IP Library Granted Patent US 7,802,479
Granted Patent B2
US 7,802,479 · App. 12/351,285 · Granted Sep 28, 2010

Stirring apparatus, abnormality determining method of same, and analyzer

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,802,479
App. No.
12/351,285
Granted
Sep 28, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

A stirring apparatus includes an acoustic wave generating unit that is provided in a vessel keeping a liquid and generates an acoustic wave toward the liquid, the liquid being stirred by the acoustic wave; a driving unit that drives the acoustic wave generating unit; a detecting unit that detects a reflected power reflected from the acoustic wave generating unit; and a determining unit that determines a presence of an abnormality based on the reflected power detected by the detecting unit. The determining unit determines the presence of the abnormality when a difference between an in-operation reflected power which is reflected from, during an operation, the acoustic wave generating unit and a reference reflected power of the acoustic wave generating unit at a same driving frequency exceeds a predetermined value.

Claims (13)

1. A stirring apparatus, comprising:

an acoustic wave generating unit that is provided in a vessel keeping a liquid and generates an acoustic wave toward the liquid, the liquid being stirred by the acoustic wave;

a driving unit that drives the acoustic wave generating unit;

a detecting unit that detects a reflected power reflected from the acoustic wave generating unit; and

a determining unit that determines a presence of an abnormality based on the reflected power detected by the detecting unit, wherein

the determining unit determines the presence of the abnormality when a difference between an in-operation reflected power which is reflected from, during an operation, the acoustic wave generating unit and a reference reflected power of the acoustic wave generating unit at a same driving frequency exceeds a predetermined value.

2. The stirring apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the acoustic wave generating unit is a surface acoustic wave element.

3. An analyzer which stirs a plurality of different liquids to cause a reaction and analyzes a reaction liquid, wherein the analyzer analyzes the reaction liquid by using the stirring apparatus according to claim 1 to stir and react the plurality of different liquids.

4. An abnormality determining method for a stirring apparatus which includes an acoustic wave generating unit that is provided in a vessel keeping a liquid and generates an acoustic wave toward the liquid, and a driving unit that drives the acoustic wave generating unit, and stirs the liquid by the acoustic wave, the abnormality determining method comprising:

detecting an initial frequency characteristic of a reference reflected power of the acoustic wave generating unit;

detecting an in-operation reflected power reflected from, during an operation, the acoustic wave generating unit; and

calculating a difference between the in-operation reflected power and the reference reflected power at a same driving frequency, and determining a presence of an abnormality when the difference exceeds a predetermined value.

5. The abnormality determining method of the stirring apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the acoustic wave generating unit is a surface acoustic wave element.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 13, 2010
From: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
To: BECKMAN COULTER, INC.
Reel/Frame 023778/0141 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 9, 2009
From: MISU, TAKAHIRO
To: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 022083/0984 →