An automatic analyzer has a washing tank providing water for washing a reagent or sample probe is. The washing water from a washing nozzle spreads from a throttle portion and is divided into right and left flows after colliding with a vent plate provided in an overflow portion of the washing tank. The washing water flows between the vent plate and the inner wall of the overflow portion, and the flows join behind the vent plate. After joining, the washing water flows downward along the vent plate and the inner wall of the overflow portion and then is drained. Because a space is created between the washing water which has collided with the vent plate and the washing water joined behind the vent plate, the washing water is prevented from completely covering the overflow portion, and the airflow can be secured during the drainage.

An analytical instrument architecture provides high analytical test throughput in a compact footprint. A dilution section creates dilutions of a sample, a reaction processing section contains containers for assay reaction and measurement, and a reagent storage section supports reagent storage and supply. Transfer probes move the dilution and reagents to reaction containers. The dilution processing section includes concentric, independently driven rings of dilution containers; the reaction processing section includes concentric rings of reaction containers driven by the same mechanism for parallel processing of assays.

A rinse mechanism rinses reaction cuvettes with first and second detergents. An R1 reagent pipetting mechanism 8 rinses the reaction cuvettes that have been rinsed by the rinse mechanism with a special detergent. A counting unit counts and stores in a storage unit a use frequency of each reaction cuvette for a specific reagent item. A determining unit determines whether the counted use frequency exceeds a predetermined threshold N1. A control unit controls the R1 reagent pipetting mechanism such that, in a case where the counted use frequency exceeds the predetermined threshold N1, the reaction cuvettes, which have exceeded the predetermined threshold N1, are soaked with the special detergent only for a period equal to or less than a value derived by multiplying a pipetting cycle time, which indicates a period when a sample is pipetted, by the total number of reaction cuvettes and a predetermined integer.

A method and automated apparatus for rapid non-invasive detection of a microbial agent in a test sample is described herein. The apparatus may include one or more means for automated loading, automated transfer and/or automated unloading of a specimen container. The apparatus also includes a detection system for receiving a detection container, e.g., container or vial, containing a biological sample and culture media. The detection system may also include one or more heated sources, holding structures or racks, and/or a detection unit for monitoring and/or interrogating the specimen container to detect whether the container is positive for the presence of a microbial agent therein. In other embodiment, the automated instrument may include one or more, bar code readers, scanners, cameras, and/or weighing stations to aid in scanning, reading, imaging and weighing of specimen containers within the system.

The present invention is directed to a method and automated loading mechanism for loading an apparatus. The apparatus of the present invention may include a means for automated loading, a means for automated transfer and/or a means for automated unloading of a container (e.g., a specimen container). In one embodiment, the apparatus can be an automated detection apparatus for rapid non-invasive detection of a microbial agent in a test sample. The detection system also including a heated enclosure, a holding means or rack, and/or a detection unit for monitoring and/or interrogating the specimen container to detect whether the container is positive for the presence of a microbial agent. In other embodiment, the automated instrument may include one or more, bar code readers, scanners, cameras, and/or weighing stations to aid in scanning, reading, imaging and weighing of specimen containers within the system.

A handling system for high throughput processing of a large volume of biological samples is provided herein. Such systems can include an array support assembly that supports multiple diagnostic assay modules in an array having at least two dimensions, a loader that loads multiple diagnostic assay cartridges within the multiple diagnostic assay modules. The array support assembly can be movable relative the loader to facilitate loading and unloading so as to provide more efficient processing.

If an air bubble is entrained when a reagent is added to a sample, disturbance caused by this air bubble may prevent accurate optical measurement, thereby reducing accuracy for measuring blood clotting ability. The position to dispense the reagent depends on accuracy of stopping a reagent dispensing mechanism and dimensional errors of individual detectors, and thus conventional reagent discharging method may entrain an air bubble because a distance between a nozzle for dispensing the reagent and an inner wall of a reaction vessel is not constant and conditions for dispensing the reagent to the sample vary. In the present invention, an automatic analyzer with a nozzle for sucking and discharging the reagent for blood clotting reaction is provided with a dispensing mechanism that keeps a constant position for the nozzle to discharge the reagent by pressing the nozzle against the inner wall of the reaction vessel within the elastic range.

A reagent vessel housing unit 7 is provided with a drive unit 121 for a base member 122. The base member supports a first opening/closing mechanism 135 for a first reagent vessel and a second opening/closing mechanism 136 for a second reagent vessel. The drive unit 121 positions the base member 122 at an initial position, at a position at which the cap of a first reagent vessel and the cap of a second reagent vessel are closed, at a first opening position at which the cap of the first reagent vessel is opened, and at a second opening position at which the cap of the second reagent vessel is opened.

After an analysis start instruction is input in a state where a sample is not dispensed to all of reaction containers 104 mounted on a reaction disc 105, before completing an analysis preparation washing process for washing the reaction container 104 to be used in analyzing the sample to be first analyzed, a soaking and washing process for performing soaking and washing during a predetermined period of time is controlled to be started by dispensing a soaking and washing detergent to another reaction container 104 different from the reaction container 104. In this manner, the soaking and washing can be efficiently performed on the reaction container without hindering an analysis process.

Provided are an automatic analyzer that can decrease waiting time for a user and reduce running costs as compared with in the past and an operation method for the automatic analyzer. The analyzer includes: a first mechanism group that is used only in analysis for biochemical items; a second mechanism group that is used only in analysis for immunological items; a common mechanism group that is used in analysis for both biochemical items and immunological items; and a control part that activates the second mechanism group and common mechanism group without activating the first mechanism group when analysis for biochemical items is not required, and activates the first mechanism group and common mechanism group without activating the second mechanism group when analysis for immunological items is not required.