Abstract: It is checked whether a liquid undulation prevention mechanism is present or absent in a reagent vessel at the start of an operation (steps 601 and 602). When the liquid leakage prevention mechanism is absent in the reagent vessel, the size of the opening of the reagent vessel is judged (step 604). A nozzle is inserted and lowered into the reagent vessel to judge the contact of the nozzle to the liquid surface. When the opening is larger size, a capacitance method is used (step 607). When the opening is small size, a pressure detection is used (step 608). When the liquid leakage prevention mechanism is present, the size of the opening is judged (step 604). When the opening is larger size, a capacitance method is used (step 605). When the opening is small size, a pressure detection is used (step 606).

Abstract: The present invention provides an index that makes it possible to use, in an automatic analyzer, an approximate expression based on a theoretical chemical reaction formula derived from reaction process data, and automatically check for apparatus abnormalities, reagent deteriorations, and improper accuracy control during each continuous or individual inspection. Reaction process data, which is measured when the automatic analyzer determines the relationship between reaction absorbance and time, is approximated to ABS=A0+A1 (1?e?kt) by the least-squares method. The resulting reaction start point absorbance A0, final reaction absorbance A1, reaction rate constant k, and residual error, which is the aggregate sum of differences between approximate values and measured values, are then used as the index of reaction status.

Abstract: An automated analyzer has a sample pretreatment disk that is operable without decreasing the processing capability of the automated analyzer during sample pretreatments such as sample dispensing and diluent dispensing. The automated analyzer can be applied to any clinical assay involving biological sample analyses. The sample pretreatment disk has a sample pretreatment cycle and a sample re-sampling cycle. In sample pretreatment cycle, the pretreatment disk rotates so that pretreatment operations are performed on some pretreatment vessels placed on the pretreatment disk. In the re-sampling cycle, the pretreatment disk rotates so that a pretreated sample is transferred from a pretreatment vessel on the pretreatment disk into a reaction vessel on a reaction disk, which disk is part of the analysis section of the automated analyzer. Controlling the cycles independently of each other allows re-sampling operations to be performed without a series of pretreatment operations being interrupted.