The present invention provides an automatic analysis device and an automatic specimen processing system having a component-rack supply mechanism that, in a state where a plurality of component racks each having a disposable component mounted thereon are stacked, separates only a component rack at the leading stage of the stack from the other component racks, and supplies the separated component rack to the automatic analysis device or the automatic specimen processing system. Specifically, the automatic analysis device and the automatic specimen processing system have a supply mechanism including a separation mechanism that, in a state where a plurality of component racks are stacked, separates only a component rack at the leading stage of the stack from the other component racks, where the separation mechanism includes a movable mechanism having a pair of downward-movement prevention members that can separate the leading stage from the second stage of the stacked component racks; and a correction mechanism having a pair of correction members that correct a positional deviation of the component racks in order to avoid an influence of the positional deviation of the stacked component racks.

A plate transport device includes a main body, first and second moving members and first and second elastic members. The main body has an intermediate supporter. The first and second moving members have first and second supporters, respectively. The first and second moving members are supported to be movable in a first direction with respect to the main body. The first elastic member is provided between the intermediate supporter and the first supporter, and supplies a first biasing force directed toward the intermediate supporter in the first direction to the first moving member. The second elastic member is provided between the intermediate supporter and the second supporter, and supplies a second biasing force, which is directed toward the intermediate supporter in the first direction and opposite to the direction in which the first biasing force is directed, to the second moving member.

This invention concerns a centrifuge having a rotor and a rotor chamber in which the rotor is arranged and rotatably mounted, wherein the rotor has a receiving region for receiving a reaction vessel unit, and the centrifuge being provided with a loading and unloading device comprising a rigid sliding rod for positioning a reaction vessel unit in or for removing a reaction vessel unit from the rotor, wherein the sliding bar is movably arranged in such a way that it, between a discharge position in which it extends through the rotor in the rotor chamber and a loading position in which it is pulled at least out of the region of the rotor chamber, which is stressed by the rotor during one revolution, and a linear drive for moving the sliding rod between the discharge position and the loading position.

Described herein is a modular robotic system for processing a biological sample, and methods of using a modular robotic system for processing a biological sample. The modular robotic system includes a bidirectional plate transportation track to transport plates within the modular robotic system, as well as robotic arms that can transport the plate from a node on the bidirectional plate transportation tack to a sample processing module. Through this system, the sample and/or consumable plates can be transported throughout the processing system. Additionally, the modular robotic system is configured to be expandable, so that the system can be easily adapted to scale up biological sample processing laboratories.

A device for agitating and collecting biological liquid samples comprises an agitator of racks of tubes, a sampling apparatus capable of collecting a biological liquid sample in a tube, and a changer capable of gripping a tube on a rack received in the agitator and moving it to the sampling apparatus. The agitator is capable of agitating at least three racks simultaneously, and the device also comprises a scheduler capable of determining destination data for a tube and destination data for the rack which receives this tube, and of determining for each tube a final location based on the destination data of the tube and the destination data of the racks received in the device, which final location designates a rack, received on the agitator and a position on this rack and can be different from the location of the tube when the rack that received it has been introduced into the device, and arranged to control the changer in order to grip a tube, present it to the sampling apparatus and replace it after sampling at the final location.

An analyzer for use with in vitro diagnostics includes an automation system to move a plurality of sample carriers within the system. At least some carriers include a plurality of slots. Each slot is configured to hold one of a plurality of fluid containers. The system also includes a place and pick device configured to place the plurality of fluid containers into the plurality of slots and remove the plurality of fluid containers from the plurality of slots. The system further includes a controller configured to place mother sample tubes along with empty sample tubes into the same carrier and move the carrier to an existing pipettor within the analyzer to aliquot a sample portion of the mother sample into the empty daughter tubes to create aliquots for certain samples without requiring a standalone aliquoting station or substantially disrupting the normal flow of sample tubes within the automation system.

Incubation system and method for automated cell culture and/or testing. An exemplary incubation system may comprise a housing forming a chamber. A rack may define storage positions to support an array of sample holders inside the chamber. A detection robot may be configured to capture one or more images of cells contained by one or more wells of each sample holder while the sample holder remains at one of the storage positions of the rack. A fluid handling station may be configured to add fluid to, and/or remove fluid from, one or more wells of each of the sample holders inside the housing. At least one plate robot may be configured to move sample holders between the rack and the fluid handling station. A computer may control operation of the detection robot, the fluid handling station, and the at least one plate robot.

Automated diagnostic laboratory and laboratory management system for high throughout and methods of using the same, including subsystems and components for use with the same and devices for removing lids from microplates and methods of using the same.

A device for receiving, stacking, and removing microplates is presented and described. The device comprises a tower for stacking the microplates, wherein a microplate comprises a container and, optionally, a lid. There is a retaining device at the lower end of the tower, which has a first retaining tool and a second retaining tool, and preferably partially encompasses a microplate. The first retaining tool is designed to hold a microplate in a form-fitting manner. The second retaining tool is designed to fix a container in the microplate in place in a frictional manner. The first retaining tool is above the second retaining tool in the stacking direction. A system that comprises the device described above, a dispenser device, and a transport device, is also disclosed. The dispenser device is used to fill microplates, and the transport device is used to add and remove microplates to and from the device.

A rover-based integrated laboratory system including autonomous mobile robots is disclosed. Namely, a rover-based integrated laboratory system is disclosed comprising a workspace; a laboratory component within the workspace, the laboratory component being adapted to perform a laboratory technique; a labware component within the workspace that is adapted to be used in the laboratory technique; and a rover component within the workspace that is operatively connected to the laboratory and the labware components, the rover component being an autonomous mobile robot.