Abstract: According to an example of the invention, a test tube holder includes a holder body including a cylindrical wall defining a cylindrical hollow portion, at least three guide grooves in the cylindrical wall and open on the inner peripheral side and upper end surface side, cam grooves which face the guide grooves and inclined obliquely upward, a plurality of holder members for test tube attachment which are fitted individually in the guide grooves of the holder body so as to be movable vertically and radially, cam pins which engage with the cam grooves so as to guide the holder member vertically and radially, and an urging spring which elastically urges the holder member to be pushed up so that the holder member is pressed upward and toward the inner periphery of the cylindrical wall.

Abstract: A cap removal apparatus for a vacuum blood collection tube is configured to remove a cap from the collection tube of which an opening is closed by the cap so that the tube is kept under vacuum inside. The cap removal apparatus comprises, a tube clamping mechanism which clamps the collection tube upright in a cap removal position, a chuck mechanism which is disposed in the cap removal position and chucks the cap of the collection tube, seal pressure reduction unit which is disposed in the a chuck mechanism and configured to seal a region around the opening including the cap and reduce the pressure of the sealed region to substantially the same level as the internal pressure of the collection tube when the cap is chucked, and a lift mechanism which raises the chuck mechanism from a cap chucking position, thereby removing the cap from the collection tube.

Abstract: Provided is a punching apparatus for use in dispensing, having a blood specimen contained therein, and punching a dispensing hole in a plug body of a test tube serving as a specimen container closed by the plug body whose upper end opening is made of a rubber or synthetic resin material, the apparatus comprising a guide rail serving as a transport passage which transports the test tube while the plug body thereof is held at the upper side in a vertical state, an elevating mechanism provided at a punch position P in the middle of the guide rail, and an ultrasonic cutter which is supported by the elevating mechanism, and which is lowered when the test tube reaches the punch position, thereby punching a dispensing hole immediately before penetrating the plug body from a top face thereof.

Abstract: A automated test tube cap removal apparatus includes, a cap remover, a test tube rack which holds a plurality of capped test tubes upright in a row, a clamping mechanism which is disposed in the cap removing position and clamps the plurality of test tubes, and a cap removal unit disposed in the cap removing position and configured to move upward to remove caps from some of a plurality of test tubes and move upward to remove caps from the remaining test tubes. The cap removal unit includes engaging members which are capable of advance and retreat with respect to the caps and clamp each cap, a lift mechanism which raises the engaging members while alternately moving the engaging members upward, thereby removing the cap from each test tube, a cap guide member which separates the cap and guides the cap for dropping.

Abstract: An example of the invention is a sample processing unit having, a subdivision/dispensing section including a nozzle needle configured to be able to penetrate a stopper body fitted in a sample container in which a sample can be contained, and configured to subject the sample container or the sample to processing, a detection unit configured to detect a state of the sample or the sample container at the time of the processing, and a label removal unit configured to remove at least part of a label attached to a side part of the sample container prior to the detection.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, a sample conveyor apparatus for conveying a sample holder which permits a sample container to be held therein, the sample container permitting a sample to be received therein, includes, a belt base extending along a conveyance path, a conveyor belt stretched on the belt base and to be run to form the conveyance path, and a frame unit including a pair of guide rails which extend along the conveyance path to guide the sample holder along the conveyance path, the frame unit being detachable from the belt base, the conveyor belt being detachable from the belt base.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a sample processing apparatus includes, a processing unit configured to subject a sample container or a sample contained in the sample container to processing, and a label removal unit configured to remove at least part of a label affixed to a side part of the sample container prior to the processing.

Abstract: According to an example of the invention, a specimen processing apparatus which distributes specimen containers capable of containing a specimen each to a plurality of outlet ports, includes, a plurality of inlet ports, the outlet ports disposed downstream relative to the inlet ports, a plurality of main transport paths which convey the specimen containers from the inlet ports to the outlet ports, a plurality of auxiliary transport paths which diverge from the main transport paths, connect the main transport paths to one another, and convey the specimen containers on the main transport paths to the alternative main transport paths, and a guide unit which guides the transport direction of the specimen containers between the main transport paths and the auxiliary transport paths.

Abstract: A specimen preprocessing/transport apparatus includes a test tube transport path on which test tubes filled with specimens are held in test tube holders and transported, a rack transport path on which sample cups are held in a sample cup rack and the rack is transported, a filled-tube loading section which loads the test tubes into the test tube transport path, a rack loading section which loads the sample cup rack into the rack transport path, an aliquoting/dispensing device which is located in the middle of the test tube transport path and configured to simultaneously aliquot the specimens in the test tubes, and simultaneously dispense the sample cups on the rack transport path, and an analyzer which is located on the downstream side of the rack transport path and configured to receive the sample cup rack stored with the specimens and analyze the specimens.

Abstract: According to an example of the invention, a specimen processing apparatus includes, image detection unit for detecting image data on a specimen before an analytical process to analyze the specimen, and chyle-laky blood detection unit for detecting a chylous or laky state of the specimen by the color of the specimen, based on the detected image data.

Abstract: A self-running sample holder includes a holder main body, a motor provided in the holder main body, a wheel, a transceiver and a battery. The holder main body has a holder portion which holds a sample with recorded information in an upright state. The wheel is provided in the holder main body and rotated in conjunction with the motor. The motor allows the self-running sample holder to self-run in an upright state. The transceiver is provided in the holder main body. The transceiver outputs a drive signal and drive stop signal to the motor in response to a signal from an external controller. The transceiver exchanges a signal with the controller. The battery is provided in the holder main body. The battery supplies the motor and transceiver with electricity. The battery is chargeable.

Abstract: According to an example of the invention, a test tube holder includes a holder body including a cylindrical wall defining a cylindrical hollow portion, at least three guide grooves in the cylindrical wall and open on the inner peripheral side and upper end surface side, cam grooves which face the guide grooves and inclined obliquely upward, a plurality of holder members for test tube attachment which are fitted individually in the guide grooves of the holder body so as to be movable vertically and radially, cam pins which engage with the cam grooves so as to guide the holder member vertically and radially, and an urging spring which elastically urges the holder member to be pushed up so that the holder member is pressed upward and toward the inner periphery of the cylindrical wall.

Abstract: A tip mounting position, an aliquoting position, a dispensing position, and a tip casting position are circumferentially arranged around a rotating shaft, and a plurality of aliquoting/dispensing mechanisms are circumferentially arranged corresponding to the plurality of operating positions around the rotating shaft. Each aliquoting/dispensing mechanism is provided with a nozzle lift mechanism and a nozzle mechanism that includes a nozzle lift mechanism and a nozzle portion. The rotating shaft is intermittently rotated to locate the aliquoting/dispensing mechanisms individually in the positions whereupon tip mounting, aliquoting, dispensing, and tip casting operations are performed continuously.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, a sample conveyor apparatus for conveying a sample holder which permits a sample container to be held therein, the sample container permitting a sample to be received therein, includes, a belt base extending along a conveyance path, a conveyor belt stretched on the belt base and to be run to form the conveyance path, and a frame unit including a pair of guide rails which extend along the conveyance path to guide the sample holder along the conveyance path, the frame unit being detachable from the belt base, the conveyor belt being detachable from the belt base.

Abstract: Provided is a punching apparatus for use in dispensing, having a blood specimen contained therein, and punching a dispensing hole in a plug body of a test tube serving as a specimen container closed by the plug body whose upper end opening is made of a rubber or synthetic resin material, the apparatus comprising a guide rail serving as a transport passage which transports the test tube while the plug body thereof is held at the upper side in a vertical state, an elevating mechanism provided at a punch position P in the middle of the guide rail, and an ultrasonic cutter which is supported by the elevating mechanism, and which is lowered when the test tube reaches the punch position, thereby punching a dispensing hole immediately before penetrating the plug body from a top face thereof.

Abstract: A nozzle device, comprising a nozzle body, a ball provided in the nozzle body and elastically deformable by compression, an aliquoting/dispensing tip having a barrel portion in which the nozzle body including the ball is inserted, and a ball compressing mechanism which is provided in the nozzle body, configured elastically to deform the ball by compression so that the diameter of the ball increases with the nozzle body including the ball inserted in the barrel portion of the aliquoting/dispensing tip, thereby pressing the ball airtightly against an inner peripheral surface of the barrel portion of the tip, when the tip is attached to the nozzle body, and configured to remove a compressive force from the ball so that the diameter of the ball is reduced, thereby separating the ball from the inner peripheral surface of the barrel portion of the tip, when the tip is detached from the nozzle body.

Abstract: A specimen transport system for transporting a specimen, includes, a preceding section, a succeeding section located apart from the preceding section, a conveyor-type rack transport mechanism attached to the preceding section and/or the succeeding section and configured to transport a rack capable of holding a plurality of specimen containers which contain the specimen, and a car configured to travel between the preceding section and the succeeding section and provided with a conveyor-type rack transport mechanism configured to transport the rack capable of holding a plurality of specimen containers which contain the specimen.

Abstract: A test tube type discrimination apparatus includes first and second electronic cameras which pick up images of a plurality of test tubes. The first electronic camera picks up an image from an opening of each of the test tubes, and the second electronic camera picks up an image from a side thereof. A pattern recognition unit receives data of the images picked up by the first and second electronic cameras and extracts an edge of each of the images to recognize a test tube pattern of each of the test tubes including opening and side patterns of each of the test tubes. A standard pattern memory stores the opening and side patterns of the test tubes as standard patterns, and a comparison determination unit compares the test tube pattern and the standard patterns to determine a type of each of the test tubes.

Abstract: An apparatus main body which is arbitrarily elevated is provided in the middle of a guide rail which transports a test tube containing a blood specimen. A first movable base which turns around a first rotary shaft is provided at the apparatus main body, and a second movable base which turns around a second rotary shaft is provided on the first movable base. A pinch mechanism which pulls up the test tube and a sampling and dispensing probe which is retractably driven with respect to the test tube to sample the blood specimen inside the test tube are provided on the second movable base. When the blood specimen is sampled by the sampling and dispensing probe, the first movable base is turned to incline the test tube, and the second movable base is turned to incline the test tube with respect to the axis of the sampling and dispensing probe.

Abstract: A sample-conveying system has first and second conveying paths which are separated from each other. A first transition base is located at a conveyance terminal end portion of the conveying path. A second transition base is located at a conveyance starting end portion of the conveying path. A mobile unit moves between the first and second conveying paths. The transition base is provided with a receptacle carrier and a rack carrier. The receptacle carrier transfers receptacles on the conveying path to a rack on the transition base. The rack carrier transfers the rack on the transition base onto the mobile unit. The transition base is provided with a rack carrier and a receptacle carrier. The second rack carrier transfers the rack on the mobile unit onto the transition base. The second receptacle carrier transfers each receptacle held in the rack to a holder in the conveying path.