Example automated diagnostic analyzers and methods for using the same are disclosed herein. An example apparatus described herein includes a first carousel rotatably coupled to a base and having a first axis of rotation. The example apparatus includes a second carousel rotatably coupled to the base and vertically spaced over the first carousel such that at least a portion of the second carousel is disposed over the first carousel. In the example apparatus, the second carousel has a second axis of rotation and a plurality of vessels. The example apparatus also includes a pipetting mechanism offset from the second axis of rotation. The example pipetting mechanism is to access the first carousel and the second carousel.

Example automated diagnostic analyzers and methods for using the same are disclosed herein. An example apparatus described herein includes a first carousel rotatably coupled to a base and having a first axis of rotation. The example apparatus includes a second carousel rotatably coupled to the base and vertically spaced over the first carousel such that at least a portion of the second carousel is disposed over the first carousel. In the example apparatus, the second carousel has a second axis of rotation and a plurality of vessels. The example apparatus also includes a pipetting mechanism offset from the second axis of rotation. The example pipetting mechanism is to access the first carousel and the second carousel.

To provide an automated analyzer adapted for accommodating a larger number of reagent cassettes to meet calls for increases in analytical throughput and in the number of analytical items, and thus using the accommodated reagent cassettes more efficiently. An automated analyzer body 100 includes a main reagent buffer 4 for storing a plurality of reagent cassettes each containing a reagent used for analysis and a subsidiary reagent buffer 12. A reagent cassette transfer 11 transfers the reagent cassettes from the main reagent buffer to the subsidiary reagent buffer, and vice versa. A control unit 200 operates so that when a reagent cassette that is not set in the main reagent buffer is to be used for an assigned analysis, the reagent cassette for the assigned analysis is transferred from the subsidiary reagent buffer to the main reagent buffer.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, there is disclosed an apparatus for nucleic acid extraction and an operation method thereof. The apparatus for nucleic acid extraction includes: a first rack having a plurality of sample tube receivers arranged in a circle; a second rack having a plurality of elution tube receivers arranged in a circle on an outer side thereof and a washing solution receiver positioned at the center thereof, a part of the washing solution receiver extending outwards to have projections formed in alternation with a plurality of the elution tube receivers; a main body having the first and second racks arranged to position the first rack on the top of the second rack; a rotational driver for separately rotating the first and second racks; a dispenser for separately dispensing a washing solution and an eluting solution into sample tubes; and a pressurizer for maintaining the inside of the sample tubes under raised pressure.

A method for measuring optical signal detector performance that includes directing light emitted from an optical signal detector onto a first non-fluorescent surface portion in a first detection zone of the optical signal detector. A first characteristic of light detected by a first sensor of the first optical signal detector is measured while the first non-fluorescent surface portion is in the first detection zone of the optical signal detector. Light emitted from the optical signal detector is directed into a first void in the first detection zone of the optical signal detector. A second characteristic of light detected by the first sensor of the optical signal detector is measured while the first void is in the first detection zone of the optical signal detector. And an operational performance status of the optical signal detector is determined based on at least one of the first characteristic and the second characteristic.

A multi-well fluid container that includes a container body is provided for use in an in vitro diagnostics automation system. The container body includes a first well having a first well size configured to hold a first fluid and an openable first well closure that covers a first well opening. The first well opening provides access to the first fluid in the first well when the openable first well closure is opened. The container body also includes a second well having a second well size configured to hold a second fluid and having an openable second well closure that covers a second well opening. The second well opening provides access to the second fluid in the second well when the openable second well closure is opened. The first well size of the first well is different than the second well size of the second well.

Diagnostic analyzers with pretreatment carousels and related methods are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a first carousel that includes a first annular array of slots to receive a first vessel. The example first carousel also includes a first track of rotation about the first carousel having a first diameter and a second track of rotation about the first carousel having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter. The example apparatus includes a first diverter to move the first vessel from the first track to the second track. In addition, the example apparatus includes a second carousel coaxial with the first carousel. The example second carousel includes a second annular array of slots to receive a second vessel.

An automatic biochemical analyzer, comprises a reaction wheel comprising an inner ring and an outer ring, wherein the reaction wheel is equally divided into multiple cuvette positions along a circumferential direction; the inner ring and the outer ring, respectively, each have a photoelectric detection position, a sample injecting position, a reagent injecting position, a sample stirring position, a reagent stirring position, and a cuvette cleaning position; the photoelectric detection position of the inner ring and the photoelectric detection position of the outer ring have a cuvette position interval of N along a counterclockwise or clockwise direction; and the sample injecting positions, the reagent injecting positions, the sample stirring positions, and the reagent stirring positions of the inner ring and the outer ring, respectively, have a cuvette position interval of M along the same direction, M and N being natural numbers, and the difference between M and N being 0 or 1.

To minimize cross talk in systems and methods for detecting two or more different optical signals emitted from each of a plurality of reaction receptacles, an excitation signal associated with each of the optical signals has a known excitation frequency, and any detected signal having a frequency that is inconsistent with the excitation frequency is discarded. The receptacles are moved relative to optical sensors configured to detect each unique optical signal from an associated receptacle, and to further minimize cross talk, the optical sensors are arranged so that only one reaction receptacle at a time is in a signal detecting position with respect to one of its associated optical sensors, and the optical sensors are grouped by the optical signal they are configured to detect so that a first optical signal is detected from each of the reaction receptacles before a second optical signal is detected from the reaction receptacles.

This disclosure provides automatic analyzers and reagent wheels thereof. The reagent wheel can have one or more rings of reagent bottle seats that may be used for placing a reagent container and distributed along a circumferential direction. An included angle may be formed between a symmetrical centerline of the reagent container placed on the reagent bottle seat and a radius of a circle where the reagent wheel is located, where the included angle is not equal to zero. Compared with the situation in which the symmetrical centerline of the reagent container overlaps with the radius of the circle where the reagent wheel is located, an improved balance can be achieved between the capacity and the diametric size of the reagent wheel, thus making an improvement in meeting application requirements of the analyzers.