Apparatuses and methods for washing a plurality of fluid samples are disclosed herein. In an embodiment, a system for washing a plurality of fluid samples respectively located within a plurality of cuvettes includes a rotor configured to rotate the plurality of cuvettes about an axis, a traveler mechanism located beneath the rotor, the traveler mechanism configured to move a plurality of magnets parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotor to position the plurality of magnets so that each cuvette of the plurality of cuvettes is located adjacent to at least one magnet of the plurality of magnets, and a wash system located above the rotor, the wash system configured to at least one of inject fluid into or aspirate fluid from the plurality of the cuvettes, while the plurality of magnets suspend magnetic particles located within each of the plurality of cuvettes.

A sample container carrier, a laboratory sample distribution system comprising such a sample container carrier and a laboratory automation system comprising such a laboratory sample distribution system are presented.

A laboratory sample distribution system comprising sample container carriers, a central controller having a network interface, and transport modules is presented. Each transport module comprises a transport surface, wherein the transport surfaces form a transport plane, a controllable driver arranged below the transport surface and configured to move sample container carriers on the transport surface, and a control unit for controlling the driver. The control unit comprises a network interface. The central controller and the control units of the transport modules are connected by their corresponding network interfaces. Each control unit comprises first and second addressing terminals. The addressing terminals are connected sequentially in a daisy chain topology. The first addressing terminal is the first control unit in the sequence and is connected to a first reference potential and the second addressing terminal is the last control unit in the sequence and is connected to a second reference potential.

A sample handling device for a laboratory automation system comprising a first carousel with a disc supported on a first axis, a second carousel with a disc supported on a second axis parallel to the first axis, and a transfer element between the first and second carousels is presented. Each disc has recesses distributed radially about the disc perimeter. Each recess receives a tube carrier. The first carousel and the second carousel connect via a passage for transferring sample tube carriers between the first and second carousels. The transfer element is a track switch which when in a rest position partly closes the passage to separate the first carousel from the second carousel. The track switch is swiveled and/or rotated about a third axis parallel to the first axis out of the rest position for transferring a tube carrier from the first carousel to the second carousel via the passage.

A laboratory sample distribution system comprising a transport plane in which the transport plane is covered by an electrically conductive material is presented. A laboratory automation system comprising such a laboratory sample distribution system is also presented.

A system and method for independently routing container-located vehicles to create different finished products are disclosed. The vehicles are independently routable along a track system to deliver the containers to at least one unit operation station. At least some of the vehicles have a unique route associated therewith that is assigned by a control system to facilitate simultaneous production of different finished products.

A method of operating a laboratory sample distribution system is presented. The system comprises sample container carriers comprising a magnetically active device and configured to carry a sample container, interconnected transport plane modules configured to support carriers, and electro-magnetic actuators arranged in rows and columns below each transport plane module and configured to move a carrier on top of the transport plane modules by applying a magnetic force to the carrier. The method comprises assigning transport plane modules to a route category. At least two traffic lanes are formed on the route categorized transport plane module. The carriers are moved within each traffic lane in a transport direction. The transport directions are opposite to each other. The method also comprises assigning another transport plane module to a waypoint category. A change from one transport direction to the opposite transport direction is possible on the waypoint categorized transport plane module.

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.

A system facilitating parallel laboratory operations which includes a plurality of labware components, and a plurality of processing heads configured to interact with the plurality of labware components is described. The system further includes a first set of actuators coupled to the plurality of processing heads and configured to actuate the plurality of processing heads along a first directional axis. The system further includes a second set of actuators configured to translate the plurality of labware components along at least a second directional axis and a third directional axis. The second set of actuators may include one or more magnetic levitation systems configured to cause movement of the plurality of labware components along the second directional axis and the third directional axis.

A transport device unit for a transport device assembled using a plurality of transport device units is presented. The transport device unit comprises a base plate module with a base plate for fixing the transport device unit to a support frame, an actuator module with a plurality of electro-magnetic actuators, where the actuator module is supported by the base plate module, and a driving surface module with a driving surface element, where the driving surface element is arranged above the actuator module covering the actuators and configured to carry sample container carriers. A transport device, a system for at least partially disassembling the transport device, and a laboratory sample distribution system comprising a transport device are also presented. In addition, a laboratory automation system comprising a laboratory sample distribution system is also presented.