Abstract: An autosampler is provided with a needle, a measuring pump which sucks and discharges liquid through the needle, a movement mechanism for the needle, and an injection port which has a needle sealing surface. A sample liquid is sucked into the needle and then the sample liquid discharged with the tip of the needle pressed to the needle sealing surface. When cleaning the needle sealing surface, a cleaning liquid within the injection port is sucked and then the cleaning liquid is discharged and sucked into the injection port at a position at which the tip of the needle does not make contact with the needle sealing surface. Alternatively, after the cleaning liquid is discharged into the injection port, the needle may be caused to perform an up and down motion such that the tip of the needle contacts the needle sealing surface and then is lifted.

Abstract: A sample injection port 10 for injecting a sample into a chromatograph or other devices is composed of a body 13 made of an inelastic material, a first seal member 14 made of an elastic material and attached to one end of the body part 13, and a second seal member 15 made of an elastic material and attached to the other end of the body part 13. A first through hole formed in the first seal member 14 , a second through hole formed in the second seal member 15 and a third through hole formed in the body part 13 are coaxially connected to form an introduction hole for sample injection. With this construction, a sample injection port which has a small inner diameter, is easy to manufacture, and yet capable of achieving a high pressure resistance can be provided.

Abstract: A sample introduction device for reducing carry-over is provided. In the sample introduction device, when a high pressure valve 51 is switched from a load status to an injection status in a total volume injection method, the communication between a stator hole d in communication with an injection port 25 and a stator hole c connected to a flow path toward a separation/detection section 30 occurs earlier than the communication between a stator hole b in communication with a liquid feeder 10 and a stator hole a in communication with a needle 54. A length of a rotor groove Y communicating stator holes d and e or stator holes d and c is set longer than a length of another rotor groove X.

Abstract: A solvent delivery device comprises a solvent delivery pump and a flow path switching valve. The flow path switching valve is connected to downstream ends of mobile phase sending flow paths and the solvent delivery pump is to be connected to one of the mobile phase sending flow paths by switching the flow path switching valve. At least one of the mobile phase sending flow paths includes a buffer solution sending flow path, and the buffer solution sending flow path includes a buffer solution storage section, a cleaning solution storage section, and a mobile phase switching valve for switching connection of the flow path switching valve to one of the storage sections.

Abstract: A pump portion for taking in and discharging solutions includes a first plunger pump with a small capacity and a second plunger pump with a large capacity. Intake ports of both the plunger pumps are connected in parallel to a common port of a switching valve with a first three-way valve interposed therebetween. The first three-way valve connects the intake port of one of the plunger pumps to the switching valve. Discharge ports of both the plunger pumps are connected in parallel to one port of the switching valve with a second three-way valve interposed therebetween. The second three-way valve connects the discharge port of one of the plunger pumps to the switching valve.

Abstract: When a sealing member held in a cavity of a housing is pressed by a cap toward the bottom of the cavity, the side surface of the sealing member is inclined to laterally expand. As a result, in the opening-side portion of the sealing member, the side surface is strongly pressed on the wall surface of the cavity, causing a strong friction force at the contact surface, which prevents the pressing force applied from the opening side from being transmitted to the bottom side. Therefore, at the beginning of the pressing operation, the internal stress of the sealing member is higher in the opening-side portion than in the bottom-side portion. With the lapse of time from the beginning of the pressing operation, the opening-side portion of the sealing member under the higher internal stress gradually moves toward the bottom side against the friction force.

Abstract: A channel-switching valve into which a high-pressure liquid and a low-pressure liquid flow is provided. The channel-switching valve includes a stator and a rotor which has a surface in contact with one surface of the stator and rotates while sliding on the contact surface. The stator has a plurality of liquid flow ports open to the contact surface, and the rotor has a plurality of channel grooves for connecting the liquid flow ports. One of the channel grooves is a straight groove passing through the rotational center of the rotor, and the other channel grooves are line-symmetrically arranged with respect to the straight channel groove. Alternatively, among the channel grooves, the channel grooves into which the high-pressure liquid flows are configured to be located on both sides of the rotational center of the rotor. Thus, a local load acting on the rotor during a high-pressure liquid-feeding process is reduced.

Abstract: Provided is a liquid-sample collecting system and liquid-sample collecting method that can decrease the amount of carryover in the process of collecting a liquid sample while maintaining the efficiency of collecting the liquid sample. A liquid-sample collecting system according to the present invention includes: a sampling needle to be inserted into a sample container, for collecting a liquid sample contained in the sample container; a driver for moving the sampling needle; an input unit for allowing a user enter to information for setting the ascent speed of the sampling needle; an ascent-speed determiner for setting the ascent speed based on the entered information; and a controller for controlling the driver so as to move the sampling needle downward at a predetermined descent speed in a descent phase and upward at the aforementioned ascent speed in an ascent phase.

Abstract: After a sampling needle is moved to a position above a sample container, the sampling needle is moved down so that the tip of the sampling needle penetrates a septum, and is then preferably moved down to a position at which the tip of the sampling needle is not brought into contact with a sample contained in the sample container, and then, the sampling needle is once elevated until the sampling needle is pulled out of the septum, and is then again moved down to penetrate the septum until the tip of the sampling needle is inserted into the sample to suck the sample through a suction port of the sampling needle, and then, the sampling needle is moved to a sample injection port of an analyzer to inject the sample into the analyzer.

Abstract: A sample introduction method for reducing carry-over is provided. After a sample introduction device in a total volume injection method draws a proper amount of a sample solution from a sample container and further draws a solution with the same composition as a mobile phase solution with a needle 24, the needle 24 is inserted into an injection port 25. When flow paths are switched to communicate a liquid feeder, a sample loop 23, the needle 24, the injection port 25, and a separation/detection section, the solution with the same composition as the mobile phase solution is forced into a gap between the injection port 25 and the needle 24. Therefore, the samples squeezed out of a tip section of the needle 24 during the switching of the flow paths are prevented from being forced into the gap between the needle 24 and the injection port 25.

Abstract: A data-processing device includes: a display control means that causes a display means to display multiple input fields that receive input of data; an acquisition means that acquires multiple items of data constituting a data group; a recording means that records into a storage means a first item of data, which is one of the multiple items of data acquired by the acquisition means, while associating the first item of data with a first input field predetermined, and records into the storage means a second item of data, which is one of the multiple items of data acquired by the acquisition means and inputted later than the first item of data, while associating the second item of data with a second input field(s) that is included in the multiple input fields and is different from the first input field; and a specifying means.

Abstract: A communication apparatus stores schedule information and a decorative image attached to the schedule information in association with each other. The communication apparatus specifies a display section, at which the schedule information is displayed, in a schedule area in which the schedule information is arranged. In addition, the communication apparatus determines, as a candidate for a position on a schedule screen at which the decorative image is arranged, a position that, if the decorative image is arranged thereon, makes at least a part of the attached image overlap the schedule area in which the schedule information stored in association with the decorative image is arranged, and further prevents the decorative image from overlapping the specified display section. In addition, the communication apparatus arranges the decorative image on the position selected from a plurality of positions determined as candidates.

Abstract: A plunger-type measuring pump in which a pump head 9 can be correctly attached to a pump body 1 with a reduced amount of time and labor is provided. The plunger-type measuring pump according to the present invention includes: a pump body 1 supporting a plunger 2 while allowing a reciprocating motion of the plunger 2; a cylindrical head-attachment portion 82 provided at one end of the pump body 1, the head-attachment portion 82 having a male-thread portion 83 formed on an outer circumference thereof; a pump head 9 having a pump chamber 91 inside, the pump head 9 being designed to be attached to the head-attachment portion 82 with a seal 4 therebetween; and a sleeve-like fixing part 7 to be fitted onto the outer circumference of the pump head 9, the sleeve-like fixing part 7 having an inner circumferential wall on which an engaging portion 74 to be engaged with the pump head 9 and a female-thread portion 72 to be screwed onto the male-thread portion 83 are formed.

Abstract: An autosampler is provided with a needle, a measuring pump which sucks and discharges liquid through the needle, a movement mechanism for the needle, and an injection port which has a needle sealing surface. A sample liquid is sucked into the needle and then the sample liquid discharged with the tip of the needle pressed to the needle sealing surface. When cleaning the needle sealing surface, a cleaning liquid in within the injection port is sucked and then the cleaning liquid is discharged and sucked into the injection port at a position at which the tip of the needle does not make contact with the needle sealing surface. Alternatively, after the cleaning liquid is discharged into the injection port, the needle may be caused to perform an up and down motion such that the tip of the needle contacts the needle sealing surface and then is lifted.

Abstract: It is to provide a quality improving agent for cooked rice which effectively imparts improving effect on loosening properties, anti-aging property, and/or water retentivity to cooked rice with as little influence as possible on the original texture and taste of the cooked rice, a method for producing cooked rice using the quality improving agent, and cooked rice improved in loosening properties, anti-aging property, and/or water retentivity using the method for producing cooked rice. In the process of rice cooking for preparing cooked rice, substituted modified starch whose viscosity has been adjusted to a viscosity range involving a viscosity of 15 mPa·s or higher at 30% by mass in an aqueous solution and a viscosity of 3000 mPa·s or lower at 10% by mass in an aqueous solution by the hydrolysis or molecular weight reduction of the substituted modified starch is added as the quality improving agent for cooked rice.

Abstract: In injecting a sample sucked into a sample loop in an autosampler from an injection needle into an analytical flow path via an injection port by a mobile phase, a sending flow rate of the mobile phase is reduced from a certain flow rate determined in an analysis condition to reduce pressure applied on a joint section between the needle and the injection port to thereby reduce the sample remaining in the injection port.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid sample injection device and liquid sample injection method using a total volume injection method, which can prevent clogging of the channel or the needle, or carry-over of analysis components. The present invention is characterized by: moving the tip of a needle 9, before collecting a liquid sample, to an area where a predetermined fluid (for example, air, water, or the like) which reacts with neither the liquid sample nor the mobile phase is present; sucking the given fluid from the tip; and inserting the tip into a vial 15 to suck a predetermined amount of the liquid sample in the vial 15. As a result, a layer of the predetermined fluid is formed between the mobile phase remaining in the needle 9 and the newly sucked liquid sample. Thus, the mobile phase and the liquid sample are prevented from being in contact with each other in the needle 9.

Abstract: A sample injection port 10 for injecting a sample into a chromatograph or other devices is composed of a body 13 made of an inelastic material, a first seal member 14 made of an elastic material and attached to one end of the body part 13, and a second seal member 15 made of an elastic material and attached to the other end of the body part 13. A first through hole formed in the first seal member 14, a second through hole formed in the second seal member 15 and a third through hole formed in the body part 13 are coaxially connected to form an introduction hole for sample injection. With this construction, a sample injection port which has a small inner diameter, is easy to manufacture, and yet capable of achieving a high pressure resistance can be provided.

Abstract: A pump portion for taking in and discharging solutions includes a first plunger pump with a small capacity and a second plunger pump with a large capacity. Intake ports of both the plunger pumps are connected in parallel to a common port of a switching valve with a first three-way valve interposed therebetween. The first three-way valve connects the intake port of one of the plunger pumps to the switching valve. Discharge ports of both the plunger pumps are connected in parallel to one port of the switching valve with a second three-way valve interposed therebetween. The second three-way valve connects the discharge port of one of the plunger pumps to the switching valve.

Abstract: An auto-sampler cleaning mechanism is provided, which is capable of maintaining the supply of a liquid in a non-time-consuming manner when a cleaning solution is supplied. The auto-sampler cleaning mechanism of the present invention includes: a sample-metering sample loop 14 having a sample-injecting needle 15 at a front end thereof, a metering pump 24, a multi-ported valve 11a, a multi-position valve 11b, and a liquid-supply valve 11c. A diaphragm pump 25 is disposed between the port of the multi-position valve 11a and the port of the liquid-supply valve 11b, and used to supply a cleaning solution 26 or a mobile phase 20 to the sample loop 14.