The present disclosure relates to blood sample preparation devices and methods. In some embodiments, a method for preparing a blood sample comprises: receiving at a sample preparation machine a sample container containing the blood sample; scanning an identifier of the sample container, the identifier containing information indicative of a characteristic of at least one of the sample container or the blood sample contained therein, actuating, after the scanning, and based on the information, the sample container to repeatedly change a position of the sample container; determining, based on the information, whether the sample container should be centrifuged; and transporting the sample container to a centrifuge to be centrifuged and then to a storage compartment when the determining indicates that the sample container should be centrifuged, and to the storage compartment without entering the centrifuge when the determining indicates that the sample container should not be centrifuged.

A container for manually mixing contents therein includes a base and a lid, and when formed has a first horizontal axis, a second horizontal axis, and a vertical axis that is perpendicular to the horizontal axes. The base defines an elliptic-shaped base opening and a base chamber having two conjugate diameters D.sub.1 and D.sub.2 proximate the base opening. The lid defines an elliptic-shaped lid opening and a lid chamber having the two conjugate diameters D.sub.1 and D.sub.2 proximate the lid opening. The diameter D.sub.1 extends in a direction of the first horizontal axis and the diameter D.sub.2 extends in a direction of the second horizontal axis. A ratio of D.sub.1 to D.sub.2 is greater than 1. The container also includes grips for manually mixing the contents within the base and lid chambers by rotating the container about the second horizontal axis.

A container for manually mixing contents therein includes a base and a lid, and when formed has a first horizontal axis, a second horizontal axis, and a vertical axis that is perpendicular to the horizontal axes. The base defines an elliptic-shaped base opening and a base chamber having two conjugate diameters D.sub.1 and D.sub.2 proximate the base opening. The lid defines an elliptic-shaped lid opening and a lid chamber having the two conjugate diameters D.sub.1 and D.sub.2 proximate the lid opening. The diameter D.sub.1 extends in a direction of the first horizontal axis and the diameter D.sub.2 extends in a direction of the second horizontal axis. A ratio of D.sub.1 to D.sub.2 is greater than 1. The container also includes grips for manually mixing the contents within the base and lid chambers by rotating the container about the second horizontal axis.

A stirring apparatus includes a storage portion configured to store a container, a stirring unit configured to perform a stirring operation for the container stored in the storage portion such that a liquid contained in the container is stirred, a regulating unit whose state changes between a regulating state in which extraction of the container from the storage portion is regulated and a regulation cancel state, and a control unit.

The control unit interrupts the stirring operation upon determining that the state of the regulating unit changes from the regulating state to the regulation cancel state during the stirring operation, and resumes the stirring operation upon determining that the state of the regulating unit changes from the regulation cancel state to the regulating state during the interruption of the stirring operation.

A stirring apparatus includes a storage portion configured to store a container, a stirring unit configured to perform a stirring operation for the container stored in the storage portion such that a liquid contained in the container is stirred, a regulating unit whose state changes between a regulating state in which extraction of the container from the storage portion is regulated and a regulation cancel state, and a control unit.

The control unit interrupts the stirring operation upon determining that the state of the regulating unit changes from the regulating state to the regulation cancel state during the stirring operation, and resumes the stirring operation upon determining that the state of the regulating unit changes from the regulation cancel state to the regulating state during the interruption of the stirring operation.