A plate changer includes a plate storage that includes therein a plate setting base, and is provided with a transport window for retrieving, in one direction in a horizontal plane, a sample plate set on the plate setting base; and a transport mechanism that has at least a pair of holding portions holding both side surfaces of a sample plate, and holds and transports the sample plate by the holding portions. The plate storage has a plate guide that supports a side surface of the sample plate set on the plate setting base and guides the sample plate to a predetermined setting position. When the holding portion is inserted into the plate storage from the transport window, the plate guide is configured to move to a position not interfering with the action of the holding portion.

The specimen treatment and measurement system 2000 according to the present invention is provided with: a movement stage 2300 having a plurality of treatment lanes for treating specimens in parallel; a consumables supply module 2100 for storing consumables for use in treatment of the specimens, and supplying the consumables to the movement stage 2300; a cartridge supply module 2500 for storing cartridges for use in treatment of the specimens, and supplying the cartridges to the movement stage 2300; and a stage transfer mechanism 2400 for transferring the movement stage 2400 to each module. The cartridge supply module 2500 has a plurality of cartridge cartons for accommodating the cartridges stacked on top of each other, and a push-out mechanism for pushing cartridges out of a cartridge carton to a supply position of the cartridge supply module 2500.

The present invention relates to a method of loading a sample storage device (10) for a plurality of sample carriers (38A-38E) equipped with sample containers (34), said method comprising: during removal of sample containers (34) from the sample storage device (10): providing at least one output sample carrier (38A) having sample containers (34) that can be taken up from the output sample carrier (38A); providing a target sample carrier (38B) in which sample containers (34) taken up from the output sample carrier (38A) can be deposited; providing a refilling sample carrier (38C) which is at least partially filled with sample containers (34); removing at least one sample container (34) from the output sample carrier (38A) and depositing the at least one sample container (34) in the target sample carrier (38B), and for each sample container (34) removed from the output sample carrier (38A) and deposited in the target sample carrier (38B), removing another sample container (34) from the refilling sample carrier (38C) and refilling the space of the removed sample container (34) in the output sample carrier (38A) with the other sample container (34) from the refilling sample carrier (38C). Moreover, the invention relates to a loading system (12) designed for performing the method.

A liquid chromatography sample organizer includes a first chamber, a plurality of stacked sample organizer shelves mounted within the first chamber each individually configured to store a sample-vial carrier including a sample, and a shelf magnet affixed to a surface of each of the plurality of stacked sample organizer shelves. A portion of the first chamber is configured to be located adjacent to, and open to, a sample manager configured to inject liquid chromatography samples into a chromatographic flow stream. Disclosed further is a liquid chromatography system having the sample organizer, a sample drawer, and a method of transferring samples between a sample manager and the sample organizer.

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.

A method and device for handling supports which support biological cell cultures or auxiliary agents for treatment of biological cell cultures, using one or more modules, at least one of which is a handling device. Each one of a plurality of supports rests with its edges on support elements, and, depending on the type of supports or the type of auxiliary means supported thereby, the supports require different storage heights, some of which are greater than one or more times a standardized vertical spacing of the support elements. The supports have an information carrier, the information of which can be read by a reading device and can be evaluated by a computing device. For optimal use of the compartments of the storage device, the information contains details about the storage height of the support in question and the handling of the supports is performed using these details.

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.

In some aspects, automated rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing systems for performing a multi-assay testing sequence can include an automated incubation assembly having a nest assembly adapted to house at least one test panel having a plurality of wells for receiving a sample comprising microorganisms originating from a clinical sample, the incubation assembly facilitating incubation of one or more test panels in order to undergo the multi-assay testing sequence; a robotic handling assembly configured to accept one or more incoming test panels and move them to and from the incubation assembly for incubation between each assay of the multi-assay testing sequence; an automated liquid handling assembly configured to exchange one or more fluids in the plurality of wells of the test panels; and an optical assembly for interrogation and readout of each assay of the multi-assay testing sequence being performed in the plurality of wells.

A plate changer includes a casing that stores a sample plate and one or a plurality of first rack plates that each support the sample plate. One or a plurality of plate supporters that respectively support the one or plurality of first rack plates at different heights are provided in the casing. Each first rack plate is configured to be supportable on and removable from any of the one or plurality of plate supporters. The plate changer further includes a detector that detects whether the first rack plate is supported on each plate supporter.

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.