A sample heating device includes: an opening/closing cover provided to be movable in a horizontal direction between a position above an opening of a mounting port and a position displaced from the position above the opening, and a cover sliding mechanism that is engaged with a part of a sample boat conveying portion when the sample boat conveying portion comes to a predetermined position in a horizontal plane and moves the opening/closing cover in the horizontal direction according to upward and downward movements of the sample boat conveying portion so that the opening/closing cover is provided at the position directly above the opening of the mounting port when the sample boat conveying portion comes to a predetermined height.

The present disclosure relates to an analytical system with at least three components: a multiwell plate on which the wells are included in an optically transparent area; a frame holding the multiwell plate close to its edge while permitting the plate a certain extent of freedom of movement; a baseplate to which the multiwell plate, but not the frame is firmly fixed via a docking mechanism, such that different expansion of plate and frame can be compensated. A second aspect described herein relates to a method of docking a corresponding multiwell plate held by a frame to a baseplate and subjecting the multiwell plate to a step of a biological or chemical assay within this arrangement.

A specimen transport apparatus according to an embodiment includes: a holder including first and second trenches and configured to hold a specimen; a first transporter including a first protrusion to engage with the first trench and configured to transport the holder by transferring the first protrusion engaged with the first trench in an extension direction of the second trench; a second transporter including a second protrusion to engage with the second trench and configured to transport the holder by transferring the second protrusion engaged with the second trench in an extension direction of the first trench. The first trench is formed in at least one of an upper surface and a lower surface of the holder. The second trench is formed in at least one of the upper surface and the lower surface of the holder, and is formed to extend to a lateral surface of the holder.

A transportation system for paraffin embedded tissues includes a placing assembly, a bearing unit and a storage device. The placing assembly includes a horizontal moving assembly, a vertical moving assembly, a rotation assembly and a placing unit. The horizontal and vertical moving assemblies move the placing unit in horizontal and vertical directions, respectively, and the rotation assembly allows the placing unit to rotate around a vertical axis. The bearing unit receives the paraffin embedded tissues. The storage device has a rotation plate including a plurality of receiving slots each for storing the bearing unit. The placing unit is configured to remove the bearing unit from the storage device, move the bearing unit to a processing apparatus located at another side of the placing assembly, remove the bearing unit from the processing apparatus, and transport the bearing unit to the receiving slot of the storage device.

A slide storage, retrieval, transfer and scanning system for a slide scanner presents multiple components which work together in an automated fashion to streamline slide scanning in digital pathology. A slide storage assembly stores several slide baskets and can deliver a particular basket through a rotation mechanism. A slide basket transfer assembly retrieves the basket from the slide storage assembly and transfers the basket to a secondary location, where a slide transfer assembly retrieves a single slide from the basket and delivers the slide to a slide scanning stage for scanning.

A magazine device (14) and method are provided for a measuring device (12) for measuring a concentration of gaseous and/or aerosol components of a gas mixture. The magazine device (14) includes a holding device (16) for a plurality of reaction carriers (18), which have each at least one reaction chamber with a reactant. The reactant is designed to react with a particular component to be measured in the gas mixture or with a reaction product of the component to be measured in an optically detectable manner. A feed device (20) removes a reaction carrier (18) of the plurality of reaction carriers (18) from the holding device (16) and feed the reaction carrier to the measuring device (12) for carrying out a measurement of the particular component to be measured in the gas mixture. A control unit (22) controls the holding device (16) and/or the feed device (20).

Luminescence test measurements are conducted using an assay module having integrated electrodes with a reader apparatus adapted to receive assay modules, induce luminescence, preferably electrode induced luminescence, in the wells or assay regions of the assay modules and measure the induced luminescence.

A low temperature storage system, a transport mechanism, and a low temperature storage vessel are provided, which enable downsizing and simplification of the transport mechanism, as well as stable transport of stored objects. A low temperature storage system (1) includes a low temperature storage vessel (10) and a transport mechanism (20). The transport mechanism (20) includes a reciprocating part (30) that has a holding part (35) and that is capable of reciprocating along a transfer direction, and guide unit (40). The guide unit (40) include an in-vessel guide (50) fixedly placed inside the low temperature storage vessel (10), and a telescopic guide (60) configured to be able to extend and contract along the transfer direction. The telescopic guide (60) is provided independently of the in-vessel guide (50) so as to be connectable to the in-vessel guide (50).

The storage device comprises a storage chamber for storing objects at e.g. 80 C., a transfer chamber for intermediate object storage at e.g. 20 C. and a transport device arranged between them. The transport device comprises a pivotal and vertically displaceable carriage and is arranged in a rotatable lock chamber.

An automation system for use with in vitro diagnostics includes a track configured to provide one or more paths and a plurality of payload carriers having payload carrier types. One or more of the plurality of payload carrier types has a different payload carrier dimension in a direction of travel than another payload carrier type. The system includes a plurality of carriers configured to move along the track in the direction of travel. Each of the plurality of carriers has a substantially identical carrier dimension in the direction of travel and configured to hold any one of the plurality of payload carrier types. The system includes a controller configured to navigate the plurality of carriers along the track based on at least one of: (i) the substantially identical carrier dimension in the direction of travel; and (ii) one or more of the different payload carrier dimensions in the direction of travel.