A pneumatic-tube container having a container cylinder and having a cover and a base, at least the cover can be moved from a closed position into an open position. The container cylinder contains an insert, which has at least one tubular channel extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the container cylinder. At least one channel contains at least one clamping element, which projects laterally into the channel. The damping element can be moved out of the channel, wherein the movement out of the channel and into the same is coupled to the movement of the cover from the closed position into the open position and from the open position into the closed position, respectively. When the cover is open, and preferably also when the base is open, the sample tubes therefore fall out due to gravity when the pneumatic-tube container is held with the opening in the downward direction.

A housing is provided with an internal space for accommodating an insert and a cylindrical cap attachment part provided, at the distal end surface thereof, with an opening part communicating with the internal space. An inclined groove that is inclined from the distal end side to the proximal end side of the cap attachment part along the circumferential direction of the cap attachment part is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the cap attachment part. A cap fixing part for attaching a seal cap to the cap attachment part has a cap holding part for holding the outer peripheral surface of the seal cap and an elastic part connected to the cap holding part. The elastic part is provided with a protrusion that is fit into the inclined groove of the outer peripheral surface of the cap attachment part.

An automated analyzer includes a container installation portion in which a container, such as a reagent container, has a protrusion and an openable and closable lid. A lid opening and closing mechanism opens and closes the lid and includes an arm portion having an arm and a horizontal driving portion which moves the arm in a first horizontal direction. The arm includes a protrusion contacting portion that includes a first surface having an angle greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees when the horizontal surface is set as 0 degrees. The lid opening and closing mechanism portion opens the lid by moving the arm in the first horizontal direction, contacting the lid protrusion on the first surface of the protrusion contacting portion, and then moving the lid protrusion along a shape of the first surface in a vertical direction, until the lid is opened.

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.

A cabin entry-and-exit structure, an analysis device and an analysis system are provided. The cabin entry-and-exit structure includes a carrier body, a guide support assembly and a door opening-and-closing assembly. The carrier body is configured to bear the loading part; the guide support assembly is disposed on a base board in a cabin body of the analysis device, is configured to support the carrier body, and is movably connected to the carrier body so that the carrier body is movable; the door opening-and-closing assembly is disposed on the base board and located on a side of the carrier body far away from a door, configured to apply a pushing force to the carrier body towards the exit direction when the carrier body is subjected to a pressing force and to lock the carrier body at a cabin closing position when the carrier body is subjected to a pressing force again.

The present invention describes an integrated incubator and image capture module that regulates the incubator atmosphere and obtains high-resolution digital images of sample specimens. The incubator has a cabinet type enclosure that enables the provision of a controlled environment to the contents of the incubator by having at least three ports on one face of the cabinet for the passage of sample containers. Additionally, an image capture module is located immediately adjacent to the incubator. In this regard, using at least three separate access/egress points for the sample containers streamlines operation of the system and enhances preservation of the incubator environment. Furthermore, locating the image capture module directly adjacent to the incubator reduces the amount of time a sample container is exposed to the external environment, thereby reducing the extent to which samples are exposed to potential contaminants and reducing the exchange of the lab and ambient atmospheres.

A sample analysis system and a sample management method are provided. The sample analysis system includes: one or more analysis devices configured to test a sample; a scanning component configured to scan the sample to obtain scanning information before testing the sample by the analysis devices; an image information obtaining component configured to acquire image information of a region in the sample containing a sample identifier; a processor configured to identify the sample identifier of the sample according to at least one of the scanning information or the image information of the sample. The system can obtain the sample identifier of a sample in two ways, thus improving the efficiency of sample test.

A full-automatic sample pretreatment device includes a frame module, a cap removing module, a blood-collection tube grasping module, a pipette module, a platform module, a handling module, a film sealing module, a magnetic solid phase extraction module, an SPE positive pressure extraction module and a conveyor belt waste transfer module. A conveyor belt waste transfer module is arranged at a bottom of the frame module, the cap removing module, the platform module and the magnetic solid phase extraction module are sequentially arranged in the middle of the frame module from left to right, and the blood-collection tube grasping module, the pipette module, the handling module and the film sealing module are arranged at an upper portion of the frame module. The magnetic solid phase extraction module and the SPE positive pressure extraction module are detachable and interchangeable components.

An applicator assembly (100) for closing a sample container (500) with a plug (16) is proposed. The applicator assembly comprises a magazine (102) configured to store a string (10) comprising polymer-based material, an insertion device (104) configured to insert an end piece (12) of the string at least partly into an opening (502) of the sample container (500), and a drive system (106) configured to supply at least a part of the string (10) from the magazine (102) to the insertion device (104). The applicator assembly further comprises a separator (108) configured to separate the end piece (12) from the string, such that the end piece (12) forms a plug (16) closing the sample container (500).

We describe apparatuses, systems, method, reagents, and kits for conducting assays as well as process for their preparation. They are particularly well suited for conducting automated sampling, sample preparation, and analysis in a multi-well plate assay format. For example, they may be used for automated analysis of particulates in air and/or liquid samples derived therefrom in environmental monitoring.