Systems and methods that enable automated processing of specimens carried on microscope slides are described herein. Aspects of the technology are directed, for example, to automated slide processing apparatuses capable of dispensing liquids onto microscope slides. Additional aspects of the technology are directed to methods of replacing a reagent pipette in automated slide processing apparatuses. The apparatus can include, for example, a reagent pipette assembly including a reagent pipette moveable between at least one loading position for obtaining reagent from a reagent container at a filling station and at least one dispense position. The apparatus can also include a retainer for releasably securing the reagent pipette. In some embodiments, the reagent pipette assembly includes a locking mechanism for transitioning the retainer from an open configuration for receiving a pipette and a closed configuration for securing a pipette, in e.g., an aligned position within the retainer.

A two-dimensional code is attached to a location of a reagent storage unit which is visually recognizable from the outside, and a coordinate position of the two-dimensional code in a coordinate system of the two-dimensional code and coordinate information of an installation position of a reagent bottle are held. After that, an image of the two-dimensional code is captured by a portable terminal so that a coordinate system of an image capture unit of the portable terminal is converted into the coordinate system of the two-dimensional code using AR technology. The coordinate information of the installation position of the reagent bottle in the coordinate system of the two-dimensional code is regarded as positional coordinates in the captured image on the basis of the conversion, thereby ascertaining the position of the reagent bottle on the captured image and displaying the ascertained position on a display unit.

The automatic analyzer includes a light source 4a to perform measurement, a spectrophotometer 4, a reagent disk 9 to store a reagent bottle 10 in which the reagent is stored, a carriage device to carry the reagent bottle 10 to the reagent disk 9, a reagent preparation unit to perform preparatory operations required before the regent bottle 10 is used, and a control unit 21 to schedule the preparatory operations by the reagent preparation unit and the carriage operation by the carriage device such that the reagent bottle 10 is carried to the reagent disk 9 immediately after an operation accompanied with analysis by the light source 4a and the spectrophotometer 4 is suspended or ends.

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.

As a standard solution for evaluating a scattered light measuring optical system mounted on an automated analyzer, a standard solution containing an insoluble carrier at a concentration, at which transmittance is in a range of 10% to 50%, is used, and a light quantity of a light source is adjusted such that a scattered light detector outputs a predetermined value.

Provided is an automatic analysis device that can suppress the occurrence of condensation in a reagent cool box and can immediately drain the condensation water generated by introducing outside air. In an automatic analysis device including a reagent cool box that stores a plurality of reagent vessels while keeping the reagent vessels cool, the reagent cool box includes a drain for discharging the condensation water generated inside the reagent cool box, and an outside air introduction path that guides air outside the reagent cool box to the inside, wherein the outside air introduction path is provided along a bottom surface of the reagent cool box, and an outside air discharge port is formed toward an upper opening unit of the drain.

Provided is an automatic analyzer capable of detecting a specimen vessel even when a barcode label is not attached to the specimen vessel. Included are a reagent specimen disk including a mounting unit for mounting a specimen vessel that stores a specimen to be analyzed on an outer peripheral portion thereof, a two-dimensional code arranged on the reagent specimen disk at a back position of the mounting unit, a barcode arranged on a side surface of the specimen vessel, a sensor arranged at a front position of the mounting unit and capable of reading the two-dimensional code and the barcode, and a control unit for determining whether the specimen vessel is mounted on the mounting unit based on whether a contrast value of the light reflected from the two-dimensional code is equal to or greater than a threshold set in advance, by using an output signal of the sensor.

A pretreatment device for performing pretreatment using a liquid sucked by a probe from an inside of a septum-attached container includes: a container holding unit which has a space for accommodating the septum-attached container and is provided with a hole into which the probe is inserted with respect to a septum of the septum-attached container to be stored; an installation unit in which the container holding unit is detachably installed; and a fixing unit which fixes the container holding unit to the installation unit in a state where the container holding unit is detachably installed in the installation unit, to solve the above-described problem.

There is provided an automatic analysis device that can appropriately sort and discard expendable items. The automatic analysis device includes a common transport mechanism that transports a plurality of types of expendable items by common mechanism, a plurality of transport paths that is provided separately from the common transport mechanism, a type determination portion that determines the type of expendable item being transported by the common transport mechanism. The automatic analysis device controls to select one of a plurality of transport paths according to a determination result of the type determination portion and to transport the expendable items transported from the common transport mechanism via the selected transport path.

Provided is an automatic analyzer in which a lid of a reagent vessel does not hinder the dispensing of the reagent.

An automatic analyzer for analyzing a specimen includes a reagent dispensing unit for dispensing a reagent from a reagent bottle in which a plurality of reagent vessels storing reagents used for the analysis of the specimen are arranged in one direction, and a reagent rack in which reagent bottles are stored, in which the reagent rack includes a lid opening unit for opening a lid corresponding to an upward opening of the reagent vessel along an arrangement direction of the reagent vessels, and a lid fixing unit for fixing the lid to the outside of a path in which the reagent dispensing unit is inserted into the opening.