A sample vessel is picked up from a sample carrier with a gripping device including first and second gripping sections. The first and second gripping sections grip the sample vessel from first and second sides. First and second holders for the sample vessel are provided, as is a first tool for moving the sample vessel along a stroke movement path. In the method, the first and second gripping sections are positioned on first and second sides of the sample vessel and the first tool engages with the sample vessel; the sample vessel is moved along the stroke movement path; the sample vessel is picked up in the second holder; the first and second gripping sections are repositioned in a lateral direction orthogonal to the stroke movement path such that the sample vessel is arranged in a free area not occupied by the sample carrier.

An automated analyzer includes a container installation portion in which a container, such as a reagent container, has a protrusion and an openable and closable lid. A lid opening and closing mechanism opens and closes the lid and includes an arm portion having an arm and a horizontal driving portion which moves the arm in a first horizontal direction. The arm includes a protrusion contacting portion that includes a first surface having an angle greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees when the horizontal surface is set as 0 degrees. The lid opening and closing mechanism portion opens the lid by moving the arm in the first horizontal direction, contacting the lid protrusion on the first surface of the protrusion contacting portion, and then moving the lid protrusion along a shape of the first surface in a vertical direction, until the lid is opened.

Provided is a container transfer device that allows a container to be easily exchanged when the container is located in an exchange area and that can reliably prevent unintentional lifting of the container by fixing the container so as to prevent the container from escaping upward when the container is located in a sampling area. A container transfer device 5A includes a rotating table 31 on which a container 200 accommodating a sample is placed and which moves the container 200 between an exchange area (K) and a sampling area (S), a holding body 32 holding the container 200 placed on the rotating table 31 to allow the container 200 to be pulled out upward, and a movable body 33 fixing the container 200 to prevent the container 200 from escaping upward in the sampling area (S).

Disclosed is a specimen transfer device connected to a rack transportation path of a specimen testing system, and the specimen transfer device includes: an ascending/descending mechanism configured to move a rack between a first ascending/descending position at which the rack in a first tier is disposed, and a second ascending/descending position at which the rack in a second tier is disposed; a container transfer mechanism configured to transfer a specimen container, to a second rack disposed in the second tier, from a first rack moved by the ascending/descending mechanism from the first ascending/descending position to the second ascending/descending position; a rack waiting region disposed in the first tier and configured to cause the rack to stay in a waiting state between the first ascending/descending position and a carrying-out position to the rack transportation path; and a first transportation mechanism configured to transport the first rack moved by the ascending/descending mechanism from the second ascending/descending position to the first ascending/descending position, through the rack waiting region, to the carrying-out position.

Disclosed is a specimen testing system that includes: a specimen rearrangement unit configured to transfer a specimen container held in a first rack to a second rack; a specimen processing unit configured to process a specimen in the specimen container held in the second rack; a specimen storage unit configured to transfer the specimen container having been processed by the specimen processing unit from the second rack to a specimen container storage instrument for storage; a transportation unit configured to transport the second rack among the specimen rearrangement unit, the specimen processing unit, and the specimen storage unit; and a transportation control unit programmed to control the transportation unit. The transportation control unit is programmed to control bidirectional transportation of the second rack between the specimen rearrangement unit and the specimen storage unit.

A system, device and method to pick and/or place specimen containers. The system or device may include a mechanical pick and/or place head, or a vacuum-based pick and/or place head. The mechanical pick and/or place head may include a drive shaft with an engagement head to draw a single specimen container into a receiver and retain such until positioned to place such. The vacuum-based mechanical pick and/or place head may include a vacuum conduit to draw a single specimen container into a receiver and drive shaft that orients a portion of the receiver to retain such until positioned to place such. Various sensors may be employed, for example to detect frost, and a defroster employed.

Sample analysis system and method are provided. The sample analysis system includes a first sample analyzer, a second sample analyzer, a sample rack transport device, and a sample sorting device provided between the first and second sample analyzers. The sample rack transport device includes a transport track for conveying a sample rack with sample containers to the first and/or second sample analyzer for testing. The first and second sample analyzers are arranged in sequence along a first transport direction of the transport track. The sample sorting device includes a connecting track, a sorting platform, and a sample transfer mechanism. The sample transfer mechanism is capable of moving to a position above the connecting track, so as to transfer the sample container(s) in the sample rack conveyed to the connecting track to a sample rack on the sorting platform. Efficiency of sample analysis is improved.

An autoloader is disclosed for staging samples in vials to be loaded automatically into an analyzer such as a moisture analyzer for moisture analysis. The analyzer uses vials to hold small amounts of sample materials. The autoloader holds the vials in a horizontal orientation for delivery to and removal from the analyzer.

The automatic analysis system comprise a storage device configured to store a plurality of reaction cuvettes intended to contain biological liquids samples to analyze; at least one samples processing station, comprising at least one receiving cavity which is downwardly open and configured to receive and house at least partially one reaction cuvette; and a displacement device configured to displace a reaction cuvette, the displacement device being further configured to unload a reaction cuvette out of the storage device and to load and unload a reaction cuvette into and out of the at least one receiving cavity of the at least one samples processing station via the respective introduction opening.

A sample tube rack (10) for receiving at least one sample tube is provided, comprising: a bottom surface (12) comprising at least one opening (14) for receiving the sample tube, and at least two guiding elements (16, 16′, 16a-d) arranged on the bottom surface (12) adjacent to the opening (14), wherein each guiding element (16, 16′, 16a-d) extends substantially parallel to a vertical axis (18) of the opening (14) from the bottom surface (12) towards a top side (20) of the sample tube rack (10). The guiding elements (16. 16′, 16a-d) are arranged at different positions (17a-d) around the opening (14), such that a tube compartment (24) for receiving the sample tube is formed by the guiding elements (16, 16′, 16a-d) and the opening (14), wherein the guiding elements (16, 16′, 16a-d) are spaced apart from each other along a perimeter (21) of the opening (14), thereby forming at least two clearances (22) between the guiding elements (16, 16′, 16a-d) along the perimeter (21) of the opening (14).