The present invention is directed to a system and method for load balancing specimen containers between a plurality of automated detection apparatuses. The method may include receiving a specimen container at a container pick-up station in a first automated detection apparatus; determining loading ability, transfer status, and cell availability of the first automated detection apparatus and one or more downstream automated detection apparatuses; and transferring the specimen container from the first automated detection apparatus to a downstream automated detection apparatus when a first ratio of effective available cell count to effective capacity in the first automated detection apparatus is less than a second ratio of total effective available cell count to total effective capacity of a sum of the first automated detection apparatus and the one or more downstream automated detection apparatuses.

Provided are a specimen transport system and a specimen transport method that support a transport method using an electromagnetic actuator and can transport a specimen at higher speed and more stably as compared to the related art.

A plurality of detection points each configured by a magnetic pole 207 and detecting a position of a magnetic body 203, and a plurality of transport paths provided above the plurality of detection points so as to cover the plurality of detection points are provided, in which among the plurality of transport paths, detection ranges 301A, 301B, and 301C of first detection points constituting a first transport path are different from detection ranges 301A, 301B, and 301C of second detection points constituting a second transport path different from the first transport path.

Automatic device for the automated conduct of analyses, notably medical analyses, including: 43. a storage zone for bottles, 44. an automated sampling system for selectively sampling the content of a bottle among those present in the storage zone, 45. a loading zone for introducing a new bottle into the automatic device, 46. an unloading zone for collecting a bottle previously present in the storage zone, 47. a bottle conveyor and storage system, configured selectively and individually to transport a bottle from a location in the storage zone to the unloading zone or from the loading zone to a location in the storage zone.

A container carrier for carrying a sample container along a track is presented. The container carrier comprises a holding portion for receiving and holding a sample container and a base portion. A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag containing identifying information is provided with an antenna for wireless communication of the RFID tag with a reader device of the diagnostics system to read the identifying information. The RFID tag is on the holding portion. An arrangement for a diagnostics system is provided comprising container carriers and a track with a transport mechanism for moving the container carriers along a transportation lane. The transport mechanism defines a transport plane along which the container carriers move. A reader device reads the identifying information from the RFID tags. The reader device comprising a reader antenna above the transport plane to generate and emit a reader field for wireless communication with the RFID tag's antenna.

A model-based method for quantifying a specimen. The method includes providing a specimen, capturing images of the specimen while illuminated by multiple spectra at different nominal wavelengths, and exposures, and classifying the specimen into various class types comprising one or more of serum or plasma portion, settled blood portion, gel separator (if used), air, tube, label, or cap; and quantifying of the specimen. Quantifying includes determining one or more of: a location of a liquid-air interface, a location of a serum-blood interface, a location of a serum-gel interface, a location of a blood-gel interface, a volume and/or a depth of the serum or plasma portion, or a volume and/or a depth of the settled blood portion. Quality check modules and specimen testing apparatus adapted to carry out the method are described, as are other aspects.

Provided are a specimen transport device and a specimen transport carrier capable of preventing shake of a specimen as compared with related art without limiting a transport path in electromagnetic transport. A specimen carrier 100 includes two or more gripping portions 101 configured to support specimen containers 150 having different diameters from different directions, and a transport surface 201 on which the specimen carrier 100 is to slide. The specimen carrier 100 includes a direction adjustment unit configured to adjust a traveling direction of the specimen carrier 100 when the specimen carrier 100 slides on a surface of the transport surface 201, such that a direction of a force with which one of the two or more gripping portions 101 grips the specimen container 150 is opposite to the traveling direction of the specimen carrier 100.

A sample measuring device reduces the frequency with which a user introduces a measurement aid into the sample measuring device is provided. A sample measuring method measures a sample using a container containing a measurement aid which is a solid. The sample measuring method includes loading a predetermined number of measurement aids into a container from a storage chamber in which a plurality of measurement aids are movably stored in a cartridge attached to a sample measuring device, dispensing the sample into the container, and measuring the sample in the container into which the measurement aid has been loaded.

A method of setting a handover position of a gripping device at a laboratory automation system is presented. A position of a position determining device held by the gripping device is detected using position sensors in order to determine the handover position. A laboratory automation system configured to perform such a method is also presented.

To provide an automatic analyzer in which a reaction container can be smoothly inserted into a hole of an incubator. An automatic analyzer 100 analyzing a sample includes: an incubator 105 having a hole 202 into which a reaction container 114 containing a mixture of the sample and a reagent is to be inserted; and a transfer unit 109 configured to transfer an unused reaction container 114 to the incubator 105 and insert the reaction container 114 into the hole 202. A lubricating member 203 having a self-lubricating property is provided at an inlet port of the hole 202.

A device for gripping vessels is presented. The device comprises a mount, a support having a longitudinal axis coupled to the mount so to be rotatable relative to the mount around the longitudinal axis, a rotating mechanism for rotating the support, a gripper coupled to the support so to be translatable relative to the support along the longitudinal axis. The gripper has jaws for gripping a vessel, a translating mechanism for translating the gripper, at least one actuator for driving the translating mechanism and/or rotating mechanism and at least two reference elements fixed to the mount in at least two different stop positions. The jaws are passively biasable towards each other for holding a vessel in positions other than the at least two stop positions. The jaws are actively biasable away from each other by pushing the gripper against a reference element in one of the stop positions.