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.

Described is a chain including a plurality of links pivotally connected to each other such that the chain is configured to bend in one direction without back-bending. Each of the plurality of links including a link body include: an inner side facing a bending direction of the chain; an outer side facing opposite the bending direction of the chain; a back-bending prevention portion; a post feature extending laterally across the link body, and a connection feature configured to engage with the post feature of the first other of the pivotally connected plurality of links to create one direction pivotal attachment without back-bending between the links. Further disclosed is a chain system and methods of moving devices with a chain or chain system.

Provided is an automatic analyzer in which a linear movement unit and a rotational movement unit that access to a same location can be arranged in a same plane. The automatic analyzer includes a linear movement unit configured to access to an access point by a linear movement, a rotational movement unit configured to access to the access point by a rotational movement, and a control unit configured to control an operation of the linear movement unit and the rotational movement unit so that the linear movement unit and the rotational movement unit do not interfere with each other.

A liquid handling instrument and pipetting head for and method of aspirating and/or dispensing liquids is disclosed. Namely, an automated liquid handling instrument is provided for aspirating and/or dispensing liquids from source media to destination media using at least one pipetting head and by using a positive displacement pipette tip, wherein the positive displacement pipette tip includes a pipette tip and a pipette plunger. A pipetting head of the liquid handling instrument includes an arrangement of plates, threaded rods, motors, timing (or drive) belts, and custom timing pulleys/nuts. The pipetting head further includes an arrangement of pipette plunger clamping mechanisms and pipette tip clamping mechanisms that feature zero-insertion force clamping mechanisms.

The present disclosure provides a consumable box automatic transmission device. The consumable box automatic transmission device includes a consumable box storage mechanism, configured to load and store consumable boxes, and a consumable box lifting mechanism, located above the consumable box storage mechanism; the consumable box lifting mechanism is able to lift the consumable boxes; the consumable box storage mechanism and the consumable box lifting mechanism is able to respectively store and transmit the consumable boxes; the consumable box storage mechanism is able to transmit the consumable boxes to the bottom of the consumable box lifting mechanism; and the consumable box lifting mechanism receives the consumable boxes at a bottom and lifts the consumable boxes to a top layer of the consumable box lifting mechanism. In this way, parallel consumable box transmission can be achieved, and continuous consumable box conveyance is achieved, thereby reducing manual care or frequent manual operation.

The present invention relates to an egg carrier for holding an egg in an egg handling system, wherein the egg carrier comprises; an egg accommodation, an egg clamping system to secure an egg in the egg accommodation space, wherein the egg clamping system is moveable between an egg securing position and an egg release position, an operating system coupled with the egg clamping system to move the clamping system between the egg securing position and the egg release position, wherein the operating system comprises an operating member that is operable externally from the egg carrier.

The present invention provides: a drawer that is supported so as to be horizontally movable in the front-rear direction between an open position and a closed position through a front-face opening; a table that allows an expendable or a processing unit used for analysis to be mounted in the drawer; and a moving-direction transforming means that, while the drawer is moved toward the rear side from the open position to the closed position, moves horizontally until the expendable or the processing unit mounted on the table passes through the front-face opening from the front side to the rear side and moves the table toward the upper side in synchronization with the horizontal movement of the drawer toward the rear side after the expendable or the processing unit mounted on the table passes through the front-face opening. This makes it possible to easily and reliably perform the work of replacing a chip rack.

Described is an interface module for robotic loading and unloading of a liquid chromatography sample manager. The module includes a transfer drawer receiving apparatus having a device track and a drawer drive system configured to transport a transfer drawer along the device track into and out from a sample tray of a sample manager. The transfer drawer receives a sample-vial carrier that holds samples to be analyzed. The module further includes a window apparatus that has a window controllable to be in an open state or a closed state. When in the open state, transport of the transfer drawer through the window into or out from the sample manager permits loading of the sample-vial carrier into the sample tray and unloading of the sample-vial carrier from the sample tray. In the closed state, the window apparatus substantially seals the internal environment of the sample manager from the ambient environment.

Described is a chain including a plurality of links pivotally connected to each other such that the chain is configured to bend in one direction without back-bending. Each of the plurality of links including a link body include: an inner side facing a bending direction of the chain; an outer side facing opposite the bending direction of the chain; a back-bending prevention portion; a post feature extending laterally across the link body, and a connection feature configured to engage with the post feature of the first other of the pivotally connected plurality of links to create one direction pivotal attachment without back-bending between the links. Further disclosed is a chain system and methods of moving devices with a chain or chain system.

The present invention relates to an egg carrier for holding an egg in an egg handling system, wherein the egg carrier comprises; an egg accommodation, an egg clamping system to secure an egg in the egg accommodation space, wherein the egg clamping system is moveable between an egg securing position and an egg release position, an operating system coupled with the egg clamping system to move the clamping system between the egg securing position and the egg release position, wherein the operating system comprises an operating member that is operable externally from the egg carrier.