There is described an apparatus for depositing and retrieving large volumes of test tubes in/from a warehouse, comprising an input/output module of a first and a second container with a plurality of test tubes, a multiple pick up device of test tubes, a single pick up device of test tubes, a first and second station for the provisional allocation of said containers and a motorized traveling lift able to carry said first and second container simultaneously on two distinct coplanar locations.

An improved dose assay station for preparing unit-dose samples of radionuclide from a multi-dose vial is disclosed. The improved assay station is provided an assay chamber and a radionuclide sample lifter provided within the assay chamber. The radionuclide sample lifter is configured for lowering a radionuclide sample container into the assay chamber and raising the radionuclide sample container out of the assay chamber. The radionuclide sample lifter includes a magnetically coupled pneumatic actuator; and a carriage attached to the magnetically coupled pneumatic actuator, the carriage being configured for holding the radionuclide sample container, wherein the magnetically coupled pneumatic actuator moves the carriage between a first position and a second position within the assay chamber, wherein the first position places the carriage near the top end of the assay chamber and the second position places the carriage near the bottom end of the assay chamber.

A method and system for automatic in-vitro diagnostic analysis are described. The method includes adding a first reagent type and a second reagent type to a first test liquid during a first and second cycle times respectively. The addition of the first reagent type to the first test liquid includes parallel addition of a second reagent type to a second test liquid during the first cycle time. The addition of the second reagent type to the first test liquid includes parallel addition of a first reagent type to a third test liquid during the second cycle time, respectively.

A specimen inspection automation system includes holder orientation adjustment mechanisms that adjust the orientations of specimen container holders that each holds one specimen container. The holder orientation adjustment mechanisms each includes: a stopper mechanism that is disposed above a conveyance line that conveys a specimen container holder and restricts the downstream movement of the specimen container holder by abutting, at the same height as a notched part provided on one side of a base of the specimen container holder, an outer circumferential part other than the notched part in the circumferential direction of the base; and a holder rotation mechanism that restricts the movement of the specimen container holder away from the stopper mechanism and rotates the specimen container holder in the circumferential direction. As a result, it is possible to appropriately adjust the orientation of a specimen container in which a specimen is accommodated and reduce work complexity.

Methods of operating a gripper are provided. The methods include providing a robot including the gripper, the gripper moveable by the robot and including gripper fingers, providing a sample rack including receptacles accessible by the gripper, at least some of the receptacles adapted to contain specimen containers, providing data, obtained by imaging, regarding the sample rack and the specimen containers therein, and determining, based on the data, an accessible target receptacle for one of a pick operation or a place operation. Apparatus and systems configured to carry out the methods are provided, as are other aspects.

An apparatus including a receptacle including a slot for receiving a basket; a push bar disposed in the receptacle, the push bar having an end to contact an edge of a single slide of a plurality of slides in a basket, the push bar including a first position below a bottom surface of a base of a basket that is received in the slot and a second position in the slot; and a sensor focused in a direction of the slot operable to acquire information from a slide in a received basket. A method including placing a slide basket into a slot of a receptacle; individually raising one or more slides from a respective position in the basket; using a sensor, acquiring information from the raised slide in the basket; and after acquiring information, lowering the raised slide.

An automatic analysis apparatus includes: a driving rotor configured such that a rotational center extends vertically; a reaction disk mounted on the driving rotor; a plurality of reaction cells installed in the reaction disk and configured to form a circular row concentric with the driving rotor; a circular reaction chamber configured to accommodate the reaction cells; and a guide configured to guide an elevation trajectory of the reaction disk with respect to the driving rotor.

Disclosed is a container rack configured to hold a plurality of containers, the container rack configured to be installed in a rack installation portion of a specimen analysis device, the container rack comprising: a holding portion including a plurality of holding holes through which body portions of the containers pass and which hold head portions of the containers; and a leg portion configured to support the holding portion, the leg portion provided from the holding portion to below the containers held in the holding holes, wherein the leg portion is configured such that the containers in the holding holes are exposed in a bottom view, and wherein the container rack is configured such that when the container rack is installed in the rack installation portion of the specimen analysis device, movement of the containers held in the holding holes is restricted by the rack installation portion.

Systems and methods for refrigerated storage of controls and calibrators utilize a refrigerant storage assembly having an insulated housing and door assembly, thermoelectric coolers, and the refrigerated base assembly having a metal plate thermally coupled to coolers, one or more sensors, and a plurality of receptacles to receive fluid tubes. Refrigerated storage provides a refrigerated environment suitable for multi-day storage of control and calibrator fluids.

A method for performing flexible liquid handling processes among a plurality of consumables includes moving consumables by at least one arm having a magnetic interface device, connecting the at least one arm from the consumables, based on magnetic attraction utilizing said magnetic interface device, and aspirating and dispensing liquids on the consumables by at least one static or quasi-static pipette. The aspiration and dispensing actions are performed without displacement of the pipettes. The method further includes sensing, by the at least one arm, magnetic presence of a matching consumable connector or magnetic vector field modified by a presence of a matching consumable connector. The method includes disconnecting the at least one arm from the consumables based on a repulsive magnetic force.