Abstract: Provided is an automatic analysis device capable of replenishing consumables without loss of a specimen and without stopping analysis. The state of an automatic analysis device 100 includes a replenishment prohibition state in which replenishment of consumables (reaction vessel 8, specimen dispensing tip 10a and external reagent vessels 21a, 21b, 21c) is prohibited, and a replenishment permission state in which replenishment of consumables is permitted. In the replenishment prohibition state, a specimen dispensing mechanism 10 performs dispensing, and detection units 18a and 18b perform analysis. In the replenishment permission state, the specimen dispensing mechanism 10 does not perform dispensing, and the detection units 18a and 18b perform analysis.

Abstract: When the consumable is to be conveyed by a reagent gripping mechanism 110 and a reagent conveyance mechanism 111 during analysis of the sample, a control unit operates such that an operation of a device to access the storage unit is stopped, and makes a plan of operation of the reagent gripping mechanism 110 and a reagent conveyance mechanism 111 such that the consumable is conveyed also at a timing at which an operation of the device is stopped, the timing inevitably occurring after the former stop. Accordingly, an automatic analyzer is provided in which occurrence of an unnecessary empty cycle caused when plural consumables are replaced during analysis can be suppressed compared to a prior art.

Abstract: An automatic analyzer securely sterilizes and then discards waste liquid without interrupting operation, and includes: a measuring unit configured to perform measurement on a specimen; a first and second waste liquid tanks accommodating waste liquids discharged via first and second flow paths from the measuring unit; an electromagnetic valve disposed between the first and second flow paths, and switches the flow paths so as to discharge the waste liquid to the first or second waste liquid tanks; a first feed unit feeding a sterilizing agent into the first waste liquid tank; and a control unit controls at least the electromagnetic valve and the first feed unit. The control unit drives the first feed unit to feed the sterilizing agent into the first waste liquid tank when the waste liquid reaches a first prescribed amount, and drives the electromagnetic valve to switch to the second flow path.

Abstract: In a case where plural measurement items that require different incubation times are simultaneously measured in an automatic analyzer, deterioration of the turnaround time of the measurement is minimized. The automatic analyzer receives a request of a sample, obtains a ratio of a short measurement item among examination items of the received analysis request, and a determines an empty cycle based on the ratio of the short measurement item and the number of schedules. When an empty cycle is necessary, the empty cycle is scheduled in a schedule of a sample that is requested to be measured first, for example, an empty cycle in a short measurement for making an incubator empty. As a result, this position can be used for a measurement of a short measurement item such that the wait time of the start of the measurement can be short.

Abstract: An automatic analysis apparatus is capable of replacing circulated water in a reaction vessel and continuously cooling a light source lamp without stopping an operation for measuring a specimen. In an operation state, a drain electromagnetic valve 49 is opened to drain reaction vessel water outside and when the water level reaches a measurement limit water level, the drain electromagnetic valve 49 is closed. The reaction vessel water is supplied by starting a water supply pump, opening a water supply electromagnetic valve and when the water level has reached a full water level, the water supply electromagnetic valve is closed, and the water supply pump is stopped. In a state other than the operation state, the reaction vessel water is drained outside. When the water level has reached a circulation limit water level, the drain electromagnetic valve is closed.

Abstract: An automatic analyzer achieves both restraining unnecessary usage of a consumable supply and reducing burdens on an operator in a re-execution processing in a case where pipe functions are suspended/stopped, and is capable of completely efficiently performing an analysis preparation processing or an analysis terminating processing.

Abstract: An automatic analysis apparatus is capable of replacing circulated water in a reaction vessel and continuously cooling a light source lamp without stopping an operation for measuring a specimen. In an operation state, a drain electromagnetic valve 49 is opened to drain reaction vessel water outside and when the water level reaches a measurement limit water level, the drain electromagnetic valve 49 is closed. The reaction vessel water is supplied by starting a water supply pump, opening a water supply electromagnetic valve and when the water level has reached a full water level, the water supply electromagnetic valve is closed, and the water supply pump is stopped. In a state other than the operation state, the reaction vessel water is drained outside. When the water level has reached a circulation limit water level, the drain electromagnetic valve is closed.

Abstract: An automatic analyzer achieves both restraining unnecessary usage of a consumable supply and reducing burdens on an operator in a re-execution processing in a case where pipe functions are suspended/stopped, and is capable of completely efficiently performing an analysis preparation processing or an analysis terminating processing.

Abstract: An automatic analyzer is provided which applies a position detection mechanism to at least either a reagent probe or a reagent container transfer mechanism, thereby performing control on or inhibiting a reset operation (initialization) of either the reagent probe or the reagent container transfer mechanism to prevent the transfer thereof. This allows a reagent transport mechanism attached to the automatic analyzer automatically replacing reagent containers to be configured to move at the same height as those of various units including the reagent probe. The automatic analyzer is thus made small in size and allowed to operate without problems.

Abstract: Disclosed is an automated analyzer intended for qualitative/quantitative analysis of blood, urine, and other biological samples, and including a reagent disk for mounting a plurality of reagent containers thereon, wherein any errors in liquid-level measurement due to oscillation of a reagent liquid surface during rotation of the reagent disk are minimized, even when reagent containers of a large capacity are mounted. If a predetermined constant cycle time is defined as one unit, the reagent disk with reagent containers mounted thereon is transported to a liquid-level detection position using at least two units when a liquid level of a reagent is measured.

Abstract: The invention provides an automatic analyzer suitable for efficient reagent management. The analyzer allows continued use of existing reagent information storage media because reagent ID information that is no longer needed is overwritten so that it is unrecognizable to any analyzer. The invention relates to a method for automatically analyzing particular properties of an analyte by putting the analyte and a reagent into a vessel and measuring the reacted analyte-reagent mixture. The analyzer of the invention comprises: an information reader/writer for reading or writing regent information to/from storage media attached to reagent vessels; means for managing reagent information read from the storage media; means for processing reagents based on the managed information; and means for overwriting reagent information that has been judged unnecessary based on the managed information so that the unnecessary information is unrecognizable to any analyzer.

Abstract: An automatic analyzer is provided which applies a position detection mechanism to at least either a reagent probe or a reagent container transfer mechanism, thereby performing control on or inhibiting a reset operation (initialization) of either the reagent probe or the reagent container transfer mechanism to prevent the transfer thereof. This allows a reagent transport mechanism attached to the automatic analyzer automatically replacing reagent containers to be configured to move at the same height as those of various units including the reagent probe. The automatic analyzer is thus made small in size and allowed to operate without problems.

Abstract: Disclosed is an automated analyzer intended for qualitative/quantitative analysis of blood, urine, and other biological samples, and including a reagent disk for mounting a plurality of reagent containers thereon, wherein any errors in liquid-level measurement due to oscillation of a reagent liquid surface during rotation of the reagent disk are minimized, even when reagent containers of a large capacity are mounted. If a predetermined constant cycle time is defined as one unit, the reagent disk with reagent containers mounted thereon is transported to a liquid-level detection position using at least two units when a liquid level of a reagent is measured.

Abstract: The invention provides an automatic analyzer suitable for efficient reagent management. The analyzer allows continued use of existing reagent information storage media because reagent ID information that is no longer needed is overwritten so that it is unrecognizable to any analyzer. The invention relates to a method for automatically analyzing particular properties of an analyte by putting the analyte and a reagent into a vessel and measuring the reacted analyte-reagent mixture. The analyzer of the invention comprises: an information reader/writer for reading or writing regent information to/from storage media attached to reagent vessels; means for managing reagent information read from the storage media; means for processing reagents based on the managed information; and means for overwriting reagent information that has been judged unnecessary based on the managed information so that the unnecessary information is unrecognizable to any analyzer.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic analysis method and an automatic analyzer which are suitable for improving throughput by changing reagents during analysis without placing a load on an operator, and without stopping the analysis. There is provided an automatic analysis method comprising the steps of: while moving a reagent transfer mechanism with respect to a reagent pipettor, dispensing a reagent placed in the reagent transfer mechanism by use of the reagent pipettor to cause a sample to react with the dispensed reagent; and measuring the reacted sample so as to analyze specified analysis items of the sample. A reagent is transferred from a reagent storage unit to a reagent changing mechanism. Then, the reagent changing mechanism is moved in synchronization with the reagent transfer mechanism so that reagents are changed during the synchronization.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic analysis method and an automatic analyzer which are suitable for improving throughput by changing reagents during analysis without placing a load on an operator, and without stopping the analysis. There is provided an automatic analysis method comprising the steps of: while moving a reagent transfer mechanism with respect to a reagent pipettor, dispensing a reagent placed in the reagent transfer mechanism by use of the reagent pipettor to cause a sample to react with the dispensed reagent; and measuring the reacted sample so as to analyze specified analysis items of the sample. A reagent is transferred from a reagent storage unit to a reagent changing mechanism. Then, the reagent changing mechanism is moved in synchronization with the reagent transfer mechanism so that reagents are changed during the synchronization.