Patent ID: 8025853

Claim:
A biochemical processing apparatus for processing a sample, comprising: a biochemical reaction cartridge including a container chamber for containing a liquid for biochemical processing of the sample, a reaction chamber for performing biochemical processing of the sample, and a flow path communicating between the container chamber and the reaction chamber, wherein a bottom surface of the reaction chamber is projected in a form of a prism; a stage receiving the biochemical reaction cartridge; moving means for moving the liquid via the flow path; first detecting means for detecting an amount of scattered light from the liquid in the container chamber, which is irradiated with light, or an amount of reflected light from a bottom surface of the container chamber irradiated with light; second detecting means for detecting an amount of reflected light or scattered light from the bottom surface of the reaction chamber irradiated with light; and third detecting means for detecting a decreasing amount of the liquid in the container chamber or a lowering amount of a liquid level in the container chamber from a change of a light amount, detected by the first detecting means, before and after movement of the liquid, for detecting an increasing amount of the liquid in the reaction chamber from a change of a light amount, detected by the second detecting means, before and after the movement of the liquid, and for detecting at least one of clogging of the flow path and a malfunction in the moving means based on the decreasing or lowering amount and the increasing amount.