There are provided an automated analysis device and a reagent storage unit capable of opening a reagent container lid without requiring a large opening force. A reagent storage unit of the invention includes a reagent container unit formed of a plurality of reagent containers formed integrally; a container holder to store and hold the reagent container unit in a fitted state; and a container lid partial opening mechanism to open container lids partially and simultaneously when the reagent container unit is fitted and inserted into the container holder, the container lids opening and closing openings of the reagent containers.

Method and apparatus to agitate a liquid are disclosed herein. An example apparatus includes a carrier having a base that includes a ridge extending from the base and a collar extending from the base. The example apparatus also includes a container supported on the base, the container movable between (A) a locked positon in which the ridge fixedly engages the container to non-rotatably couple the container to the base and (B) an unlocked position in which the container is disengaged from the ridge and the container is rotatable about the collar.

An improved system and method for the selection and dispensing of reagents onto a target testing medium in an automated laboratory environment. The system utilizes multiple carousels rotatably-mounted upon a central turntable. The position of the central turntable, as well as the rotation of each carousel is controlled by a microprocessor-based control system. Multiple dispensers, each capable of storing and dispensing a particular reagent, are mounted about the circumference of each carousel. This configuration provides much higher reagent density than previously available. The testing medium is positioned at one or more loading stations. The control system directs the central turntable to a position from which a selected one of the carousels can be rotated so as to position a selected dispenser above the testing medium. The selected dispenser is then actuated to release a predetermined reagent onto the testing medium. The system can be configured so that multiple reagents can be dispensed, each from an associated dispenser, onto a single or multiple testing mediums. Each of these actuated dispensers being positioned over the targeted testing medium(s) positioned at one or more loading stations.

An automatic analyzer includes: a reagent mounting unit 103 in which a plurality of reagent bottles 10 are installed when a reagent bottle 10 is loaded into the automatic analyzer; a reagent conveying mechanism 101 including a gripper mechanism 106; and a reagent mounting mechanism 102 for moving the reagent mounting unit 103 between an installation position at which an operator installs the reagent bottle 10 in the reagent mounting unit 103 and a position at which the gripper mechanism 106 grips the reagent bottle 10. It is thereby possible to achieve saving of a mechanism installation space and reduction of the number of constituent components, automatically carry out an operation from opening of the reagent bottle to loading of the reagent bottle into the reagent disk, and alleviate an operator's burden.

There is provided an automated analyzer which has plural liquid tanks connected with a dispensing probe and which can efficiently switch the operative liquid tank according to measurement item. The automated analyzer includes a liquid dispenser having a dispensing probe and a pump capable of aspirating and dispensing a liquid from and into an open end of the probe, the liquid dispenser being operative to cause the liquid aspirated in the probe and a probe internal liquid to be dispensed into aliquot receptacles. The automated analyzer also includes; an internal liquid supply device having plural liquid tanks in which probe internal liquids corresponding to measurement items are stored, the supply device being operative to supply a probe internal liquid into the dispensing probe from one of the tanks. The automated analyzer further includes an input section and an operation controller.

The present invention relates to a heat preservation shell (4) for an analyzer. At least one liquid passage (402) for conveying the liquid is embedded in a shell wall of the heat preservation shell. The liquid passage (402) is embedded in the shell wall of the heat preservation shell (4), on one hand, the liquid transported or preserved in the liquid passage is subjected to the heat preservation function of the heat preservation shell, so that the liquid transported or preserved in the liquid passage (402) maintains the preset temperature, thereby avoiding the influence of the external environment temperature on the transported liquid; and on the other hand, the space of the shell wall of the heat preservation shell is effectively utilized, the situation that various liquid pipelines are intricately distributed inside or outside the heat preservation shell (4) is avoided, thereby increasing the space utilization rate.

The automatic analysis device includes: a reagent tank that holds a reagent container that contains a reagent; and a lid opening/closing device including a lid opening/closing member configured to be movable in a first direction parallel to a vertical direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The lid opening/closing member having a first member for opening a lid of the reagent container and a second member for closing the lid and configured to be movable between a first position and a second position, the first position located above the reagent container and the second position located below the first position in the first direction such that the bottom surface of the lid opening/closing member comes into contact with the reagent container and configured to be movable between the second position and a third position that is away from the second position in the second direction.

An automated analyzer includes a reagent container holder (2) including an openable and closable opening (23) and including a plurality of reagent container holding slots capable of holding reagent containers at internal predetermined positions, and loading assisting means (24) for executing a loading process of conveying the reagent container (3) from outside of the reagent container holder (2) into the reagent container holder (2) via the opening (23) to load the reagent container (3) into the reagent container holding slot (26) and a taking-out process of conveying the reagent container (3) from the reagent container holding slot (26) to outside of the reagent container holder (2) via the opening (23). The loading assisting means (24) is further provided with placing means (33) for the reagent container (3), and an operation handle (34) to be operated for driving the loading assisting means (24). Thus, an automated analyzer can be provided that allows a reagent replacing operation to be easily and reliably achieved.

A purpose is to provide a monitoring system to monitor whether there is a substance to be monitored in the air, and a detecting device used in the monitoring system. The monitoring system includes a detecting device, an analyzing device, and an abnormality notification system. The detecting device determines whether the air is in an abnormal state on the basis of an output signal from an abnormality detection sensor, pours liquid to be inspected, into which the air is sucked and liquefied, into a previously-installed reagent container when determining the abnormal state, generates mixed liquid in which a reactant in the reagent container and the poured liquid to be inspected are mixed, and drops the generated mixed liquid to an electrode of the analyzing device. The analyzing device determines existence/non-existence of a substance to be monitored on the basis of the mixed liquid dropped to the electrode, and gives a predetermined notification to the abnormality notification system when determining that there is the substance to be monitored. The abnormality notification system gives a predetermined notification when receiving the notification from the analyzing device.

An automated analyzer includes a container installation portion in which a container, such as a reagent container, has a protrusion and an openable and closable lid. A lid opening and closing mechanism opens and closes the lid and includes an arm portion having an arm and a horizontal driving portion which moves the arm in a first horizontal direction. The arm includes a protrusion contacting portion that includes a first surface having an angle greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees when the horizontal surface is set as 0 degrees. The lid opening and closing mechanism portion opens the lid by moving the arm in the first horizontal direction, contacting the lid protrusion on the first surface of the protrusion contacting portion, and then moving the lid protrusion along a shape of the first surface in a vertical direction, until the lid is opened.