Automatic analyzing apparatus

Claim 2

An automatic analyzing apparatus for analyzing samples including egesta from organisms and tissues thereof, including: a housing; analysis means disposed within said housing, including at least one reaction vessel and a reaction vessel supporting means for supporting said at least one reaction vessel for accommodating a sample and a reagent, and measurement means for measuring the result of the reaction between the sample and the reagent in the reaction vessel; a waste liquid reservoir detachably disposed within said housing; cleaning means disposed within said housing for cleaning with cleaning water a reaction vessel which has been used for an analysis; liquid conveying means disposed within said housing and in fluid communication with said waste liquid reservoir for conveying reaction liquid formed of the sample and the reagent as well as the water used for cleaning the reaction vessel to said waste liquid reservoir; and sterilizing liquid supply means disposed within said housing and in fluid communication with said waste liquid reservoir for supplying a sterilizer or disinfection into said waste liquid reservoir, wherein said liquid conveying means includes at least one suction nozzle movable into and out of the reaction vessel, a drainage line extending from said nozzle to said waste liquid reservoir, gas-liquid separation means provided in said drainage line, a vacuum pump for sucking the gas separated from the liquid within said gas-liquid separation means and containing suspended particles, and a filter for filtering the gas discharged from said vacuum pump and containing an infectious aerosol.

Claim 3

The automatic analyzing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sterilizing liquid supply means includes a sterilizer or disinfection supply source detachably connected to said waste liquid reservoir, a first valve for controlling communication between said sterilizing liquid supply source and said waste liquid reservoir, and a controller for controlling opening/closing of said first valve, and wherein said waste liquid reservoir includes a level detector for detecting a level of the waste liquid stored in said reservoir and for outputting a signal representing the results of the detection to said controller, and a second valve operable by said controller to discharge the waste liquid from said waste liquid reservoir, said first valve being controlled by said controller such that said first valve opens and thereby allows a predetermined amount of the sterilizing liquid to be poured into said waste liquid reservoir after a discharge of the waste liquid from said waste liquid reservoir is completed and said second valve is thereby closed.

Claim 4

The automatic analyzing apparatus according to claim 2, further including electric control means for controlling the operation of said analysis means, said controller being electrically connected to said electric control means, and said first valve being controlled such that said first valve opens to allow a predetermined amount of the sterilizing liquid to be supplied into said waste liquid reservoir at the final stage of the cleaning conducted each time when an analyzing operation of said analyzing apparatus is completed and regardless of the amount of waste liquid which flows into said waste liquid reservoir.

Claim 5

The automatic analyzing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said first valve is controlled such that said first valve further opens to allow a predetermined amount of sterilizing liquid to be supplied into said waste liquid reservoir each time when the waste liquid in said waste liquid reservoir reaches a predetermined level during an analysis operation of said analyzing apparatus.

Claim 6

The automatic analyzing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said first valve is controlled such that said first valve opens to allow a predetermined amount of the sterilizing liquid to be supplied into said waste liquid reservoir each time when said analyzing apparatus is switched on.

Claim 7

An automatic analyzing apparatus for analyzing samples including egesta from organisms and tissues thereof, including: a housing; analysis means disposed within said housing, including at least one reaction vessel and a reaction vessel supporting means for supporting said at least one reaction vessel for accommodating a sample and a reagent, and measurement means for measuring the result of the reaction between the sample and the reagent in the reaction vessel; a waste liquid reservoir detachably disposed within said housing; cleaning means disposed within said housing for cleaning with cleaning water the reaction vessel which has been used for an analysis; liquid conveying means disposed within said housing and in fluid communication with said cleaning means for conveying reaction liquid formed of the sample and the reagent as well as the water used for cleaning the reaction vessel to said waste liquid reservoir; and sterilizing liquid supply means disposed within said housing and in fluid communication with said waste liquid reservoir for supplying a sterilizer or disinfectant into said waste liquid reservoir, wherein said sterilizing liquid supply means includes a sterilizing liquid supply source detachably connected to said waste liquid reservoir, a first valve for controlling communication between said sterilizing liquid supply source and said waste liquid reservoir, and a controller for controlling opening/closing of said first valve, and wherein said waste liquid reservoir includes a level detector for detecting a level of the waste liquid stored in said reservoir and for outputting a signal representing the results of the detection to said controller, and a second valve openable by said controller to discharge the waste liquid from said waste liquid reservoir, said first valve being controlled by said controller such that said first valve opens to allow a predetermined amount of the sterilizing liquid to be supplied into said waste liquid reservoir after a discharge of the waste liquid from said waste liquid reservoir is completed and said second valve is thereby closed.

Claim 8

An automatic analyzing apparatus for analyzing samples including egesta from organisms and tissues thereof, including: a housing; analysis means disposed within said housing, including at least one reaction vessel and a reaction vessel supporting means for supporting said at least one reaction vessel for accommodating a sample and a reagent, and measurement means for measuring the result of the reaction between the sample and the reagent in the reaction vessel; a waste liquid reservoir detachably disposed within said housing; cleaning means disposed within said housing for cleaning with cleaning water the reaction vessel which has been used for an analysis; liquid conveying means disposed within said housing and in fluid communication with said cleaning means for conveying reaction liquid formed of the sample and the reagent as well as the water used for cleaning the reaction vessel to said waste liquid reservoir; and sterilizing liquid supply means disposed within said housing and in fluid communication with said waste liquid reservoir for supplying a sterilizer or disinfectant into said waste liquid reservoir, wherein said sterilizing liquid supply means includes a sterilizing liquid supply source detachably connected to said waste liquid reservoir, a first valve for controlling communication between said sterilizing liquid supply source and said waste liquid reservoir, and a controller for controlling opening/closing of said first valve, and wherein said waste liquid reservoir includes a level detector for detecting a level of the waste liquid stored in said reservoir and for outputting a signal representing the results of the detection to said controller, and a second valve openable by said controller to discharge the waste liquid from said waste liquid reservoir, said first valve being controlled by said controller such that said first valve opens to allow a predetermined amount of the sterilizing liquid to be supplied into said waste liquid reservoir after a discharge of the waste liquid from said waste liquid reservoir is completed and said second valve is thereby closed.

Claim 9

The automatic analyzing apparatus according to claim 6, further including electric control means for controlling the operation of said analysis means, said controller being electrically connected to said electric control means, and said first valve being controlled such that said first valve opens to allow a predetermined amount of the sterilizing liquid to be supplied into said waste liquid reservoir at the final stage of the cleaning which is conducted each time when an analyzing operation of said analyzing apparatus is completed and regardless of the amount of waste liquid which flows into said waste liquid reservoir.

Claim 10

The automatic analyzing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said first valve is controlled such that said first valve opens to allow a predetermined amount of the sterilizing liquid to be supplied into said waste liquid reservoir each time when the waste liquid in asid waste liquid reservoir reaches a predetermined level during an analysis operation of said analyzing apparatus

Claim 11

The automatic analyzing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said first valve is controlled such that said first valve opens to allow a predetermined amount of the sterilizing liquid to be supplied into said waste liquid reservoir each time when said analyzing apparatus is switched on.

Claim 12

An automatic analyzing apparatus for analyzing samples including egesta from organisms and tissues thereof, comprising: a housing; analysis means disposed within said housing, including a reaction vessel supporting means for supporting said at least one reaction vessel for accommodating a sample and a reagent, and measurement means for measuring the result of the reaction between the sample and the reagent in the reaction vessel; a waste liquid reservoir detachably disposed within said housing; cleaning means disposed within said housing for cleaning with cleaning water a reaction vessel which has been used for an analysis; and liquid conveying means disposed within said housing and in fluid communication with said cleaning means for conveying reaction liquid formed of the sample and the reagent as well as the water used for cleaning the reaction vessel to said waste liquid reservoir; wherein said liquid conveying means includes at least one suction nozzle movable into and out of the reaction vessel, a drainage line extending from said nozzle to said waste liquid reservoir, gas-liquid separation means provided in said drainage line, a vacuum pump for sucking the gas separated from the liquid within said gas-liquid separation means and containing suspended particles, and a filter for filtering the gas discharged from said vacuum pump and containing an infectious aerosol.

Claim 13

An automatic analyzing apparatus for analyzing samples including egesta from organisms and tissues thereof, comprising: a housing; analysis means disposed within said housing, including a reaction vessel supporting means for supporting said at least one reaction vessel for accommodating a sample and a reagent, and measurement means for measuring the result of the reaction between the sample and the reagent in the reaction vessel; a waste liquid reservoir detachably disposed within said housing; cleaning means disposed within said housing for cleaning with cleaning water a reaction vessel which has been used for an analysis; and liquid conveying means disposed within said housing and in fluid communication with said cleaning means for conveying reaction liquid formed of the sample and the reagent as well as the water used for cleaning the reaction vessel to said waste liquid reservoir; wherein said liquid conveying means includes at least one suction nozzle movable into and out of the reaction vessel, a drainage line extending from said nozzle to said waste liquid reservoir, gas-liquid separation means provided in said drainage line, a vacuum pump for sucking the gas separated from the liquid within said gas-liquid separation means and containing suspended particles, and a filter for filtering the gas discharged from said vacuum pump and containing an infectious aerosol.