Pretreatment apparatus for analysis of sugar
AssigneesHoriba, Ltd., Takara Shuzo Co., Ltd.
InventorsKojiro Miki, Takeshi Mori, Hiromi Ohkawa, Yumi Hosokawa, Akihiro Kondo, Ikunoshin Kato
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Pretreatment apparatus and process for analysis of sugar, the apparatus including a mechanical work hand which moves a vial containing a sample to various stations where reagents are added to the vial and where other pretreatment processes are performed on the sample. The pretreatment apparatus automatically controls the movement of the vial from one station to another and the various processes performed at each station, the processes including removal and storage of the vial's cap, addition of reagents into the vial, centrifugation and heating of the sample, and evaporation of excess reagents.
Claims13
In an automatic system for treatment of samples in a vial with reagents, the improvement comprising:
- means for introducing a sample vial having a sealing member;
- means for automatically removing the sealing member and storing the sealing member for future operative retrieval and use, including a plurality of parallel support shafts circumferentially positioned;
- a plurality of gripping members, each member being mounted to one of said support shafts;
- and means for concentrically translating said plurality of support shafts in parallel alignment radially inward, such that said sample vial received within said circumferentially-arranged plurality of gripping members is gripped thereby;
- means for dispensing a reagent, including a conduit member, into the sample vial;
- means for storing a reagent vial having a closure member;
- means for automatically removing the closure member and storing the closure member for future operative retrieval and use, including a storing table with peripheral storing stations;
- a source of dispensing nozzle tips;
- means for selecting a dispensing nozzle tip and mounting it on the conduit member;
- means for inserting the nozzle tip into an opened reagent vial and withdrawing the reagent into the nozzle tip, whereby the means for dispensing causes the nozzle tip to contact an inner wall of the sample vial to ensure a complete discharge of the reagent;
- and
- means for discharging the nozzle tip after it has dispensed reagent into the sample vial.
In an automatic system for treatment of samples in a vial with reagents, the improvement comprising:
- means for introducing a sample vial having a sealing member;
- means for automatically removing the sealing member and storing the sealing member for future operative retrieval and use;
- means for dispensing a reagent into the sample vial;
- and
- means for automatically stirring the sample and reagent in the sample vial, including a rotatable body provided with at least one elastically flexible arm, a vial receiving member connected to the arm for rotation, and a rotary solenoid member having a hammer arm that can be selectively inserted in a path of movement of the vial receiving member to agitate the sample vial.
In an automatic system for treatment of samples in a vial with reagents, the improvement comprising:
- means for introducing a sample vial having a sealing member;
- and
- means for automatically removing the sealing member and storing the sealing member for future operative retrieval and use, including a plurality of parallel support shafts circumferentially positioned;
- a plurality of gripping members, each member being mounted to one of said support shafts;
- and means for concentrically translating said plurality of support shafts in parallel alignment radially inward, such that said sample vial received within said circumferentially-arranged plurality of gripping members is gripped thereby.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.