An automatic analysis apparatus of an embodiment includes a holder, a first dispenser, a second dispenser, a detector, a memory, and processing circuitry. The holder movably holds a plurality of reaction vessels. The first dispenser dispenses an analyte into each of the reaction vessels. The second dispenser dispenses a reagent into the reaction vessel. The detector detects light transmitted through the reaction vessel. The memory stores a test order. The processing circuitry controls the holder, the first dispenser, and the second dispenser based on the test order. The processing circuitry determines one of the reaction vessels to be used for measuring the analyte based on the test order, and performs control to collect characteristic data from another of the reaction vessels not used for measuring the analyte while the analyte is measured.

Please substitute the new Abstract submitted herewith for the original Abstract: The present invention reduces the turnaround time of an automated analyzer. During a period when cyclic measurement by a measurement unit is unnecessary, a controller washes a reaction vessel using a washing cycle having a cycle time shorter than that of an analysis cycle. A single analysis cycle and a single washing cycle both include a reaction disc stopping period and rotation period. In the washing cycle, there is no time during the stopping period when a sample dispensing mechanism, reagent dispensing mechanism, or stirring mechanism operates but there is a time when a washing mechanism operates. The washing cycle stopping period is shorter than the analysis cycle stopping period. The amount of rotation of the reaction disk in the analysis cycle rotation period is the same as the amount of rotation of the reaction disk in the washing cycle rotation period.

Example automated diagnostic analyzers and methods for using the same are disclosed herein. An example apparatus described herein includes a first carousel rotatably coupled to a base and having a first axis of rotation. The example apparatus includes a second carousel rotatably coupled to the base and vertically spaced over the first carousel such that at least a portion of the second carousel is disposed over the first carousel. In the example apparatus, the second carousel has a second axis of rotation and a plurality of vessels. The example apparatus also includes a pipetting mechanism offset from the second axis of rotation. The example pipetting mechanism is to access the first carousel and the second carousel.

The automatic analysis device 100 is provided with: a specimen dispensing mechanism 101 that dispenses subject blood plasma and/or normal blood plasma to be added to correct the coagulation time of the subject blood plasma, into a plurality of specimen containers 103; reaction containers 104 that contain the subject blood plasma and/or the normal blood plasma; a reagent dispensing mechanism 106 that dispenses a reagent into the reaction containers 104; and a detecting unit 113 which applies light from a light source 115 to the subject blood plasma and/or the normal blood plasma to which the reagent is added in the reaction containers 104, and which measures the coagulation time on the basis of the obtained scattered light and/or transmitted light.

A system for conducting the identification and quantification of micro-organisms, e.g., bacteria in urine samples which includes: 1) several disposable cartridges for holding four disposable components including a centrifuge tube, a pipette tip having a 1 ml volume, a second pipette tip having a 0.5 ml volume, and an optical cup or cuvette; 2) a sample processor for receiving the disposable cartridges and processing the urine samples including transferring the processed urine sample to the optical cups; and 3) an optical analyzer for receiving the disposable cartridges and configured to analyze the type and quantity of micro-organisms in the urine sample. The disposable cartridges with their components including the optical cups or cuvettes are used in the sample processor, and the optical cups or cuvettes containing the processed urine samples are used in the optical analyzer for identifying and quantifying the type of micro-organism existing in the processed urine samples.

When an automatic analysis apparatus has a mechanism that performs an operation of an arcuate trajectory to access a plurality of positions arranged on a straight line, an arc and a straight line cannot coincide with each other. Thus position adjustment is required to minimize the deviation between the arc and the straight line. An automatic analysis apparatus according to the invention includes a reagent disk which accommodates a plurality of reagent bottles in each of which a plurality of suction ports are arranged along a center line, and which rotates around a central axis to transport a reagent bottle to a desired position; and a reagent dispensing mechanism which rotates around a rotation axis to suck a reagent from the reagent bottle at a predetermined suction position on the reagent disk, in which the reagent disk is provided with, at least one mounting position of the reagent bottle on the reagent disk, first and second marks sandwiching the mounting position of the reagent bottle.

The automatic analyzer includes: a sample dispensing unit that dispenses a sample into a reaction vessel; a reagent dispensing unit that dispenses a reagent into the reaction vessel; a control unit that controls the sample dispensing unit and the reagent dispensing unit; and a measurement unit that measures a mixed solution of the sample and the reagent mixed in the reaction vessel. The reagent includes three types of reagents of: a first reagent that specifically binds to an antigen in the sample; a second reagent that specifically binds to a site different from that to which the first reagent binds with respect to the antigen and has a label to be detected by the measurement unit; and a third reagent that specifically binds to a site different from the binding site of the first reagent and the antigen and contains insoluble carriers.

To provide a high-throughput automatic analysis apparatus at a lower cost. The automatic analysis apparatus includes an incubator which accommodates a plurality of reaction vessels; a specimen dispensing mechanism which dispenses a specimen into each of the plurality of reaction vessels; a mounting unit which mounts a dispensing tip on the specimen dispensing mechanism; a suction unit which sucks a specimen from a specimen vessel containing the specimen by means of the specimen dispensing mechanism having the dispensing mounted thereon; a discharging unit which is provided in the incubator and discharges the specimen from the specimen dispensing mechanism to the reaction vessel; a disposal unit which discards the dispensing tip; a sensor which detects whether the dispensing tip is mounted to the specimen dispensing mechanism; and a control unit which controls the specimen dispensing mechanism. The mounting unit, the suction unit, the discharging unit, and the disposal unit are arranged along a movement path of the specimen dispensing mechanism. The sensor is arranged so as to be able to detect the dispensing tip at a position sandwiched between any two of the mounting unit, the suction unit, the discharging unit, and the disposal unit.

Provided is an automated analysis device with which sufficient reaction process data can be acquired irrespective of the scale of the device, and with which it is possible to ensure freedom of the device configuration. An automated analysis device 100 is provided with: a reaction disk 1 which circumferentially accommodates a plurality of reaction vessels 2; a specimen dispensing mechanism 11 which dispenses a specimen into the reaction vessels 2; a reagent dispensing mechanism 7 which dispenses a reagent into the reaction vessels 2; a measuring unit 4 which measures a reaction process of a mixture of the specimen and the reagent in the reaction vessels 2; and a cleaning mechanism 3 which cleans the reaction vessels 2 after measurement. Further, the automated analysis device 100 includes a controller 21 which controls the drive of the reaction disk 1 such that in one cycle the reaction vessels 2 move by an amount A in the circumferential direction in such a way that N and A are mutually prime, B and C are mutually prime, and the relationship AB=NC1 holds, where N is the total number of reaction vessels 2 accommodated in the reaction disk 1, the reaction disk 1 moves through C (where C>1) rotations+an amount equivalent to one reaction vessel after B (where B>2) cycles, and the number of reaction vessels 2 moved in one cycle is A (where N>A>N/B+1).

Provided is an automatic analysis technique that prevents liquid contained in a reaction container from locally contacting with liquid added afterward and has less occurrence frequency of equipment malfunction and high performance. An automatic analyzer (1) includes: a reaction container disk (120) that holds a reaction container (116); a stirring mechanism (124) that stirs liquid contained in the reaction container (116) in a non-contact manner; a carrying mechanism (125) that carries the reaction container (116) between the reaction container disk (120) and the stirring mechanism (124); a reagent disk (122) that holds a reagent container (121); and a reagent dispensing mechanism (123) that suctions and discharges a reagent contained in the reagent container (121), the stirring mechanism (124) is provided at a position where the reagent dispensing mechanism (123) discharges the reagent, and the reagent dispensing mechanism (123) discharges the reagent, which is sucked from the reagent container (121), to the reaction container (116) installed in the stirring mechanism (124).