Rotary valve systems with integrated sensors are described that facilitate stabilizing electrical connection from a valve actuator. A valve system includes a rotary valve comprising one or more ports configured to receive one or more fluids. The valve system further includes an actuator attached to the rotary valve, wherein the actuator comprises a power connection fed from electronics associated with the actuator. The valve system further includes an actuator cap attached to the actuator, the actuator cap configured to allow the power connection to pass through, wherein the actuator cap comprises one or more apertures, a valve collar with an integrated press-on connector configured to be attached to the actuator cap, wherein the valve collar comprises an electronic feedthrough passage for the power connection, a retainer portion comprising one or more retainer pins, wherein the one or more retainer pins are configured to mate with the one or more apertures on the actuator cap, the retainer portion configured to allow electrical connection between the power connector and a sensor connector when the one or more retainer pins fit within the one or more apertures on the actuator cap, and a sensor housing adjacent to the rotary valve and configured to support one or more sensors disposed with respect to one or more fluid lines coupled to the one or more ports of the rotary valve, the sensor connector configured to transmit signals from the one or more sensors to the actuator.

Diagnostic detection chip device designs that reduce cost of fabrication and assembly are described herein. Such chip device designs include features that facilitate use of the chip within a chip carrier device with integrated fluid flow control features and compatibility with conventional sample cartridges and sample processing systems. Associated methods of manufacture and assembly of the chip devices are also provided herein.

Methods and systems for sensing headspace vial presence are described herein. In one embodiment, a system can include a sample probe, a fluid source in fluid communication with the sample probe, one or more of a pressure sensor and a flow sensor in fluid communication with the sample probe, and a processor configured to: (a) receive a first set of signals from the one or more of the pressure and flow sensors, execute an ejection procedure to remove a sample vial from the sample probe, receive a second set of signals from the one or more of the pressure sensor and the flow sensor during step (b), (d) detect whether the ejection procedure is successful from the first set of signals and the second set of signals, and (e) in response to the detecting, initiate one or more actions selected from the group consisting of: a remediation and an alert.

The invention relates to an arrangement for preparing a plurality of samples for an analytical method, comprising a carousel with a solid housing and moveable receiving parts for the sample containers; a control for controlling the receiving parts in the carousel; and a sample receiving device for providing the sample for the analytical method. Said arrangement is characterized in that one or more stations for preparing samples are provided on the carousel, the receiving parts for the sample containers of the carousel can be positioned on said stations. Said arrangement also comprises a centrifuge with pairs of opposite lying receiving parts provided for the sample containers, and said receiving parts are arranged such that they can move on the centrifuge for the sample holder such that a transfer of a sample holder between a receiving part in the carousel and a receiving part in the centrifuge can be carried out. The control takes place by the same control which is also provided for controlling the carousel.

Automated fluid handling system comprising a housing and two or more fluid handling units arranged as interchangeable modular components with an external fluidics section and an internal non fluidics section, and wherein the housing comprises a liquid handling panel with two or more of component positions for receiving said interchangeable modular components such that the external fluidics section is separated from the non fluidics section by the liquid handling panel.

An analytical device for automated determining of a measured variable of a liquid sample, includes: a base module; a replaceable cassette connectable with the base module and having at least one liquid container connectable via a fluid line with a measuring cell and containing a reagent to be added to the liquid sample for forming a measured liquid; and a measuring transducer for registering measured values correlated with the measured variable for the measured liquid accommodated in the measuring cell. The cassette has, associated with the at least one liquid container, a fluid coupling apparatus having a primary component and a secondary component and serving for producing a connection of the fluid line with the liquid container.

A switching valve includes: (A) a rotor including: (1) a center pipe connection port, (2) a first in-valve flow path in communication with the center pipe connection port, and (3) an arc-like second in-valve flow path; (B) a stator including: (4) a first pipe connection port group which is brought into communication independently with the center pipe connection port via the first in-valve flow path when the rotor is turned, and (5) a second pipe connection port group which is brought into mutual communication via the second in-valve flow path when the rotor is turned; and (C) an arrangement of the rotor and the stator satisfying the following relationship: the state of communication or non-communication among the second pipe connection port group via the second in-valve flow path is switched in accordance with the state of communication between the first pipe connection port group and the center pipe connection port.

A fluid diverting module includes a multi-position fluid diverting device comprising three-dimensional movable flow-paths with minimal tortuosity in the movable portion (the rotor) of the fluid diverting device. In some embodiments, the device is also equipped with a filtration module that is capable of filtering solid particulates from fluidic samples. The invention relates to an area of non-disruptive sampling from various sample sources including ones containing solids. The fluid diverting device maintains fluid communication between the sample source and a pressure creating device in all positions of the fluid diverting device, thus conserving the pressure inside the sample source during sampling. The sampling operation is controlled from a controller, which is equipped with a software for manual or intelligent control.

A dilution apparatus (100) for diluting a fluidic sample in accordance with a specifiable dilution ratio, wherein the dilution apparatus (100) comprises a dilution fluid supply device (102) configured for supplying a dilution fluid at a first quantity per time, a transport fluid supply device (104) configured for supplying a transport fluid at a second quantity per time, a first fluid accommodation unit (106) configured for accommodating a first fluid volume, a second fluid accommodation unit (108) configured for accommodating a second fluid volume, and a control device (110, 112) configured for controlling the flow of the dilution fluid, the transport fluid and the fluidic sample so that in a first operation mode, the fluidic sample, being accommodated in the first fluid accommodation unit (106), is forced to flow to the second fluid accommodation unit (108) while being diluted by being mixed with dilution fluid, and in a second operation mode, the mixture of dilution fluid and fluidic sample, being accommodated in the second fluid accommodation unit (108), is forced to flow from the second fluid accommodation unit (108) to the first fluid accommodation unit (106) while being further diluted by being mixed with further dilution fluid.

A control method for an automatic analyzer that can improve robustness, throughput, and measurement accuracy. The automatic analyzer includes a sample loop connected between two sample ports of a plurality of sample ports of a switch valve. The method includes the steps of: adjusting a drive parameter of the syringe corresponding to a viscosity of the sample acquired in advance; switching the switch valve to a first state in which the sipper and the syringe contact with each other without through the sample loop; driving the syringe based on the drive parameter to draw and introduce the sample through the sipper; switching the switch valve to a second state in which the syringe and the sample loop conduct with each other; and driving the syringe based on the drive parameter to introduce the sample into the sample loop.