# US 2025/0083147 A1 · Examination apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2025/0083147 A1 - Document ID: US20250083147A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/956,005 - Filed: 2024-11-22 - Published: 2025-03-13 - Earliest claimed: 2022-06-03 - Assignees: FUJIFILM Corporation - Applicants: Fujifilm Corporation - Inventors: Takaaki MORI; Tatsuyuki DENAWA - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250083147A1 ## CPC - B01L 3/502761: {specially adapted for handling suspended solids or molecules independently from the bulk fluid flow, e.g. for trapping or sorting beads or physically stretching molecules} - B01L 9/06: Test-tube stands; Test-tube holders - G01N 33/54386: {Analytical elements} - G01N 35/00: Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor - G01N 35/02: using a plurality of sample containers moved by a conveyor system past one or more treatment or analysis stations {(G01N35/0098 and G01N35/0099 take precedence)} - G01N 35/04: Details of the conveyor system {(G01N35/021 - G01N35/028 take precedence)} - B01L 2200/04: Exchange or ejection of cartridges, containers or reservoirs - B01L 2200/0668: Trapping microscopic beads - B01L 2200/16: Reagents, handling or storing thereof - B01L 2200/18: Transport of container or devices - B01L 2300/0654: Lenses; Optical fibres - B01L 2300/18: Means for temperature control - G01N 35/0098: {involving analyte bound to insoluble magnetic carrier, e.g. using magnetic separation (magnetic particles used in immunoassays G01N33/54326; magnetic separation in general B03C)} - G01N 2035/00356: {Holding samples at elevated temperature (incubation)} - G01N 2035/0413: {moving in one dimension} - G01N 2035/0415: {moving in two dimensions in a horizontal plane} - G01N 2035/0436: {with pre-packaged reagents, i.e. test-packs} - G01N 2035/0465: {Loading or unloading the conveyor} - B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE - 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 An examination apparatus includes a measurement line that performs a measurement process while transporting a cartridge for measurement along a transport passage for measurement, a pre-treatment line that performs a pre-treatment while transporting a cartridge for pre-treatment along a transport passage for pre-treatment, and a specimen transfer mechanism that transfers a pre-treated specimen in which a pre-treatment is completed from the cartridge for pre-treatment in the pre-treatment line to the cartridge for measurement in the measurement line, and the transport passage for pre-treatment and the transport passage for measurement are arranged such that a pre-treatment end position in the transport passage for pre-treatment, at which the pre-treatment is completed, is closer to an upstream side in a transport direction of the transport passage for measurement than a downstream side in the transport direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An examination apparatus for performing a measurement process using a cartridge for measurement, which has a reaction cell in which a specimen is dispensed and mixed with a reagent, the examination apparatus comprising: a measurement line that has a transport passage for measurement, which linearly transports the cartridge for measurement in one direction from an upstream side to a downstream side, and that performs the measurement process while transporting the cartridge for measurement along the transport passage for measurement; a pre-treatment line that performs a pre-treatment in which, before performing the measurement process, the specimen is heated in a state in which the specimen is mixed with a pre-treatment liquid, the pre-treatment line having a transport passage for pre-treatment, which transports a cartridge for pre-treatment used in the pre-treatment, the cartridge for pre-treatment being different from the cartridge for measurement, and the pre-treatment line performing the pre-treatment while transporting the cartridge for pre-treatment along the transport passage for pre-treatment; and a specimen transfer mechanism that transfers a pre-treated specimen in which the pre-treatment is completed, from the cartridge for pre-treatment in the pre-treatment line to the cartridge for measurement in the measurement line, wherein the transport passage for pre-treatment and the transport passage for measurement are arranged such that a pre-treatment end position in the transport passage for pre-treatment, at which the pre-treatment is completed, is closer to the upstream side in a transport direction of the transport passage for measurement than the downstream side in the transport direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The examination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transport passage for pre-treatment is a transport passage that linearly transports the cartridge for pre-treatment in one direction from an upstream side to a downstream side, similarly to the transport passage for measurement. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The examination apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the transport passage for pre-treatment and the transport passage for measurement are arranged such that the downstream side in the transport direction of the transport passage for pre-treatment is closest to the upstream side in the transport direction of the transport passage for measurement. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The examination apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the transport passage for pre-treatment and the transport passage for measurement are arranged in series so as to be connected in a straight line. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The examination apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the transport passage for pre-treatment and the transport passage for measurement are arranged such that the transport directions are parallel to each other and the downstream side of the transport passage for pre-treatment and the upstream side of the transport passage for measurement partially overlap each other. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The examination apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the transport passage for pre-treatment and the transport passage for measurement are arranged such that the transport directions are parallel to each other and the upstream side and the downstream side of each transport direction are opposite to each other. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The examination apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the transport passage for pre-treatment and the transport passage for measurement are arranged such that the transport directions are orthogonal to each other. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The examination apparatus according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the transport passage for pre-treatment or the transport passage for measurement is provided in plurality. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The examination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transport passage for pre-treatment has an annular shape. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The examination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in the transport passage for pre-treatment, at least one of a pre-treatment start position at which the pre-treatment is started or the pre-treatment end position is variable. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The examination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the specimen transfer mechanism is a dispensing mechanism that suctions the pre-treated specimen from the cartridge for pre-treatment and discharges the pre-treated specimen to the cartridge for measurement. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The examination apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the dispensing mechanism is capable of suctioning the pre-treated specimen from the cartridge for pre-treatment at any position on the transport passage for pre-treatment. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The examination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the measurement line and the pre-treatment line each have a heating unit which heats the specimen, and each heating unit is controllable to a different temperature.