A sample unloading system comprising: a wash-down enclosure defining an inner chamber; a rotatable carriage disposed in the inner chamber, the carriage configured to receive a sample tube containing an agricultural material and rotate the sample tube between a plurality of rotational positions; a tube gripper mechanism disposed on the carriage, the tube gripper mechanism configured to selectively engage the sample tube when positioned in the carriage; wherein the tube gripper mechanism retains the sample tube in the carriage when the sample tube is in an inverted position.

The present invention provides a device capable of conducting magnetic solid-phase extraction, including a framework assembly. The framework assembly includes a platform assembly and an electrical cabinet assembly. The electrical cabinet assembly is disposed below the platform assembly, and an electric assembly is packaged in an electrical cabinet of the electrical cabinet assembly. The electric assembly is disposed independent from the platform assembly. Data wires connected to the electric assembly and the platform assembly are placed in the framework frame or a sheet metal structure, preventing reagents and operations on the platform assembly from polluting or affecting the electric assembly. The present invention designs a magnetic solid-phase extraction device. Pretreating samples in a manner of magnetic solid-phase extraction simplifies the extraction process, reduces the processing costs of the device, and overcomes negative effects caused by some other extraction methods in the background.

An automated platform for inoculating a variety of receptacles with biological samples for testing and analysis. The lab automation system includes a plurality of modules used to automate the inoculation of media for subsequent analysis. In this regard, the lab automation system has one module to enter specimen/order information and store an inventory of petri dishes. Another module is used to label the sample receptacles with a unique identifier that associates the receptacles with the sample. Yet another module includes a robot for retrieving sample and inoculating the receptacles. The sample inoculation module also includes an apparatus that will receive slides, inoculate those slides, and further process the slides for analysis. The sample inoculation assembly includes a module that permits a slide to be advanced out of the inoculation module to an operator for expedited processing which module also includes a printer for applying a machine readable code to the slide to associate the slide with the sample to be inoculated onto the slide. Finally, the lab automation system includes a module that streaks the culture media with the sample. Thus, the automated lab system described herein provides consistent samples with minimal input from a lab operator.

An automated programmable processor-controlled system and related methods for packaging an agricultural sample such as soil which may be tested for various chemical properties such as plant available nutrients. The packaging system includes a sample packaging apparatus which allows raw bulk sample material collected in the agricultural field to be expediently and conveniently containerized for processing and analysis. The apparatus may include a die block disposed between bulk material and sample collection chambers. A sample blade mechanism inserts a sample blade array through the bulk material chamber and die block. The sample blades extrude the sample material from the bulk material chamber through die slots in the die block, thereby forming plugs or blanks of the material collected in the sample collection chamber coupled to the sample container. A cleaning blade mechanism inserts a cleaning blade array through the die slots after the extrusion for removing residual soil or debris.

A microfluidic sample processing device, capable of automatically processing a microfluidic sample, comprises: a tray apparatus, for accommodating a reagent and a chip clamp for mounting a microfluidic chip; a mechanical arm, having a connecting head for connecting the chip clamp, a gas flow channel for communicating with an inner cavity of the chip clamp being arranged in the connecting head; a negative pressure suction apparatus, for providing negative pressure to the gas flow channel of the connecting head; a lifting apparatus, for driving the connecting head to rise and fall; and a translation apparatus, for driving the connecting head to move to above the chip clamp or above the reagent; wherein, the tray apparatus is positioned below the mechanical arm, and the mechanical arm is arranged on the translation apparatus and is connected to the lifting apparatus.

A spray coating apparatus that applies a coating material onto outer surfaces of glass objects includes a coating material source that includes a coating material. A spray nozzle assembly includes a spray nozzle fluidly connected to the coating material source. The spray nozzle is arranged and configured to direct the coating material in a first direction toward the glass object and provide an overspray amount of the coating material by the glass object such that the overspray amount bypasses a non-line of sight area of the glass object. A turn nozzle assembly includes a turn nozzle fluidly connected to a pressurized gas source. The turn nozzle is arranged and configured to direct pressurized gas in a second direction different than the first direction toward the non-line of sight area of the glass package to redirect the coating material onto the non-line of sight area.

A test fixture includes a cylindrical main body extending in a longitudinal direction that receives a test piece. The main body includes a cylindrical screen filter with a mesh surface that extends in along a longitudinal axis coincident with an axis of the main body. The mesh surface generates a filter cake when particle-entrained fluid is supplied through the mesh surface and the particulate is retained on the mesh surface. The main body also includes an offset shaft that extends in the longitudinal direction along an offset axis that is offset from the axis of the main body, and the test piece extends through the offset shaft and the interior of the screen filter. The main body further includes a bearing that decouples rotational motion of the offset shaft from the end cap. Additionally, the test fixture includes an actuator that dislodges the test piece from the filter cake, a computer that determines the dislodging force, and a reservoir pump that pumps the particle-entrained fluid into the screen filter. When the alignment wheel is actuated, the offset shaft forces the test piece to move from a first position where a longitudinal axis of the test piece is coincident to the longitudinal axis of the screen filter to a second position in which the axes are offset.

A spray coating apparatus that applies a coating material onto outer surfaces of glass objects includes a coating material source that includes a coating material. A spray nozzle assembly includes a spray nozzle fluidly connected to the coating material source. The spray nozzle is arranged and configured to direct the coating material in a first direction toward the glass object and provide an overspray amount of the coating material by the glass object such that the overspray amount bypasses a non-line of sight area of the glass object. A turn nozzle assembly includes a turn nozzle fluidly connected to a pressurized gas source. The turn nozzle is arranged and configured to direct pressurized gas in a second direction different than the first direction toward the non-line of sight area of the glass package to redirect the coating material onto the non-line of sight area.