The purpose of the present invention is to provide an automatic analysis device with excellent workability while removing dew condensation water that is generated on an inner wall of a reagent storage cabinet. To this end, the present invention comprises a reagent storage cabinet for storing a plurality of reagent containers, wherein the reagent storage cabinet has: a reagent jacket that rotates while holding the reagent containers; a housing that accommodates the reagent jacket; and a lid part that covers the housing from above and that has formed therein a dispensing hole for dispensing the reagent inside the reagent containers, and a sliding contact mechanism, which is capable of switching between a state of being in contact with an inner wall surface of the housing and a state of being spaced away from the inner wall surface of the housing, is provided to the reagent jacket.

A preprocessing apparatus uses preprocessing kits prepared for samples, respectively, sets the preprocessing kits in plural processing ports provided so as to correspond to preprocessing items, and executes a predetermined preprocessing item. A controller which controls operations of a carrying mechanism holding and carrying the preprocessing kits, and processing parts executing the preprocessing items in the respective processing ports, includes a processing-state control part, a random access part, and a preprocessing part. The random access part is configured to check availability of a preprocessing port corresponding to a preprocessing item to be executed on a sample contained in a preprocessing kit, and set the preprocessing kit in a processing port if the processing port is available as a processing port corresponding to the preprocessing item. The preprocessing part executes a corresponding preprocessing item on a sample in a preprocessing kit when the preprocessing kit is set in the processing port.

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 pretreatment apparatus includes a pretreatment container placement section where a pretreatment container which is housing a specimen holding member including a microchannel for holding a specimen is placed; a carrying mechanism for carrying the pretreatment container that is placed at the pretreatment container placement section; and a pretreatment section including a port where the pretreatment container that is carried by the carrying mechanism is placed, the pretreatment section being configured to perform pretreatment including a shaking process of shaking the pretreatment container to extract the specimen from the specimen holding member in the pretreatment container that is placed in the port.

In the case of adopting a configuration in which reagent bottles are radially disposed on a reagent disk and a reagent dispensing mechanism is rotated to access the reagent bottles, one reagent bottle includes a plurality of suction ports in which suction positions are different from each other, resulting in prolonging a step of dispensing a reagent. The invention is directed to an automatic analyzer including: a reagent disk that accommodates a plurality of reagent bottles including a plurality of suction ports and conveys the reagent bottles to a desired position by rotating in a circumferential direction around a central axis; and a reagent dispensing mechanism that rotates around a rotational axis and sucks a reagent of the reagent bottle placed at a predetermined position on the reagent disk. The reagent bottle is accommodated in the reagent disk such that the central axis of the reagent bottle and a diameter of the reagent disk form a predetermined inclination.

Provided is an automatic analyzer capable of simplifying control of a holding unit that holds a plurality of containers having access to an aspiration nozzle whose position is fixed and that rotates and moves up and down. The automatic analyzer includes an aspiration nozzle whose position is fixed and that aspirates reaction liquid or reagent, and a holding unit that holds a plurality of containers accommodating the reaction liquid or the reagent, and that rotates and moves t up and down. The holding unit holds at least three of the containers, and an angle between adjacent containers is an integer multiple of a predetermined angle. The angle between adjacent containers is an angle between adjacent containers in a circumferential direction and an angle around a rotation center of the holding unit.

Systems and methods include an optimization-based load planning module for laboratory analyzers of bio-fluid samples. The optimization-based load planning module is executable on a computer server and is configured to optimize assay (lab test) assignments across a large number of laboratory analyzers based on one or more of the following user selected and weighted objectives: reduced turn-around-time, load balancing, efficient reagent usage, lower quality assurance costs, and/or improved system robustness. The optimization-based load planning module outputs a load plan comprising computer executable instructions configured to cause a system controller of a laboratory analyzer system to schedule and direct each requested test to be performed at one or more selected laboratory analyzers of the laboratory analyzer system in accordance with the user selected and weighted objectives. Other aspects are also described.

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.

A fully-automatic feces analyzer includes an automatic controller; at least one sample box for containing a feces sample; and a sample box support. A dilution and stirring unit is provided for adding diluent into the feces sample and stirring to obtain feces sample liquid. The analyzer has a physical detection unit for performing a physical detection on the feces sample liquid and at least one chemical detection unit for performing a chemical detection on the feces sample liquid. Each chemical detection unit includes a driving roller and a driven roller, a reagent strip roll wound on the driven roller, an end portion of the reagent strip roll fixed on the driving roller.

A fully-automatic feces analyzer includes an automatic controller; at least one sample box for containing a feces sample; and a sample box support. A dilution and stirring unit is provided for adding diluent into the feces sample and stirring to obtain feces sample liquid. The analyzer has a physical detection unit for performing a physical detection on the feces sample liquid and at least one chemical detection unit for performing a chemical detection on the feces sample liquid. Each chemical detection unit includes a driving roller and a driven roller, a reagent strip roll wound on the driven roller, an end portion of the reagent strip roll fixed on the driving roller.