A particle measuring apparatus includes a flow cell configured to flow a specimen, a first light source configured to emit light having a first wavelength, and a second light source configured to emit light having a second wavelength different from the first wavelength. An irradiation optical system is configured to irradiate the flow cell with light emitted from the first light source and the second light source. The irradiation optical system includes a dichroic mirror configured to transmit the light emitted from the first light source and reflect the light emitted from the second light source, and a light collecting lens configured to collect the light emitted from the first and second light sources and passed through the dichroic mirror at the flow cell. The second light source and the dichroic mirror are turnable about rotation axis that are orthogonal to one another.

An apparatus for moving and testing biological samples is described, comprising a laboratory automation system for moving transporting devices of single test tubes containing biological material samples, a testing module of said biological material samples contained in said test tubes adapted to receive linear containers of a plurality of test tubes arranged in a series of consecutive housings along a line, and an interconnection module between said laboratory automation system and said testing module,

A sorting apparatus includes: a sorting device receiving and transporting a rack carrying vessels and transferring vessels from the rack to predetermined vessel loading portions; and a delivery device delivering the rack to the sorting device. The sorting device includes: a rack receiving unit capable of moving reciprocally between a rack delivery position where the rack is delivered and a sorting position where the vessels are loaded into the predetermined vessel loading portions; a transfer machine transferring the vessels from the rack on the rack receiving unit to the predetermined vessel loading portions; and a transportation mechanism on which the rack delivering unit and the transfer machine are installed. The transportation mechanism is installed so as to be capable of moving in a transportation direction in which rack receiving unit moves reciprocally. The transfer machine is capable of moving in a direction perpendicular to the transportation direction.

In an automatic analysis device, it is possible during specimen analysis to add/deposit one rack at a time without stopping the analysis, and it is easy to ascertain the analysis sequence. The analyzer has an analysis module, a rack transport module for transporting a specimen rack in which a specimen container storing a specimen is loaded, and a control device. The rack transport module includes a rack supply part for supplying a specimen rack, a rack accommodating part for accommodating a specimen rack, a rack transport line for transporting a specimen rack supplied from the rack supply part, a dispensing line for transporting a specimen rack to the analysis module, and a rack rotor for transferring a specimen rack between the rack transport line and the dispensing line. Operation of the rack supply part for supplying a specimen rack can be stopped independently of the operation of the analysis module.

A sample analyzer transports a first rack and a second rack, the first rack including a first number of supporters for supporting containers that contain biological samples of subjects, and the second rack including a second number of supporters for supporting containers that contain standard samples. The sample analyzer determines whether a transport object is the first rack or the second rack. When it has been determined that the transport object is the second rack, the sample analyzer performs a transporting operation according to the second rack and measure the standard samples in the containers supported by the second rack in a predetermined order, and prepares a calibration curve used for analyzing a measurement result of a biological sample, based on a plurality of measurement results of the standard samples.

A sample rack conveying unit 30 includes a sliding rail plate 53, a presser 66, a first guide plate 55, and a second guide plate 56. The sliding rail plate 53 has a groove portion 71 formed along a track on which a sample rack 90 slides and along which the sample rack 90 is conveyed. The presser 66 passes through the groove portion 71 and presses the sample rack 90. The first guide plate 55 is arranged on an outer side of a curved portion in a radial direction. The second guide plate 56 is arranged on an inner side of the curved portion in the radial direction.

A sample rack moving mechanism is provided for removing a sample rack loaded with one or more sample containers from a temporary storing section, and returning the sample rack loaded with the sample containers holding the tested sample to the temporary storing section. The sample rack moving mechanism may include a drive element, a cam driven by the drive element to rotate and having a curve contour, a cam follower moving following the outer contour of the cam, a guide groove corresponding to the temporary storing section, having a bottom plane of the same height as a support plane of the temporary storing section for supporting the sample rack, and capable of moving the sample rack, and a support element driven by the cam follower to move upward and downward and driving the sample rack to horizontally move between the temporary storing section and the guide groove.

A sample processing system is disclosed that comprises: a transportation apparatus configured to convey a sample container; a first analyzer, arranged along the transportation apparatus, configured to measure a sample accommodated in a sample container conveyed by the transportation apparatus; a second analyzer, arranged along the transportation apparatus, configured to measure a sample accommodated in a sample container conveyed by the transportation apparatus; and a transportation controller configured to determine an analyzer to which a sample container is conveyed, and to control the transportation apparatus to convey the sample container to the determined analyzer, wherein: the first analyzer is configured to conduct primary measurement; and the second analyzer is configured to conduct both primary measurement and review measurement.

There is provided an automatic analysis system that dispenses samples and reagents into a plurality of reaction vessels to cause reaction and to measure the liquid resulting from the reaction. The system implements a method of handling capped sample containers such as vacuum blood collection tubes along transfer routes. A sample container opening/closing mechanism is provided which removes the caps of the sample containers prior to sample dispensing and which closes the sample containers following sample dispensing using the same corresponding caps as before the dispensing. Also provided is an opening/closing mechanism that retains and manages the caps removed from the sample containers, as well as a transport unit capable of selecting one of the transport routes which fits the identified sample containers so as to close them with the fit caps. This invention thus provides a container opening/closing system that improves throughput of the sample collection process in conjunction with the automatic analysis system performing the sample container opening/closing process.

A sample analyzer includes a first track, a second track, a reaction wheel, an electrolyte analyzing mechanism, a first sample dispensing mechanism, and a second sample dispensing mechanism. In the present disclosure, the first sample delivery mechanism independently transfers the samples from the first track to the reaction vessels carried by the reaction wheel, and the second sample delivery mechanism independently transfers the samples from the second track to the detection vessels carried by the electrolyte detection mechanism.