An automated conveyor assembly for transporting a carrier coupled to processing receptacle from (i) a carrier conveyor assembly to (ii) a processing position within an instrument, where the automated conveyor assembly includes a gripper configured to selectively grasp a carrier and move between (i) a first position and (ii) the processing position in the instrument. The automated conveyor assembly further includes a diverter defining a recess configured to receive a carrier, the diverter being rotatable between (i) a first position at which the recess is aligned with the carrier conveyor assembly and (ii) a second position at which the recess is aligned with the first position of the gripper.

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.

In blood coagulation time measurement, the reaction time relies on the blood coagulation ability of a specimen and is not fixed. In particular, in module-type devices, errors may occur in the specimen processing, measurement number, and measurement time between a plurality of blood coagulation analysis units, leading to the risk of lowering the processing capability of the device as a whole. The present invention is a module-type automated analyzer provided with a plurality of blood coagulation analysis units capable of analyzing blood coagulation time items in which the reaction time between a specimen and a reagent differs depending on the specimen, wherein a control unit that controls the specimen rack conveying operation finds the total of forecasted measurement times of measurement items requested for specimens being analyzed and queued specimens in each of the plurality of blood coagulation analysis units, and determines the conveyance destination of the specimen rack on the basis of the total of the forecasted measurement times that was found.

A sample processing system is configured for analyzing, preprocessing, or carrying out other operations for a biological sample such as blood or urea. With the sample processing system, it is possible to store samples to be stored in a thermally insulated state or specimens required for accuracy control in the thermally insulated state for preventing evaporation or denaturing of the samples and specimens. Also it is possible to carry in or out the samples, rack by rack, according to necessity. Further, the sample processing system is provided with a buffer unit in a cold container having a capability for cold storage and also by accessing a sample rack at random for carrying in or out a rack with a transfer mechanism provided outside of the cold container.

Provided are: a connection device with which it is possible to improve the degree of freedom in positioning of an analysis device that analyzes a specimen; and an automated system for inspecting a specimen, the system comprising the connection device. A connection device for connecting a specimen transport device that transports a specimen container in which a specimen is accommodated and an analysis device that analyzes the specimen, the connection device being characterized by comprising: a carousel that transports a specimen carrier, on which the specimen container is placed, during a prescribed interval; a grip part positioned inside the carousel, the grip part gripping the specimen container at a specimen collection position, which is a position at which the specimen is collected; and a housing that covers the carousel, the connection device also being characterized in that the specimen collection position is above the transport path of the carousel and is positioned within a prescribed distance from the housing.

A sample processing system is configured for analyzing, preprocessing, or carrying out other operations for a biological sample such as blood or urea. With the sample processing system, it is possible to store samples to be stored in a thermally insulated state or specimens required for accuracy control in the thermally insulated state for preventing evaporation or denaturing of the samples and specimens. Also it is possible to carry in or out the samples, rack by rack, according to necessity. Further, the sample processing system is provided with a buffer unit in a cold container having a capability for cold storage and also by accessing a sample rack at random for carrying in or out a rack with a transfer mechanism provided outside of the cold container.

A method of operating a laboratory sample distribution system is disclosed. The laboratory sample distribution system comprises a plurality of sample container carriers. The sample container carriers carry one or more sample containers. The sample containers comprise samples to be analyzed by a plurality of laboratory stations. The system also comprises a transport plane. The transport plane supports the sample container carriers. The transport plane comprises a plurality of transfer locations. The transfer locations are assigned to corresponding laboratory stations. The system also comprises a drive. The drive moves the sample container carriers on the transport plane. The method comprises, during an initialization of the laboratory sample distribution system, pre-calculating routes depending on the transfer locations and, after the initialization of the laboratory sample distribution system, controlling the drive such that the sample container carriers move along the pre-calculated routes.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an automatic analysis device that combines a biochemical analysis unit and a blood coagulation analysis unit and has a high processing capacity while reducing device cost and life-cycle cost. An automatic analysis device is characterized in that when a synthetic-substrate item or latex-agglutination item from among synthetic-substrate, latex-agglutination, and clotting-time blood-coagulation-test items is made to be a first test item and the clotting-time item is made to be a second test item, if there is a measurement request for the first test item and second test item in the same specimen rack, a control unit determines the conveyance path of the specimen rack such that the first test item is measured using a biochemical analysis unit and the second test item is measured using a coagulation time analysis unit and controls a conveyance line.

An automated sample inspection system is provided with a conveyance line for conveying sample carriers; an empty sample carrier line for conveying empty sample carriers; and a buffer line for temporarily holding empty sample carriers supplied from the empty sample carrier line to the conveyance line. According to the depletion status of the buffer line of each processing system, and the depletion status of other processing systems adjacent to each processing system, the number of empty sample carriers to be conveyed from the empty sample carrier line to the buffer line of each processing system, and the number of empty sample carriers to be conveyed from the empty sample carrier line of each processing system to the empty sample carrier line of another adjacent processing system are determined. Consequently, delays in the processes in the system can be suppressed due to the suppression of the depletion of sample carriers.

An analytical laboratory system and method for processing samples is disclosed. A sample container is transported from an input area to a distribution area by a gripper comprising a means for inspecting a tube. An image is captured of the sample container. The image is analyzed to determine a sample container identification. A liquid level of the sample in the sample container is determined. A scheduling system determines a priority for processing the sample container based on the sample container identification. The sample container is transported from the distribution area to a subsequent processing module by the gripper.