A method for adjusting a transfer apparatus fastened to a robotically displaceable transfer arm and comprising a holder for a liquid vessel in an automated analysis machine, by way of measuring a first and second force effect on the holder with the aid of a sensor, wherein, if the measured force effects do not deviate from one another by more than a predetermined amount, the transfer apparatus is sufficiently adjusted in respect of a receiving position, and wherein, if the measured force effects deviate from one another by more than a predetermined amount, an adjustment of the transfer apparatus in respect of the receiving position is carried out.

Provided is a sample tube handling system that includes: one or more carriers configured to carry a plurality of open sample tubes containing test sample material; a deck surface including a designated location for each of the one or more carriers; and a warning system that produces a warning signal when at least one of the one or more carriers is not in its designated location.

A method of delivering a receptacle to an instrument includes the steps of supporting a receptacle in a carriage, activating an electric motor to move the carriage between a first location and a second location of the instrument while the receptacle is supported by the carriage, applying a clamping force to the receptacle as the carriage moves from the first location to the second location, and releasing the clamping force from the receptacle as the carriage moves from the second location to the first location.

A receptacle delivery system for an instrument includes a carriage, a puck rotatably supported by the carriage, a first electric motor, and a second electric motor. The puck comprises a plurality of spring-loaded fingers arranged around a vertical axis and configured to removably support a receptacle therebetween. The first electric motor is configured to move the carriage between a first location and a second location of the instrument. The second electric motor is configured to rotate the puck about the vertical axis.

A receptacle delivery system for an instrument includes a carriage, a puck supported by the carriage, and a first shelf. The carriage is configured to move from a first location of the instrument to a second location of the instrument. The puck is configured to removably support a receptacle such that a longitudinal axis of the receptacle is substantially coincident with a vertical axis of the puck. The first shelf is positioned at the second location of the instrument and comprises (a) a base extending substantially transverse to the vertical axis of the puck and (b) a first opening defined by the base. When the carriage is positioned at the second location, the longitudinal axis of a receptacle seated in the puck extends through the first opening.

A laboratory sample distribution system comprising a plurality of sample container carriers, each adapted to carry one or more sample containers, each carrier comprising at least one magnetically active device and at least one electrically conductive member, a transport plane adapted to support the carriers, a plurality of electro-magnetic actuators stationary arranged below the transport plane, the actuators being adapted to move the carriers on top of the transport plane by applying a magnetic force to the carriers, a plurality of inductive sensors distributed over the transport plane, a control unit configured to control the movement of the carriers using an output signal provided by the inductive sensors by driving the actuators such that the carriers move along corresponding transport paths, and an evaluation unit configured to linearize the output signal from an inductive sensor by means of a linearization algorithm.

A reagent card analyzer comprises an optical signal source configured to transmit an optical signal and an optical signal detector spaced a distance from the optical signal source to define an optical signal path into which the optical signal is transmitted, the optical signal detector configured to detect the optical signal and to output an electrical signal indicative of the optical signal. A reader is configured to read a reagent pad of a reagent card. A reagent card moving mechanism is configured to move the reagent card having the reagent pad including a leading and trailing end through the optical signal path. An optical detector interface is electrically coupled with the optical signal detector and configured to receive electrical signals and to output a pad detect signal indicative of at least one of the leading and the trailing end as the reagent card is moved through the optical signal path.

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.

In the past, when centering the center of a liquid surface and fixation thereof proved difficult during mounting a container into an automatic analytical apparatus, there was sometimes the possibility that the accuracy of checking the liquid surface conditions and the pipetting precision could not be ensured. When this problem occurred, there was the possibility that the reliability of the analysis results would be diminished. Accordingly, an automatic analytical apparatus is provided with a probe for suctioning a liquid to be used in analysis, wherein the apparatus is provided with a transport apparatus for transporting a container accommodating the liquid, and a container-clamping apparatus for clamping the container transported by the transport apparatus. The container-clamping apparatus has a vibration suppression mechanism for retaining the clamped container with an elastic body, and a centering retention mechanism with which centering of the container center can be fixed.

A method to store sample tubes in a laboratory storage and retrieval system is presented. The laboratory storage and retrieval system comprises a storage section, a database comprising a sample tube inventory of the storage section, a control device, and at least one sample tube transport system. The storage section comprises at least two storage subsections. In a first step of the method, the control device identifies at least two sample tubes with at least one substantially identical sample tube attribute and distributed over the at least two storage subsections. In a second step of the method, the at least one sample tube transport system consolidates the at least two sample tubes in at least one storage subsection, wherein the control device further determines in which of the at least two storage subsections the identified sample tubes are consolidated.