Automatic immunoassay analyzer

An automatic immunoassay analyzer, comprising:

• an endless specimen vessel transfer conveyor having a plurality of support portions for supporting a plurality of specimen vessels, said specimen vessel transfer conveyor conveying said plurality of support portions in a first direction;
• a reaction vessel transfer conveyor having a plurality of support portions for supporting a plurality of reaction vessels, said reaction vessel transfer conveyor conveying said plurality of support portions in said first direction;
• division-pouring means for sucking a specimen from a specimen vessel stopped at a suction stage and pouring a portion thereof into a reaction vessel stopped at a division-pouring stage, said specimen vessel transfer conveyor including an endless transport path thereof from a first set stage at which said specimen vessels fitted into and supported by said support portions, and returning to said first set stage through said suction stage at which said specimen inside each of said specimen vessels being sucked by said division-pouring means;
• first conveyor driving means for sequentially conveying and stopping said specimen vessels to and at said suction stage corresponding to a respective support portion zone determined sequentially by zoning said support portions of said specimen vessel transfer conveyor by a number corresponding to a number of measurement analytes of each of said specimens supported;
• said reaction vessel transfer conveyor including a second endless transport path thereof from a second set stage at which said reaction vessels fitted into and supported by said support portions, through said division-pouring stage at which a portion of the specimen sucked from a respective specimen vessel being poured into said reaction vessel by said division-pouring means, through a reaction-measurement stage at which a measurement of an immunological reaction inside said reaction vessels being performed, and returning to said second set stage;
• second conveyor driving means for sequentially transferring, stopping and feeding out said reaction vessels to, at and from said division-pouring stage when said reaction vessels corresponding to said measurement analytes of each of said specimen being sequentially supported by said support portions of said reaction vessel transfer conveyor;
• and
• means for synchronously and simultaneously actuating said first and second conveyor driving means;
• holding means downstream of said first conveyor driving means for stopping and holding one of said specimen vessels transferred into said suction stage for a predetermined time period independent of said first conveyor driving means in which said reaction vessels corresponding to said specimen being transferred and stopped sequentially into and at said division-pouring stage,
• means for accommodating excess specimen vessel transfer conveyor and specimen vessels between said holding means and said first conveyor driving means as a result of any difference in said time period and said actuation of said first conveyor driving means.