be increased without enlarging an overall system size. Thus, an automatic analyzer having a shorter cycle time and a higher processing capability can be realized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2005
    Publication date: March 23, 2006
    Inventors: Hitoshi Tokieda, Isao Yamazaki, Masaaki Hanawa
  • Publication number: 20050207938
    Abstract: An automatic analyzer is disclosed that dispenses a sample and a reagent into each of a plurality of reaction vessels to allow them to react with each other, and that measures the liquid formed as a result of the reaction. This automatic analyzer includes a first reagent storage case for storing the reagent to be used for the reaction, a second reagent storage case for storing the reagent for supplemental purpose, and a reagent conveying unit for conveying the reagent from the second reagent storage case to the first reagent storage case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2004
    Publication date: September 22, 2005
    Inventors: Masaaki Hanawa, Isao Yamazaki, Hitoshi Tokieda, Masaharu Nishida, Masaki Shiba, Heino Eikmeier, Dietmar Kappelhoff, Christoph Mollers, Stephan Sattler
  • Publication number: 20050142040
    Abstract: A reagent container used for automatic analysis in an automatic analyzer, which enables reagents to be set with ease and which can increase flexibility in selecting combinations of the reagents. In an automatic analyzer for analyzing components of a biological sample by using two or more kinds of reagents, reagent containers containing the two or more kinds of reagents are jointed into one reagent cassette with the aid of a recess and a projection provided in and on the reagent containers, a reagent holder, bonding, tape binding, etc. Thus, a plurality of reagents used for one analysis item are combined with each other in one cassette corresponding to one analysis item. A reagent container for use in automatic analysis, which is easy to handle and highly flexible in setting of reagents, can be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Publication date: June 30, 2005
    Inventors: Masaaki Hanawa, Isao Yamazaki, Hitoshi Tokieda, Tomonori Mimura, Tadashi Oishi, Yoshiaki Igarashi, Masaharu Nishida, Takeshi Sato
  • Publication number: 20050084426
    Abstract: A reagent cassette used in an automatic analyzer for a clinical examination room, which provides an analysis environment enabling an operator to select reagent bottles with proper capacities depending on the number of tests to be performed in each different type of facility and to properly set reagents with ease. In the automatic analyzer comprising a sample pipetting section, a reagent pipetting section, a reaction cuvette, etc., one component in a sample is analyzed by using the reagent cassette in which one or a plurality of reagent bottles containing two or more types of reagents are combined together. The reagent cassette is provided with a reagent identifier including information regarding the presence or absence of a reagent opening of the reagent bottle for each of a plurality of positions of the openings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2004
    Publication date: April 21, 2005
    Inventors: Tomonori Mimura, Masaaki Hanawa, Masaharu Nishida, Yoshiaki Igarashi, Yoshimitsu Takagi
  • Publication number: 20040253146
    Abstract: An automatic analyzer is disclosed that includes a supplementary reagent storage section and reagent bottle transfer mechanism besides an analysis reagent storage section, and that, by managing information on reagents stored in these two regent storage sections, is capable of automating reagent management such as reagent replacing work, thereby reducing the burden on an operator, minimizing the interruption of an analysis due to reagent registration and reagent replacement, mounting many reagents thereon, and achieving a high throughput.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Inventors: Masaki Shiba, Masaaki Hanawa, Masaharu Nishida, Hitoshi Otake
  • Publication number: 20040245275
    Abstract: The invention provides a small-sized automatic analyzer being compact, enabling a large number of analysis items to be carried out, and having a high processing speed. The automatic analyzer is particularly suitably applied to a medical analyzer used for qualitative/quantitative analysis of living body samples, such as urine and blood. A plurality of sample dispensing mechanism s capable of being operated independently of each other are provided to suck a sample from any one of a plurality of sample suction positions and to discharge the sucked sample to any one of a plurality of positions on a reaction disk. The automatic analyzer having a high processing capability can be thus realized without increasing the system size.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventors: Hideyuki Yanami, Isao Yamazaki, Masaaki Hanawa, Hitoshi Otake
  • Publication number: 20040186360
    Abstract: The invention provides an automatic analyzer which can realize efficient continuous measurement on many samples and shorten a waiting time to analysis, particularly, for a sample having a high degree of urgency. The automatic analyzer comprises a conveyer line capable of moving a sample rack back and forth, a randomly accessible buffer disposed at each of both ends of the conveyer line, and an analysis unit connected to the conveyer line. In the automatic analyzer with high performance, a sufficient area for use as, e.g., a re-analysis buffer, can be ensured while realizing a compact system size. The analysis system is also promptly adaptable for an analysis request for an urgent sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2004
    Publication date: September 23, 2004
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Suzuki, Satoshi Shibuya, Isao Yamazaki, Masaaki Hanawa, Masaharu Nishida
  • Patent number: 6117392
    Abstract: A sample of a sample rack is sampled at analyzing units in the middle of a transfer line. A standby unit and a rack collecting unit are arranged near an exit of the transfer line. After sampling, sample racks are sorted out to the standby unit or the rack collecting unit at a first switching unit. The racks contained in the standby unit are sorted out to a returning line or the rack collecting unit in a second switching unit corresponding to a judged result of whether or not reexamination is required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Hanawa, Hiroshi Mitsumaki, Tadashi Ohishi, Susumu Kai, Hiroshi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6024984
    Abstract: A composition containing natural drugs is disclosed. The composition is effective for relieving physical and mental fatigue and for ameliorating a weakened constitution without any side effects, even if administered for a long time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2000
    Assignee: Taisho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Hanawa, Hideaki Kitajima, Kenji Tsunoda
  • Patent number: 6019945
    Abstract: A sample analysis system includes blood serum analysis units, blood plasma analysis units and urine analysis units which are arranged along a main conveyor line. The width size of each analysis unit on the side along the main conveyor line is the same. Each analysis unit can be removed integral with a sampling line and its rack transfer device from, the main conveyor line. Removed analysis units can be replaced by each other without changing the entry and exit positions for the sample rack. The conveyor line has the same number of line frame segments as the number of the analysis units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: Hitachi Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadashi Ohishi, Masaaki Hanawa, Susumu Kai, Hiroshi Mitsumaki, Hideyuki Yanami