A device and method for purification of information or particles from a sample and provides a device for performing washing steps in automated analyzer systems, the device comprising a multilayer unit with liquid channel and valves. The multilayer unit may comprise three layer.

A washing device comprises a fluid dispenser that operably directs a cleaning fluid to contact one or more objects to be cleaned, the one or more objects to be cleaned being contained by the washing device, a dispensing line directing the cleaning fluid to the fluid dispenser, a compressed air source, an air valve selectively controlling flow of air from the compressed air source into the dispensing line, a cleaning fluid source, a pump selectively pumping the cleaning fluid from the cleaning fluid source into the dispensing line, and a controller. The controller alternatingly activates (a) the pump to pump the cleaning fluid from the cleaning fluid source into the dispensing line and (b) the air valve to force the cleaning fluid from the dispensing line via the fluid dispenser.

Disclosed is a sampler that obtains fluid samples with a probe and washes the probe during the act of withdrawing the probe from a sample container. In addition, detection of a collision of the probe and/or the wash station with another object can be quickly detected using sensors that determine if a collision situation exists.

A medical diagnostic system is provided to automate analysis of samples to predict a medical condition, such as pregnancy or chronic kidney disease. The system may provide test strip usage automation. The medical diagnostic system may include a sample collection component, collection cup contamination protection mechanism, sample volume control component, test strip reader component, which may be manifested as a lateral flow strip reader, flow reader, sample analytic component, data processing component, data communication component, networked data management component, and device cleaning mechanism. A method to automate analysis of samples to predict a medical condition using the medical diagnostic system is also provided.

A pre-analysis treatment device usable for an amino acid, organic acid, and glucide includes an ion-exchange unit configured to load a test sample on a solid-phase cartridge S having a strong ion-exchange resin phase, to allow the strong ion-exchange resin phase to adsorb a predetermined organic compound, then supply a dehydration solvent to dehydrate the strong ion-exchange resin phase, and a derivatization unit configured to feed a predetermined amount of the derivatization reagent to the dehydrated strong ion-exchange resin phase to allow the derivatization reagent to retain for a predetermined time period, thereby trimethylsilylating the organic compound adsorbed on the strong ion-exchange resin phase, and simultaneously desorbing the trimethylsilylated organic compound from the strong ion-exchange resin phase, and then supply a push-out solvent to push the trimethylsilylated organic compound desorbed, out of the solid-phase cartridge S. The device enables at least one organic compound selected from amino acids, organic acids and glucides contained in a test sample to be derivatized and collected easily in a short period of time, and automation of the pre-analysis treatment.

An electrode cleaning and calibration system generally comprises a sensor holder assembly machined from a block of solid acrylic or similar plastic material, which can accommodate a variety of types and sizes of sensors for use in monitoring and measurement of water processing and treatment processes. Examples of sensors suitable for use in the system include pH sensors, dissolved oxygen sensors, chlorine sensors, ozone sensors, total suspended solid sensors, mixed liquor suspended solid sensors, ammonia sensors, monochloramine sensors, and ultraviolent transmittance sensors.

In this invention, there are cleaning positions 25a, 25b, and 25c where cleaning tanks 19, 20, and 21 discharge cleaning water onto the surfaces of nozzles 10, 12, and 14 and drying positions 26a, 26b, and 26c where the cleaning water adhered to the surfaces of the nozzles 10, 12, and 14 is sucked up. During movement from the cleaning positions 25a, 25b, and 25c for the nozzles 10, 12, and 14 to the drying positions 26a, 26b, and 26c for the nozzles 10, 12, and 14, a control device 24 causes system water to be discharged from the nozzles 10, 12, and 14 for a first time, and during the sucking up of the cleaning water on the surfaces of the nozzles 10, 12, and 14 at the drying positions 26a, 26b, and 26c, the control device 24 causes the system water to be discharged from the nozzles 10, 12, and 14 for a second time. As a result, it is possible to effectively remove adhered water drops during nozzle cleaning.

The fluid temperature within piping of a sample dispensing system is stabilized in order to maintain stable dispensing performance with high precision in an automatic analyzer. A controller executes a first operation sequence to operate the sample dispensing system in a standby state continued until the sample is transported to the sample dispensing position, and executes a second operation sequence to operate the sample dispensing system in an analysis state in which the sample located in the sample dispensing position is dispensed. A time period during interior cleaning performed on the sample probe in a single cycle of the first operation sequence is set to be shorter than a time period during interior cleaning performed on the sample probe in a single cycle of the second operation sequence. Alternatively, the first operation sequence is configured to perform interior cleaning at a rate of once every multiple of cycles.

Provided is an automated analyzer comprising an ultrasonic cleaner capable of obtaining a consistent cleaning effect regardless of the operating temperature environment. This automated analyzer comprises: a dispensing mechanism having a nozzle for dispensing a sample or reagent; an ultrasonic cleaner 26 for cleaning the nozzle; and a control unit 28. The ultrasonic cleaner comprises: a cleaning tank 206; an ultrasonic vibrator 205; and a vibration head 209 that extends from the ultrasonic vibrator to the cleaning tank and has a distal end part that is inserted into the cleaning tank. The control unit inserts the nozzle into the cleaning tank and carries out a heating operation for heating the ultrasonic vibrator by driving the ultrasonic vibrator according to a driving condition different from that for a cleaning operation for cleaning the nozzle by driving the ultrasonic vibrator.

An automatic analyzer is capable of normally maintaining a device condition and exhibiting a stable performance by automatically monitoring a cleaning implementation situation using a wash rack. The automatic analyzer includes an analysis unit, a rack loading unit into which at least a sample rack that holds the sample and a wash rack that holds a cleaning liquid are loaded. A transportation mechanism transports the sample rack and the wash rack to the analysis unit. A management control unit causes the wash rack to be transported to an analysis unit, causes a cleaning operation of the analysis unit by the cleaning liquid held by the wash rack, and causes stopping of the sample analysis operation of the analysis unit to which the wash rack has been transported until a performance of the analysis unit is determined to be normal based on the cleaning operation.