A thermal cycler system for use with a sample holder configured to receive a plurality of samples includes a sample block configured to receive the sample holder, a cover lid configured to move in a direction toward the sample block from an open position to a closed position, a heated cover operatively coupled to the cover lid and configured to move in a direction toward the sample block from a raised position to a first lowered position, in which the heated cover contacts the sample holder when the sample holder is received by the sample block, and a drive assembly including a motion guide configured to move in a direction toward the sample block from a first position, wherein the cover lid is in the open position and the heated cover is in the raised position, to a second position, wherein the cover lid is in the closed position.

A transfer system (1) is a transfer system (1) that transfers a sample container (S) containing a sample from a transfer source device (100) to a transfer destination device (200) disposed adjacent to the transfer source device (100), and the transfer system (1) includes an arm (2) having a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end portion facing the transfer destination device (200), and a first catcher (4) for detachably holding the sample container (S) at the distal end, a drive mechanism (14) provided in the transfer source device (100) and configured to drive the arm (2) to move the first catcher (4) between a first position in the transfer source device (100) and a second position in the transfer destination device (200), and a second catcher (16) provided in the transfer destination device (200) and provided so that the sample container (S) is delivered and received between the first catcher (4) and the second catcher (16) when the first catcher (4) reaches the second position.

Provided is a test system operable with a simplified structure. A test system includes a first test device and a second test device each of which transports and tests a sample. The test device includes a master control unit, which performs assignment of samples to the first test device and the second test device, and control of a transport operation of the sample assigned to the test device. The test device includes a slave control unit, which controls a transport operation of the sample assigned to the test device by the master control unit.

A module installation unit is capable of installing a plurality of modules capable of accommodating a plurality of tubes containing a sample. A temperature adjusting unit heats and cools the sample in the tube of each module to the temperature required for nucleic acid amplification. An optical detection unit is used commonly by the plurality of modules installed in the module installation unit and which is capable of detecting the amplified nucleic acid of a sample subjected to nucleic acid amplification of a tube by regulating the temperature via the temperature adjusting unit for each module installed in the module installation unit. A moving unit moves the optical detecting unit and module installation unit relative to each other so as to detect the amplified nucleic acid of the sample in a tube of each of the plurality of modules installed in the module installation unit via the optical detection unit.

An autosampler includes: a sample cooling unit that is brought into thermally contact with a bottom surface of a sample rack so as to cool a sample accommodated in the sample rack; a condensed water receiver that has at least one hole on a bottom surface thereof, and is provided below the sample rack for receiving water condensed around the sample rack; a discharging passage configured in such a manner that a droplet falling from the at least one hole flows therein.

A sample rack moving mechanism is provided for removing a sample rack loaded with one or more sample containers from a temporary storing section, and returning the sample rack loaded with the sample containers holding the tested sample to the temporary storing section. The sample rack moving mechanism may include a drive element, a cam driven by the drive element to rotate and having a curve contour, a cam follower moving following the outer contour of the cam, a guide groove corresponding to the temporary storing section, having a bottom plane of the same height as a support plane of the temporary storing section for supporting the sample rack, and capable of moving the sample rack, and a support element driven by the cam follower to move upward and downward and driving the sample rack to horizontally move between the temporary storing section and the guide groove.

A specimen treating and measuring system according to the present invention comprises: a treatment part having a plurality of lanes for carrying out parallel processing of a plurality of specimens, and mounting cartridges in each of the plurality of lanes; a cartridge storing unit storing a plurality of types of cartridge to be used for different processes corresponding to the plurality of specimens; a sample storing unit storing and conveying sample tubes containing the plurality of specimens; a pickup unit transferring each of the plurality of types of cartridge to each lane, and transferring each of the plurality of specimens from the sample tubes to each of the plurality of lanes; and a control unit controlling the transfer of the plurality of types of cartridge and the transfer of the plurality of specimens, performed by the pickup unit.

An automatic analyzer with high processing capacity is capable of immediately measuring an emergency specimen rack. The automatic analyzer includes a conveying line for conveying a specimen rack, and an analysis unit which has a dispensing line in which a plurality of specimen racks are arranged for waiting until sample dispensing, and a sampling area for dispensing the sample to the analysis unit. A rack save area is provided in the dispensing line and at a position adjacent to the upstream side of the sampling area. When a specimen rack exists in the sampling area at the time of measuring an emergency specimen rack, a controller moves the specimen rack to the save area and positions the emergency specimen rack to be moved from a downstream side of the sampling area to the sampling area.

This invention relates to an apparatus for conducting immunoassay test. The apparatus includes a groove unit having a groove along a vertical direction configured to hold a rod-shaped portion of a probe along the vertical direction, and a push pin configured to move along a horizontal direction, the push pin being capable of residing at a first position and a second position. A tip of the push pin is capable of pressing the rod-shaped portion of the probe against the groove when the push pin resides at the first position. The distance between the tip of the push pin and the groove is larger than a diameter of the rod-shaped portion of the probe when the push pin resides at the second position.

Systems and methods are provided for sample processing. A device may be provided, capable of receiving the sample, and performing one or more of a sample preparation, sample assay, and detection step. The device may be capable of performing multiple assays. The device may comprise one or more modules that may be capable of performing one or more of a sample preparation, sample assay, and detection step. The device may be capable of performing the steps using a small volume of sample.