US 12,188,953 B2
Automatic analyzer
Hiroki Nakano, Tokyo (JP); Hidetsugu Tanoue, Tokyo (JP); Yoichiro Suzuki, Tokyo (JP); and Takenori Okusa, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Appl. No. 16/646,189
Filed by Hitachi High-Tech Corporation, Tokyo (JP)
PCT Filed Jan. 29, 2019, PCT No. PCT/JP2019/002853
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 11, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/176342, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 19, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 2018-048755 (JP), filed on Mar. 16, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2020/0271679 A1, Aug. 27, 2020
Int. Cl. G01N 35/02 (2006.01); G01N 35/04 (2006.01); G01N 35/10 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 35/025 (2013.01) [G01N 35/04 (2013.01); G01N 35/1002 (2013.01); G01N 35/1016 (2013.01); G01N 2035/0443 (2013.01); G01N 2035/1025 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An automatic analyzer comprising:
a reagent container that contains a reagent;
a nozzle that sucks the reagent from the reagent container;
a syringe coupled to the nozzle;
a reagent probe, coupled to the nozzle via the syringe, that dispenses the reagent sucked from the reagent container to a reaction vessel;
an emission unit provided outside the reagent container and emits light so as to pass through an inside of the reagent container, the light having a wavelength that is based on a material of the reagent container and a type of the reagent, the type of the reagent being colored or substantially colorless containing a moisture that is transparent and transmits visible light;
a light receiving unit that is provided outside the reagent container and receives the light emitted from the emission unit; and
a management unit configured to:
calculate a remaining liquid amount of the reagent in the reagent container as a management liquid volume based on a suction liquid volume sucked from the reagent container and an initial liquid volume,
based on the light received by the light receiving unit, detect a liquid level of the reagent inside the reagent container, and determine whether a liquid volume of the reagent in the reagent container is equal to or less than a predetermined value from the liquid level, and
correct the management liquid volume to the predetermined value upon determining the liquid volume inside the reagent container is equal to or less than the predetermined value.