Automated analyzer (2000) comprising a housing (2010, 3010), a robotic arm comprising an end effector (2360), the end effector (2360) comprising a body (2320) rotatably connected to an articulating arm and first (2363a) and second fingers (2363b) coupled to the body (2362) and being moveable relative to each other in a first direction, each of the fingers (2363a, b) having an engagement feature (2361) projecting inwardly from each of the first and second fingers (2363a, b) and toward the other of the first and second fingers (2363a, b). The automated analyzer (2000) further comprises a shuttle platform (2030) for receiving a shuttle (2030) carrying sample containers (03), the containers carrying sample (03) to be evaluated by the analyzer (2000) and the shuttle platform (2030) comprising a jaw assembly that engages the bottom portion of the sample containers when the jaw assembly is in the closed position.

Material transfer/interrogation devices (e.g. liquid handling workstations) have been designed in the past for transferring material from a source to a destination location or for interrogating a material at a location, where the locations remain fixed. The invention provides methods and apparatuses for transferring or interrogating materials by one or more carrier devices to one or more receiving devices, where the carrier and receiving devices move independently and simultaneously on multiple axes. In some embodiments, one or more of the carrier and receiving devices can move along an X, Z, Y, and Theta axis, which allows the source and destination locations to rotate and translate relative to each other. Due to this rotation and translation, containers can be positioned to minimize the distance traveled between a pick location from the source and a place location on the destination, greatly increasing the speed at which material transfer can occur.

The present invention is directed generally to devices and methods for manipulating laboratory pipettes in a programmable manner. The present invention is directed to an apparatus and methods for allowing a user to instruct the device to perform a specific process; identifying the type, location and identity of the consumables to be used; manipulating a plurality of pipettes for performing the liquid handling; monitoring the process during and after its execution; generating a detailed report for the plurality of actions. Other aspects of this invention include optimization of the liquid dispensing performances of a pipette; monitoring and controlling individual actions by means of vision; virtualization of the protocol definition by means of a reality augmented software interface; integration of the system in a conventional laboratory environment workflow.

Automated apparatus and methods for dispensing fluids into microplates utilizing microwell covers, the covers comprising open portions to allow a pipette access to one or more wells and impermeable portions which prevent the fluids from getting into wells shielded by the impermeable portion. The open portions and impermeable portions are preferably arranged and sized to align with alternating rows of wells in a particular microplate. Preferred covers are movably positioned on the microplate. Automated dispensing apparatus for use with microplates and microwell covers comprises a programmable controller, and suitable interfaces which allow the apparatus to be programmed, and which control a dispensing head such that pipettes are moved in the desired manner in order to take advantage of the protective features of the microwell covers. The apparatus also preferably comprises at least one transfer mechanism for moving a cover relative to a microplate at a dispensing station.

The invention concerns a v-bottomed sample plate, a frame for sample plates and a kit and method for processing biological samples. The kit comprises a tray assembly and a plurality of sample plates designed to fit into the tray assembly. The tray assembly comprises a frame having a central plate receiving portion having a width and length, whereby said tray assembly is capable of accommodating the sample plates side by side in the plate receiving portion. Each of the sample plates contains a plurality of individual sample wells arranged in a grid, the dimension of the plate in a first direction being at maximum the width of the frame and the dimension of the plate in a second direction being at maximum half of the length of the plate receiving portion of the of the frame, and means for enabling automated handling of the plates. The invention enables more efficient biomedical processing of samples.

A storage arrangement (1) has a chamber (3). Several Dewar flasks (5) are arranged in the chamber (3) and above them a picking device (8). The picking device has at least one cassette lift (60), with which storage cassettes (20) can be removed from above from the Dewar flasks (5). This arrangement is suitable for storing laboratory objects even at very low temperatures. Each storage cassette (20) is preferably made from a single piece of sheet metal. The piece of sheet metal is bent such that it forms the side walls (30), the back wall (32), the top part (34) and the base part (38) of the storage cassette (20), as well as angles (40, 42) to accommodate the laboratory objects.

In a sample analyzing apparatus, an injector assembly injects a reagent onto a sample, and luminescent light from the sample is transmitted to a detector. The assembly may be movable toward and away from the sample. The assembly may include one or more needles that communicate with one or more reservoirs supplying reagent or other liquids. The assembly may include a light guide for communicating with the detector. A cartridge may be provided in which the assembly, one or more reservoirs, and one or more pumps are disposed. The cartridge and/or the apparatus may be configured for enabling rinsing or priming to be done outside the apparatus. The cartridge and/or the apparatus may include one or more types of sensors configured for detecting, for example, the presence of liquid or bubbles in one or more locations of the apparatus and/or the cartridge.

An apparatus (2) for the automatic testing of substances for carcinogenicity comprises: a plate support (3) on which at least one micro-well plate (1) can be placed; a movable pipetting unit (4) comprising a predetermined number of pipettes (40); a number of containers (5) containing a liquid culture medium (50), the number of containers (5) corresponding to the number of pipettes (40) of the pipetting unit (4); a dish support (6) on which a corresponding number of dishes (60) can be placed, each having a bottom and an upstanding side wall (601); a plurality of spinners (63) for spinning the dishes (60); a plurality of suction cups (62) for placing a lid (600) on each of the dishes; and a plurality of laterally arranged belts (64,65) for transporting the closed dishes (60) to an intermediate storage (8).

A spectrometer (1) comprises a light source (2), a monochromator (3) with at least one diffraction grating (4), a monochromator housing (5), an order sorting filter (7), a microplate receptacle (12) and a controller (6). The order sorting filter (7) of the spectrometer (1) comprises a substrate (23), a first optical thin film (24) and a second optical thin film (25), wherein, in a spatially partly overlapping and interference-free manner, the first optical thin film (24) is arranged on a first surface (26) and the second optical thin film (25) is arranged on a second surface (27) of the substrate (23). A spectrometer (1) equipped with a respective order sorting filter is used in a scanning method for detecting the absorption spectrum of samples examined in wells (14) of microplates (13).

A parallel preceding system for processing samples is described. In one embodiment, the parallel processing system includes an instrument interface parallel controller to control a tray motor driving system, a close-loop heater control and detection system, a magnetic particle transfer system, a reagent release system, a reagent pre-mix pumping system and a wash buffer pumping system.