# US 11,906,534 B2 · Automatic analyzer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,906,534 B2 - Document ID: US11906534B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/265,289 - Filed: 2019-06-24 - Published: 2021-09-30 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2018-09-10 - Assignees: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation - Applicants: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation - Inventors: Sunao Funakoshi; Takenori Okusa; Nobuyuki Isoshima; Koki Yokoyama - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11906534B2 ## CPC - G01N 35/1002: {Reagent dispensers} - G01N 35/00663: {of consumables} - G01N 35/10: Devices for transferring samples {or any liquids} to, in, or from, the analysis apparatus, e.g. suction devices, injection devices {(G01N35/0099 takes precedence)} - G01N 2035/00346: {Heating or cooling arrangements} - G01N 2035/00425: {Heating or cooling means associated with pipettes or the like, e.g. for supplying sample/reagent at given temperature} - G01N 2035/00673: {of reagents} - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract Provided is an automated analyzer comprising a temperature regulator that can be made more compact in size while maintaining high-precision temperature regulation. In a temperature-regulating unit (20) of the automated analyzer, a first chemical reservoir (1) is constituted by a large-diameter spiral-shaped pipe, and a second chemical reservoir (2) is constituted by a large-diameter chemical reservoir container. The first chemical reservoir (1), which is positioned upstream of the second chemical reservoir (2), has an internal capacity that is set so as to be greater than the volume of a single discharge of each of syringe pumps (29, 30, 31), and the second chemical reservoir (2) also has an internal capacity (volume) that is set so as to be greater than the volume of a single discharge of each of the respective syringe pumps (29, 30, 31). ## Claims ### Claim 1 An automatic analyzer comprising: an analyzing unit that analyzes a sample; and a temperature adjusting unit that adjusts a temperature of a reagent required to analyze the sample in advance and supplies the reagent to the analyzing unit, wherein the temperature adjusting unit includes: a first reagent storage portion that stores a reagent in a spiral-shaped pipe having a first reagent storage volume; a second reagent storage portion that has a second reagent storage volume, is connected to the first reagent storage portion, supplied with a reagent from the first reagent storage portion, and is thicker and shorter than the first reagent storage portion; and a Peltier element, wherein the Peltier element adjusts temperatures of the first reagent storage portion and the second reagent storage portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the temperature adjusting unit includes: a third reagent storage portion that has a third reagent storage volume different from the first reagent storage volume and stores a reagent; and a fourth reagent storage portion that has a fourth reagent storage volume different from the second reagent storage volume and is connected to the third reagent storage portion and to which a reagent is supplied from the third reagent storage portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, further comprising: a delivery unit that intermittently delivers a reagent to the first reagent storage portion, wherein the second reagent storage volume of the second reagent storage portion is greater than a discharge amount which is an amount a reagent that the delivery unit supplies to the first reagent storage portion once. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, further comprising: a delivery unit that intermittently delivers a reagent to the first reagent storage portion, wherein the first reagent storage volume of the first reagent storage portion is greater than a discharge amount which is an amount a reagent that the delivery unit supplies to the first reagent storage portion once. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, further comprising: a delivery unit that intermittently delivers a reagent to the first reagent storage portion, wherein the first reagent storage volume of the first reagent storage portion and the second reagent storage volume of the second reagent storage portion are greater than a discharge amount which is an amount a reagent that the delivery unit supplies to the first reagent storage portion once. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the temperature adjusting unit includes a temperature detector that is disposed in the vicinity of a reagent outlet port of the first reagent storage portion, and the temperature adjusting unit adjusts the temperature of the reagent such that a temperature detected by the temperature detector is a target temperature. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the temperature adjusting unit includes a temperature detector that is disposed in the vicinity of the second reagent storage portion, and the temperature adjusting unit adjusts the temperature of the reagent such that a temperature detected by the temperature detector is a target temperature. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the temperature adjusting unit includes a first temperature detector and a second temperature detector, the first temperature detector is disposed in the vicinity of a reagent outlet port of the first reagent storage portion, the second temperature detector is disposed in the vicinity of the second reagent storage portion, in a case where a rapid ambient temperature fluctuation occurs in the vicinity of the temperature adjuster, the temperature adjusting unit adjusts the temperature of the reagent such that a temperature detected by the second temperature detector is a target temperature, and in a case where a rapid ambient temperature fluctuation does not occur in the vicinity of the temperature adjusting unit, the temperature adjusting unit adjusts the temperature of the reagent such that a temperature detected by the first temperature detector is a target temperature. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the temperature adjusting unit includes a temperature detector that is disposed in the vicinity of the second reagent storage portion, the second reagent storage portion is disposed at a position closer to the Peltier element than the first reagent storage portion, and the temperature adjusting unit adjusts the temperature of the reagent so that a temperature detected by the temperature detector is a target temperature. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the temperature adjusting unit includes a third reagent storage portion that has a third reagent storage volume and stores a reagent, a fourth reagent storage portion that has a fourth reagent storage volume and is connected to the third reagent storage portion and to which a reagent is supplied from the third reagent storage portion, a fifth reagent storage portion that has a fifth reagent storage volume and stores a reagent, and a sixth reagent storage portion that has a sixth reagent storage volume and is connected to the fifth reagent storage portion and to which a reagent is supplied from the fifth reagent storage portion, and the first reagent storage portion, the third reagent storage portion, and the fifth reagent storage portion are disposed to be positioned at respective vertices of a triangle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The automatic analyzer according to claim 10, wherein the temperature adjusting unit includes a temperature detector that is disposed in the vicinity of a reagent outlet port of the first reagent storage portion, and the temperature adjusting unit adjusts the temperature of the reagent such that a temperature detected by the temperature detector is a target temperature. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The automatic analyzer according to claim 10, wherein the temperature adjusting unit includes a temperature detector that is disposed in the vicinity of the second reagent storage portion, and the temperature adjusting unit adjusts the temperature of the reagent such that a temperature detected by the temperature detector is a target temperature. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The automatic analyzer according to claim 10, wherein the temperature adjusting unit includes a first temperature detector and a second temperature adjusting unit, the first temperature detector is disposed in the vicinity of a reagent outlet port of the first reagent storage portion, the second temperature detector is disposed in the vicinity of the second reagent storage portion, in a case where a rapid ambient temperature fluctuation occurs in the vicinity of the temperature adjuster, the temperature adjusting unit adjusts the temperature of the reagent such that a temperature detected by the second temperature detector is a target temperature, and in a case where a rapid ambient temperature fluctuation does not occur in the vicinity of the temperature adjusting unit, the temperature adjusting unit adjusts the temperature of the reagent such that a temperature detected by the first temperature detector is a target temperature.