The invention relates to a dual centrifuge (10) which has the following: a driveshaft (16), a rotor (20), which is mounted on the driveshaft (16) and which can be removed axially in a removal direction (E), for a dual centrifuge, having at least one rotational unit (30); an opening (18) in the rotor (20), wherein an end region (16a) of the driveshaft (16) at least engages into said opening; and an additional drive mechanism (32) for the rotational unit or the rotational units (30). The dual centrifuge additionally has a design for operating various additional types of rotors; however, only one rotor (20, 40, 50) can be arranged on the driveshaft (16) at all times. The various rotor types (40, 50) are also adapted to the additional drive mechanism (32) for the rotational units (30) such that the function is not adversely affected. The invention is characterized by a design for operating at least one angular head rotor (40) and a swing-out rotor (50). For this purpose, the driveshaft (16) and the various rotor types (40, 50) are adapted to each other. The bearing (16), the driveshaft (16), and the various rotor types (40, 50) are adapted to one another such that each non-dual rotor (40, 50) has a geometry that is measured such that when the rotor (40, 50) is mounted, a drive means (32a) of the additional drive mechanism (32) for the rotational units (30) is arranged so as to not contact the mounted rotor (40, 50).

The invention relates to a rotor (10) of a dual centrifuge which can be rotated about a drive axis (A) in a centrifuge, which rotor comprises at least two rotary units (26) that are arranged symmetrically to one another and have a bearing (32) and a rotary head (30) which is connected to the bearing (32) and which is mounted in the bearing (32) so as to be rotatable about a rotational axis (R1, R2), which rotary head (30) can be driven about the rotational axis (R1, R2) relative to the rotor by another rotary mechanism (46) of the centrifuge and has a rotary head receiving unit (80) for at least one sample container or at least one sample container receptacle (100, 110), with the rotational axis (R1, R2) of the rotary head (30) being inclined relative to the drive axis (A) of the rotor, the rotary head receiving unit (80) being designed to receive an elongated sample container receptacle (100, 110) or an elongated sample container, and the longitudinal axis of the sample container receptacle (100, 110) introduced into the rotary head receiving unit (80) or the longitudinal axis of the sample container introduced into the rotary head receiving unit (80) extending perpendicular to the axis of rotation (R1, R2) of the rotary head (30) or being oriented at an angle ranging between more than 0 and less than 90 relative to the axis of rotation. According to the invention, at least one connection region (52) is provided to which at least one damping mass (54) can be selectively attached either in a releasable manner or, by means of a fixing element, in a permanent manner for operation.

Method and apparatus to agitate a liquid are disclosed herein. An example apparatus includes a carrier having a base that includes a ridge extending from the base and a collar extending from the base. The example apparatus also includes a container supported on the base, the container movable between (A) a locked positon in which the ridge fixedly engages the container to non-rotatably couple the container to the base and (B) an unlocked position in which the container is disengaged from the ridge and the container is rotatable about the collar.

A dispensing container and adapter system for use with a planetary mixer is disclosed. The dispensing container has a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis. The dispensing container may include a nozzle and a removable cap to cover the nozzle. The removable cap may have a first width dimension measured along the transverse axis. The dispensing container may include a body having a second width dimension measured along the transverse axis. An adapter may receive the dispensing container. The adapter may include a cavity to receive the removable cap. The cavity may have a cavity width that exceeds the first width dimension. The adapter may also include a recess for receiving a portion of the dispensing container. The recess may extend from the cavity. At least a portion of the recess may have a width dimension smaller than both the first width dimension and the second width dimension.

A dispensing container and adapter system for use with a planetary mixer is disclosed. The dispensing container has a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis. The dispensing container may include a nozzle and a removable cap to cover the nozzle. The removable cap may have a first width dimension measured along the transverse axis. The dispensing container may include a body having a second width dimension measured along the transverse axis. An adapter may receive the dispensing container. The adapter may include a cavity to receive the removable cap. The cavity may have a cavity width that exceeds the first width dimension. The adapter may also include a recess for receiving a portion of the dispensing container. The recess may extend from the cavity. At least a portion of the recess may have a width dimension smaller than both the first width dimension and the second width dimension.

A centrifugal mixing device can include a shaft assembly that is operably coupled to a motor such that the motor rotates the shaft assembly about a first axis. The devices can further include a turret that is rotatably coupled to the shaft assembly such that the turret rotates about the first axis relative to the shaft assembly. The turret can include a first support, a first canister rotatably coupled to the first support such that the first canister rotates about a second axis, and a second canister rotatably coupled to the first support such that the second canister rotates about a third axis. The turret is configured to rotate about the first axis in a first rotational direction and each of the first and second canisters is configured to rotate about the second and third axes, respectively, in a second rotational direction that is opposite the first rotational direction.

Method and apparatus to agitate a liquid are disclosed herein. An example apparatus includes a carrier having a base that includes a ridge extending from the base and a collar extending from the base. The example apparatus also includes a container supported on the base, the container movable between (A) a locked positon in which the ridge fixedly engages the container to non-rotatably couple the container to the base and (B) an unlocked position in which the container is disengaged from the ridge and the container is rotatable about the collar.

An apparatus is provided for dispensing a cosmetic composition, including: a cartridge holder configured to hold at least one cartridge that stores a cosmetic composition, the cartridge holder being configured to move the cartridge to a predetermined location; a container receiving area configured to hold a output container beneath the predetermined location; circuitry configured to determine the cosmetic composition in the cartridge holder, control the cartridge holder to move the cartridge holder to the predetermined location based on the determination, and control the cartridge to dispense the cosmetic composition into the output container; and a mixer configured to hold the output container and subject the output container to a predetermined movement to cause contents of the output container to mix together.

A system and method is provided for providing a cosmetic composition to a user. The system includes an apparatus configured to dispense at least one cosmetic composition into a output container; a user interface configured to receive information about the user; and circuitry configured to receive the information about the user and determine one or more cosmetic compositions to be dispensed into the output container based on the information about the user received at the user interface.

An automated analyzer for performing multiple diagnostic assays simultaneously includes multiple stations, or modules, in which discrete aspects of the assay are performed on fluid samples contained in reaction receptacles. The analyzer includes stations for automatically preparing a specimen sample, incubating the sample at prescribed temperatures for prescribed periods, performing an analyte isolation procedure, and ascertaining the presence of a target analyte. An automated receptacle transporting system moves the reaction receptacles from one station to the next. The analyzer further includes devices for carrying a plurality of specimen tubes and disposable pipette tips in a machine-accessible manner, a device for agitating containers of target capture reagents comprising suspensions of solid support material and for presenting the containers for machine access thereto, and a device for holding containers of reagents in a temperature controlled environment and presenting the containers for machine access thereto. A method for performing an automated diagnostic assay includes an automated process for isolating and amplifying a target analyte. The process is performed by automatically moving each of a plurality of reaction receptacles containing a solid support material and a fluid sample between stations for incubating the contents of the reaction receptacle and for separating the target analyte bound to the solid support from the fluid sample. An amplification reagent is added to the separated analyte after the analyte separation step and before a final incubation step.