Abstract: An ultrasonic cleaner according to the present invention includes a vibrating part 222 for enlarging ultrasonic vibration of a 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: In order to increase the accuracy of dispensing liquid from a sealed liquid holding container without increasing device complexity, pressures inside and outside the sealed liquid holding container are measured with a pressure sensor connected to a dispensing probe, and the amount of discharge operation of a pump is corrected in accordance with the measured pressures. The amount of operation of the pump is corrected by calculating the amount of deformation of a dispensing flow passageway due to pressure change.

Abstract: An automatic analysis device in which a probe is washed in a short period of time and the amount of washing water which may be mixed in at the time of suctioning of a succeeding liquid can be decreased. Washing water is supplied to a throttle portion of a washing tank from a washing nozzle. A reagent probe is inserted into the washing tank. Washing of the outside of the reagent probe, washing of the throttle portion, and a washing operation for the inside of the reagent probe are performed while a lowering operation of the reagent probe is performed. The automatic analysis device is configured to perform a drying operation by using vacuum nozzles even when the reagent probe is lifted, and thus, washing and drying operations of the reagent probe can be sped up and can be performed in a short period of time.

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: 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: A positively chargeable toner for electrostatic latent image development includes toner particles. The toner particles each include a toner core containing boron nitride and a shell layer disposed over a surface of the toner core. The boron nitride is contained in an amount of no less than 0.05% by mass and no greater than 35% by mass relative to total mass of the toner core. The boron nitride has a thermal conductivity of no less than 40 W/m·K and no greater than 220 W/m·K.

Abstract: To provide an automatic analyzer which is not influenced by fluidity or viscosity of a sample, and which can stably dispense the sample with dispensing accuracy by determining whether a flow route including a sample probe is in a stable and suction-available state when the sample is suctioned. In suction of the sample, before the sample is suctioned, in the flow route including the sample probe, the automatic analyzer determines whether the sample is in a suction-available state or in a suction-unavailable state, and performs cleaning on the flow route when it is determined that the sample is not in the suction-available state. Since the state in the flow route including the sample probe is determined before the sample is suctioned, the automatic analyzer can repeatedly perform a dispensing operation having improved reliability, without being influenced by the fluidity or the viscosity.

Abstract: An automatic analyzing apparatus is provided which includes a member 401 fixed at a predetermined level which presses down the sample container sealed with the sealing plug that is floated from the rack due to friction between the probe and the sealing plug when pulling out the probe from the sample container sealed with the sealing plug, and a mechanism 402 that pushes down, toward the rack, the sample container sealed with the floated sealing plug in which the sample container sealed with the floated sealing plug is transported by the transport line, and disposed on a path of the transport line until re-inspection is performed after pulling out the probe from the sample container sealed with the sealing plug.

Abstract: An electrostatic latent image developing toner includes toner particles that each include a toner core containing a binder resin and a shell layer disposed over a surface of the toner core. The binder resin includes a crystalline polyester resin and an amorphous polyester resin. The crystalline polyester resin has a melting point of at least 80° C. and no greater than 120° C. When the electrostatic latent image developing toner is measured using a differential scanning calorimeter, a glass transition point is observed in a first run but is not observed in a second run. The shell layer contains a resin including a thermosetting component and a thermoplastic component.

Abstract: A pressure sensor detects the inner pressure of a probe at the time of suction of a specimen and a memory stores therein a plurality of clogging detection parameters in accordance with pressure in the vacuum blood collection tube. The clogging detection parameter stored in the memory is selected in accordance with the pressure in the vacuum blood collection tube, and a determination of the clogging of the probe is performed based on the selected clogging detection parameter and the inner pressure at the time of suction of the specimen detected in the pressure sensor.

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: In order to increase the accuracy of dispensing liquid from a sealed liquid holding container without increasing device complexity, pressures inside and outside the sealed liquid holding container are measured with a pressure sensor connected to a dispensing probe, and the amount of discharge operation of a pump is corrected in accordance with the measured pressures. The amount of operation of the pump is corrected by calculating the amount of deformation of a dispensing flow passageway due to pressure change.

Abstract: An automatic analyzer has a washing tank providing water for washing a reagent or sample probe is. The washing water from a washing nozzle spreads from a throttle portion and is divided into right and left flows after colliding with a vent plate provided in an overflow portion of the washing tank. The washing water flows between the vent plate and the inner wall of the overflow portion, and the flows join behind the vent plate. After joining, the washing water flows downward along the vent plate and the inner wall of the overflow portion and then is drained. Because a space is created between the washing water which has collided with the vent plate and the washing water joined behind the vent plate, the washing water is prevented from completely covering the overflow portion, and the airflow can be secured during the drainage.

Abstract: An electrostatic latent image developing toner includes toner particles that each include a toner core containing a binder resin and a shell layer disposed over a surface of the toner core. The binder resin includes a crystalline polyester resin and an amorphous polyester resin. The crystalline polyester resin has a melting point of at least 80° C. and no greater than 120° C. When the electrostatic latent image developing toner is measured using a differential scanning calorimeter, a glass transition point is observed in a first run but is not observed in a second run. The shell layer contains a resin including a thermosetting component and a thermoplastic component.

Abstract: A positively chargeable toner for electrostatic latent image development includes toner particles. The toner particles each include a toner core containing boron nitride and a shell layer disposed over a surface of the toner core. The boron nitride is contained in an amount of no less than 0.05% by mass and no greater than 35% by mass relative to total mass of the toner core. The boron nitride has a thermal conductivity of no less than 40 W/m·K and no greater than 220 W/m·K.

Abstract: An automatic analysis device in which a probe is washed in a short period of time and the amount of washing water which may be mixed in at the time of suctioning of a succeeding liquid can be decreased. Washing water is supplied to a throttle portion of a washing tank from a washing nozzle. A reagent probe is inserted into the washing tank. Washing of the outside of the reagent probe, washing of the throttle portion, and a washing operation for the inside of the reagent probe are performed while a lowering operation of the reagent probe is performed. The automatic analysis device is configured to perform a drying operation by using vacuum nozzles even when the reagent probe is lifted, and thus, washing and drying operations of the reagent probe can be sped up and can be performed in a short period of time.

Abstract: To provide an automatic analyzer which is not influenced by fluidity or viscosity of a sample, and which can stably dispense the sample with dispensing accuracy by determining whether a flow route including a sample probe is in a stable and suction-available state when the sample is suctioned. In suction of the sample, before the sample is suctioned, in the flow route including the sample probe, the automatic analyzer determines whether the sample is in a suction-available state or in a suction-unavailable state, and performs cleaning on the flow route when it is determined that the sample is not in the suction-available state. Since the state in the flow route including the sample probe is determined before the sample is suctioned, the automatic analyzer can repeatedly perform a dispensing operation having improved reliability, without being influenced by the fluidity or the viscosity.

Abstract: The occurrence of splash of a sample or a reagent from a nozzle tip is prevented during shifting of a dispensing mechanism. An automatic analyzer includes a nozzle for sucking liquid to be dispensed; a pump for allowing suction of the liquid into the nozzle and generating pressure variations; a pipe line connecting the nozzle with the pump; and a shifting mechanism for shifting the nozzle in horizontal and vertical directions. In the automatic analyzer, the pipe line is at least partially composed of a flexible tube. The flexible tube has an upward or downward convex bending portion in the middle thereof. The convex bending portion changes in position and shifts along with the shifting mechanism at a nozzle side.

Abstract: Disclosed is an automatic analyzer designed so that when it discharges a sample into an empty reaction vessel, the analyzer dispenses the sample without bringing a distal end of a sample probe into contact with a bottom surface of the reaction vessel and can thereby dispense the sample with stable dispensing accuracy in addition to extending lives of the sample probe and the reaction vessel.

Abstract: A toner is provided which is capable of preventing a decrease in a toner charge amount and thus preventing fog and a decrease in image density even in a case where images of low coverage are continuously printed or where a printing operation restarts immediately after long suspension of operation in an image forming apparatus. The toner contains coloring resin particles formed of a boron compound, a hinder resin, and a colorant, and an external additive of which a primary particle is adjusted to have a size of 16 nm or more and 30 nm or less and of which a volume resistivity is adjusted to 1×1012 ?·cm or more and 5×1015 ?·cm or less.