A matrix droplet extruder includes one or a plurality of reagent containers. Pneumatic connectors are each connectable to a corresponding docking station connector of a docking station that is connectable to a pneumatic generator controllable by a controller to provide pneumatic pressure to the pneumatic docking station connectors. A droplet matrix extrusion surface includes an array of perforations. A liquid management chip has a network of dispensing channels for dispensing reagents from reagent containers through the array of perforations. A pneumatic control network includes pneumatic channels and gates that are controllable by application of the pneumatic pressure to the gates via the pneumatic channels to enable or block dispensing the one or more reagents to repeatedly generate a matrix of droplets when applying the pneumatic pressure to the reagents.

An automatic analyzer is provided which is easier to investigate when some troubles such as data abnormality occur in a sample analysis result as compared with an automatic analyzer according to the related art. The automatic analyzer includes: analysis units that perform analysis and quality control analysis for ensuring quality of the analysis; a storage medium that stores quality control results of the quality control analysis performed by the analysis units; a monitor that displays the quality control results; and a control PC that controls an operation of the analysis units (8, 9, and 16), executes, when an arbitrary result is selected from the quality control results stored in the storage medium, based on the selected quality control result, statistical calculation of the selected result and a quality control result performed in the past, and causes the monitor to display a statistical calculation screen as a statistical calculation result.

The automated analyzer equalizes the temperature inside a reagent container storage apparatus. The automated analyzer is provided with a reagent container storage apparatus that cools a reagent container, the reagent container storage apparatus being provided with: a reagent storage chamber for storing the reagent container, the reagent storage chamber having at least one of the bottom surface and the side surface thereof cooled by a first cooling source; and a transfer member which is arranged to cover the reagent container stored in the reagent storage chamber, and which is thermally connected to the reagent storage chamber.

A loading device for loading a reagent rotor of an analytical instrument with reagent vessels is disclosed. The loading device comprises a tray to receive reagent vessels. The tray moves within a first plane at least between a loading position, at which the tray is loadable with the reagent vessels, and an unloading position, at which the reagent vessels are unloadable from the tray. The loading device also comprises a transporting device for transporting the reagent vessels from the tray to the reagent rotor of the analytical instrument. The tray is formed such that the transporting device is linearly moveable within a second plane from the unloading position of the tray to the reagent rotor and/or from the reagent rotor to the unloading position of the tray. The first plane and the second plane are different from one another. The tray is formed as a circular ring segment.

Disclosed herein is a preprocessing apparatus that makes it possible to highly efficiently analyze specimens held by solid media, such as dried blood spots to be used for newborn mass screening or the like. The preprocessing apparatus includes: a preprocessing container setting part in which a preprocessing container containing a solid sample including a specimen to be analyzed and a solid medium holding the specimen is to be set; a carrying mechanism that carries the preprocessing container set in the preprocessing container setting part; and a preprocessing part that has a port for setting the preprocessing container carried by the carrying mechanism and that is configured to perform preprocessing including extraction processing for extracting the specimen from the solid sample contained in the preprocessing container set in the port.

A device (1) for storing reagent containers on several planes for an automatic analysis appliance. The device (1) comprises a pipetting device comprising a pipetting needle (2) for pipetting of reagents, a first device (3) comprising a plurality of first receiving positions (5) for reagent containers, wherein the first receiving positions (5) are arranged on a first plane, and a second device (4) comprising a plurality of second receiving positions (6) for reagent containers, wherein the second receiving positions (6) are arranged on a second plane.

A system for automated microorganism identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing comprising a reagent cartridge, a reagent stage, a cassette, a cassette, stage, a pipettor assembly, an optical detection system, and a controller is disclosed. The system is designed to dynamically adjust motor idle torque to control heat load and employs a fast focus process for determining the true focus position of an individual microorganism. The system also may quantify the relative abundance of viable microorganisms in a sample using dynamic dilution, and facilitate growth of microorganisms in customized media for rapid, accurate antimicrobial susceptibility testing.

A device is provided for the storage and selection of cartridges (20) that are pre-filled with reactive discs to be placed on a support. The support has a plurality of magazines (2) each able to store a cartridge (20) of discs, at least one magazine-holding support (3) and, for each support (3), drive means (4) for moving the magazine-holding support (3). The device (1) has a chamber (5) for housing at least one magazine-holding support (3). A drive mechanism (8) drives the movement of the magazine (2) in the placement configuration between a position in which said magazine (2) is distant from and a position in which same is closer to the placement opening (7) of the chamber (5).

An automatic analyzing apparatus includes a reagent depository, a wave radiator, a wave receiver, a switcher, and processing circuitry. The wave radiator sends a radio wave to a plurality of wireless tags. The wireless tags are comprised by respective reagent containers in the reagent depository or by respective reagent containers at a reagent retaining space. The wave receiver receives return radio waves from the wireless tags that have received the radio wave. The switcher changes a response state of one of the wireless tags. The processing circuitry specifies reagent information corresponding to the reagent container that comprises the response state-changed wireless tag, based on the return radio waves received before and after the response state is changed.

A sample measuring apparatus and a method of circulating air in a reagent storage are provided. The sample measuring apparatus includes: a measuring unit that measures a sample by using a reagent stored in a reagent container; a reagent storage that stores the reagent container; a reagent container holder arranged in the reagent storage and that holds the reagent container; a fin that circulates air in the reagent storage; and a driving unit that drives the reagent container holder and the fin to rotate.