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.

The present invention is concerned with a test tube manipulation system, and in particular a system for use in handling test tubes and centrifuge tubes, which euables automation for improved reliability and repeatability, while also providing accurate and dextrous handling of the test tubes, the system comprising a test tube provided with at least a pair of protrusions spaced from one another about a sidewall of the test tube and a gripper comprising a pair of fingers each of which defines a recess shaped and dimensioned to receive one of the protrusions.

An instrument for processing a biological sample includes a chassis. Connected to the chassis is a tape path along which a tape with a matrix of wells can be automatically advanced through the instrument, a dispensing assembly for dispensing the biological sample and a reagent into the matrix of wells of the tape to form a biological sample and reagent mixture, a sealing assembly for sealing the biological sample and reagent mixture in the tape, and an amplification and detection assembly for detecting a signal from the biological sample and reagent mixture in the matrix of wells in the tape.

Provided is a specimen treatment system that can detect whether a specimen container is uncapped by using a simple mechanism. The specimen treatment system comprises: an automatic analyzer that analyzes a specimen; a pretreatment device that performs a pretreatment on the specimen; and a conveyance passage that conveys, in the automatic analyzer or in the pretreatment device, a specimen container that houses the specimen. The specimen treatment system is characterized by further comprising a single sensor that is disposed so as to be orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the specimen container and that detects whether the specimen container is uncapped.

An automatic analyzer includes: a reagent mounting unit 103 in which a plurality of reagent bottles 10 are installed when a reagent bottle 10 is loaded into the automatic analyzer; a reagent conveying mechanism 101 including a gripper mechanism 106; and a reagent mounting mechanism 102 for moving the reagent mounting unit 103 between an installation position at which an operator installs the reagent bottle 10 in the reagent mounting unit 103 and a position at which the gripper mechanism 106 grips the reagent bottle 10. It is thereby possible to achieve saving of a mechanism installation space and reduction of the number of constituent components, automatically carry out an operation from opening of the reagent bottle to loading of the reagent bottle into the reagent disk, and alleviate an operator's burden.

Systems and methods are described for integrated sample container cover removal and sample probe positioning. In an example implementation, an autosampler system includes, but is not limited to, a z-axis support rotatable about a z-axis of an autosampler deck; a sample probe support structure coupled to the z-axis support, the sample probe support structure configured to hold a sample probe to withdraw a fluid-containing sample held within a sample container supported by the autosampler deck; and a sample cap remover coupled to the z-axis support in an orientation that is rotationally offset from the z-axis support with respect to the sample probe support structure, the sample cap remover configured to lift a cap from the sample container to provide access to an interior of the sample container by the sample probe supported by the sample probe support structure.

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.

A reagent storage device of the present disclosure includes a shutter and a moving mechanism. The shutter is configured to open and close an opening in a reagent compartment for housing a reagent container, the reagent compartment being provided with the opening for insertion and removal of a probe used to extract a reagent from inside the reagent container housed in the reagent compartment. The moving mechanism is configured to move the shutter to an overlay position opposing the opening and separated from the opening before moving the shutter downward so as to close off the opening, and is also configured to move the shutter that is closing off the opening upward to open up the opening before withdrawing the shutter from the overlay position over the opening.

Provided is an automatic analyzer capable of reliably closing an openable lid provided in an opening for accessing a region covered by a cover. An automatic analyzer includes an incubator cover disposed to cover a preprocessing region provided on an operation surface on a housing, an openable lid disposed to openably cover an opening portion provided in the incubator cover in order to access the inside from the outside of the preprocessing region, and a safety cover disposed to cover upper portions of the operation surface and the preprocessing region, and the openable lid is moved to a closed position in association with movement of the safety cover from an opened position to the closed position in a case where the openable lid is at the opened position and the safety cover is at the opened position.

The present disclosure relates generally to devices, systems, and methods for sample tube processing and more specifically to antimicrobial susceptibility testing, including automated systems capable of separating viable microbes from positive blood cultures. In an aspect, a sample tube may include a container comprising an open first end, a closed second end, and a tubular wall extending substantially along a longitudinal axis of the container. A protrusion may extend radially from an external surface of the tubular wall. A cap may be reversibly coupled to the first end of the container. The cap may include an interface ring having a top side, an underside, and a central axis therethrough. A skirt portion may extend from the underside substantially parallel with the central axis. A sealing wall may extend from the underside. A channel may be between the skirt portion and the sealing wall configured to reversibly accept the tubular wall.