Abstract: An automated analyzer is provided that includes a sample probe for dispensing a substance to be dispensed into a plurality of reaction vessels for causing a sample to be analyzed to react with a reagent, a measurement unit (e.g., light source, spectrophotometer, and control device) for measuring a reaction liquid produced from the sample and reagent in a reaction vessel, a cleaning tank for probe cleaning, and a control device for controlling the operation of the probe, measurement unit, and cleaning tank. The cleaning tank includes a cleaning pool for storing cleaning water for immersing and cleaning the probe and a drying tank for sucking up the cleaning water on the surface of the probe after the probe has been immersed in the cleaning water of the cleaning water pool and cleaned. As a result, it is possible to reduce the amount of cleaning water used to clean the probe.

Abstract: Provided is a novel electrically conductive adhesive which can yield a sintered body having low resistivity despite containing a thermosetting resin in addition to silver particles. This electrically conductive adhesive contains silver particles and a thermosetting resin. The silver particles are provided with a protective layer that contains a compound represented by general formula (1). [In general formula (1), R1 is an alkyl group having 1-5 carbon atoms, and R2 is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1-5 carbon atoms.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a test method capable of efficiently performing a step of evaluating a surface state of a dispensing probe provided in a dispensing apparatus. In the test method according to the present invention, a first solution in which a coloring matter is dissolved is dispensed to a first container in advance by a first dispensing probe, a second solution in which a coloring matter is not dissolved is dispensed to a second container in advance by the first dispensing probe and then the first solution and the second solution are respectively sucked and discharged by a second dispensing probe. After that, a surface state of the second dispensing probe is evaluated by acquiring an amount of the coloring matter collected by the second solution (see FIG. 2).

Abstract: A method of washing an aspiration probe of an in-vitro diagnostic system is disclosed. The aspiration probe comprises an outer surface and an inner surface forming an inner space for receiving a fluid. The method comprises dipping the aspiration probe into a first wash fluid so that the outer surface is immersed at least in part into the first wash fluid, aspirating an amount of the first wash fluid into the inner space of the aspiration probe, propagating an ultrasonic vibration to the outer surface of the aspiration probe via the first wash fluid, and rinsing the outer surface and the inner surface of the aspiration probe with a second wash fluid. Further, an in-vitro diagnostic method and an in-vitro diagnostic system are disclosed.

Abstract: A nozzle cleaner includes: a cleaning tank which stores a cleaning solution; a first conductive member that is disposed to be immersed into the cleaning solution stored in the cleaning tank when the nozzle is cleaned; an ultrasonic wave generating mechanism which is disposed so that at least a part of a second conductive member is immersed into the cleaning solution stored in the cleaning tank when the nozzle is cleaned and generates an ultrasonic vibration in the cleaning solution stored in the cleaning tank; a first voltage control unit which controls a potential applied to the first conductive member; and a second voltage control unit which controls a potential applied to the second conductive member, wherein the first voltage control unit applies a second potential V2 higher than a first potential V1 applied to the nozzle when the nozzle is cleaned to the first conductive member.

Abstract: Provided is an electroconductive adhesive with which, when made into an electroconductive adhesive and sintered suitably at low temperature even without pressurization during sintering of the electroconductive adhesive, a sintered body having high denseness and mechanical strength (shear strength) is formed. An electroconductive adhesive containing silver particles A having an average particle size of less than 40 nm, silver particles B having an average particle size in the range of 40 nm to less than 500 nm, silver particles C having an average particle size in the range of 0.5 to less than 5.5 ?m, and a solvent, wherein the mass ratio of silver particles A:silver particles B:silver particles C is 1-20:30-60:40-70.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a technology in which an amount of pigment carried from a pigment solution can be accurately measured at the time of testing a surface state of a dispensing probe on the basis of the amount of carried pigment. In a test method according to the present invention, a surface state of a dispensing probe is evaluated on the basis of an amount of pigment carried from an acidic pigment solution into a solution including no pigment.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electroconductive adhesive which is desirably sintered at low temperatures even without pressurization during the sintering of the electroconductive adhesive, and which forms a sintered body that has high denseness and high mechanical strength (shear strength) if used as an electroconductive adhesive. An electroconductive adhesive which contains a solvent and silver particles that have an average particle diameter within the range of from 20 nm (inclusive) to 500 nm (exclusive), wherein the moisture content in the electroconductive adhesive is 1,300 ppm or less.

Abstract: When the automatic analyzer is installed in an environment with a high altitude and different external atmospheric pressures, there is a problem that an amount of vacuum suction decreases due to a decrease in suction performance of a vacuum pump and it is difficult to perform vacuum suction of an analyzed reaction liquid. In view of the above, by newly providing a pressure adjustment mechanism within a flow path connecting a vacuum tank to vacuum pump, it possible to control the pressure difference between a pressure in the vacuum tank and an external atmospheric pressure where the analyzer is installed to be constant regardless of the installation environment. Additionally, by providing a hole in communication with the outside in the vacuum tank or a vacuum bin, it possible to control the pressure difference between the pressure in the vacuum tank and the external atmospheric pressure where the analyzer is installed to be constant regardless of the installation environment.

Abstract: To obtain a highly reliable measurement result, this invention is characterized by comprising: an automated analyzer (100) having a sample probe (122) for drawing in and discharging a sample and a sample probe cleaning unit (110) having a sample dispensing unit (121) for at least moving the sample probe (122) from the position of a sample container (152) in which the sample is accommodated to the position of a reaction container (131) into which the sample is to be dispensed, and being configured to carry out first cleaning in which cleaning water is discharged around the sample probe (122) between the drawing in of the sample from the sample container (152) and the discharging of the sample into the reaction container (131); and a controller (200) for controlling the discharging and stopping of the cleaning water in the first cleaning for a prescribed inspection item.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel silver particles that when used as a conductive adhesive, are satisfactorily sintered at a low temperature without application of pressure during sintering of the conductive adhesive, and form a sintered body with high denseness and high mechanical strength (shear strength). Silver particles comprising silver particles A with an average particle diameter in the range of 50 to 500 nm, and silver particles B with an average particle diameter in the range of 0.5 to 5.5 ?m, wherein the silver particles satisfy a relationship in which the average particle diameter of the silver particles B is 5 to 11 times the average particle diameter of the silver particles A.

Abstract: An ultrasonic cleaner according to the present invention includes a vibrating part 222 for enlarging ultrasonic vibration of a bolt-clamped Langevin type transducer (BLT) 100 on a side surface side in a cleaning tank 211, generates cavitation by the ultrasonic vibration with respect to cleaning liquid supplied into the cleaning tank 211 by driving the BLT 100 on the periphery of a nozzle without unevenness, and is capable of performing effective nozzle cleaning.

Abstract: Since a detergent is a consumption article, it is desirable that a use amount of the detergent be as small as possible in a limit that the washing effect is not substantially reduced. Provided is an automatic analyzer which includes a syringe pump which is connected to a probe and performs the body aspiration and discharge, a feed pump which feeds washing water for washing the inside of the probe to the probe via the syringe pump and a controller which controls the dispensing mechanism and the syringe pump, in which the controller, in a case of washing the probe by sucking a detergent in the probe a plurality of times, controls the syringe pump so as to discharge the detergent after sucking the detergent and to suck the next detergent without feeding the washing water to the probe by the feed pump.

Abstract: Provided is a connection module with a high degree of freedom for an automatic analyzer which does not depend on a device as a discharge destination. For this purpose, a module to be connected to an automatic analyzer with a rack rotor mechanism includes: a rack discharge mechanism for moving a rack from the rack rotor mechanism to a rotation holder; a rack rotating mechanism for rotating the rack moved to the rotation holder; a conveyor mechanism for transporting the rack from the rack rotating mechanism to a discharge port; and a feeder mechanism for pushing the rack out of the rotation holder to the conveyor mechanism, in which the rack rotating mechanism rotates the rotation holder from a direction parallel to the rack discharge mechanism to a direction parallel to the feeder mechanism and the conveyor mechanism in the selected rotation direction.

Abstract: A reagent-bottle lid opening mechanism is disclosed, which has a needle for piercing a lid of a reagent bottle to be delivered to a reagent disk, has an aligning mechanism of automatically adjusting a position of the needle with respect to the lid such that a needle body of the needle can stick in the center of the lid, and accurately and repeatedly makes an incision in the center of the lid. As a result, an automatic analyzer is provided that is capable of unsealing the center of the lid of the reagent bottle with accuracy even if the central axis of the needle and the central axis of the lid are offset from each other.

Abstract: A method of washing an aspiration probe of an in-vitro diagnostic system is disclosed. The aspiration probe comprises an outer surface and an inner surface forming an inner space for receiving a fluid. The method comprises dipping the aspiration probe into a first wash fluid so that the outer surface is immersed at least in part into the first wash fluid, aspirating an amount of the first wash fluid into the inner space of the aspiration probe, propagating an ultrasonic vibration to the outer surface of the aspiration probe via the first wash fluid, and rinsing the outer surface and the inner surface of the aspiration probe with a second wash fluid. Further, an in-vitro diagnostic method and an in-vitro diagnostic system are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention is provided with: a sample rack body in which test tubes are inserted from insertion openings; a plurality of leaf springs that are provided to the sample rack body and press and hold the test tubes; and adaptors inserted from the insertion openings. The adaptors respectively have cylindrical bodies inserted from the insertion openings. The cylindrical bodies each have formed therein notch sections which cause the corresponding leaf spring to pass through a portion at which the leaf spring is in contact with the test tube and cause the test tube having a small outer diameter than the insertion opening to be held by the leaf spring.

Abstract: An ultrasonic cleaner includes: a cleaning tank; an ultrasonic transducer; a vibration head which extends from the ultrasonic transducer toward the cleaning tank and of which a tip portion includes a cylindrical hole having a longitudinal direction aligned to a vertical direction; and an air layer or a metallic member that is provided in an area formed by projecting at least the vibration head in the vertical direction under the cleaning tank, wherein the ultrasonic transducer is driven at a frequency at which the vibration head is vibrated resonantly in a vibration mode accompanied by a deformation in the longitudinal direction of the cylindrical hole and a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, wherein an area formed by projecting at least the vibration head in the vertical direction in a bottom portion of the cleaning tank is formed of a material mainly including resin.