METHOD FOR RECEIVING A SAMPLE VESSEL FROM A SAMPLE CARRIER, AND DEVICE DESIGNED TO CARRY OUT THE METHOD

Abstract

A sample vessel is picked up from a sample carrier with a gripping device including first and second gripping sections. The first and second gripping sections grip the sample vessel from first and second sides. First and second holders for the sample vessel are provided, as is a first tool for moving the sample vessel along a stroke movement path. In the method, the first and second gripping sections are positioned on first and second sides of the sample vessel and the first tool engages with the sample vessel; the sample vessel is moved along the stroke movement path; the sample vessel is picked up in the second holder; the first and second gripping sections are repositioned in a lateral direction orthogonal to the stroke movement path such that the sample vessel is arranged in a free area not occupied by the sample carrier.

Claims

1. A method of picking up a sample vessel (18) from a sample carrier (16) by means of a gripping device (12) having a first gripping section (30) and a second gripping section (32), wherein the first gripping section (30) is designed to grip the sample vessel (18) from a first side, wherein the first gripping section (30) has a first holder (34) for the sample vessel (18) and a first tool (42) for moving the sample vessel (18) along a stroke movement path, wherein the second gripping section (32) is designed to grip the sample vessel (18) from a second side opposite the first side, wherein the second gripping section (32) has a second holder (52) for the sample vessel (18), the method comprising the steps of: positioning the first gripping section (30) on the first side of the sample vessel (18) and the second gripping section (32) on the second side of the sample vessel (18) such that the first gripping section (30) faces the second gripping section (32) along the stroke movement path, engaging the first tool (42) with the sample vessel (18), moving the sample vessel (8) along the stroke movement path in the direction from the first side to the second side, picking up the sample vessel (18) in the second holder (52), repositioning the first gripping section (30) and the second gripping section (32) in a lateral direction orthogonal to the stroke movement path such that the first gripping section (30) on the first side of the sample vessel (18) is located opposite the second gripping section (32) along the stroke movement path, the sample vessel (18) being arranged in a free area not occupied by the sample carrier (16), moving the sample vessel (18) along the stroke movement path in the opposite direction from the second side to the first side, engaging the sample vessel (18) with the first holder (34) provided in the first gripping section (30).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second gripping section (32) comprises a second tool (48) which is adapted to engage the sample vessel (18) for moving the sample vessel (18) along the stroke movement path in the direction from the second side to the first side.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first side is an upper side of the sample vessel (18) and the second side is a bottom side of the sample vessel (18).

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the following steps for dispensing the sample vessel (18) into a target sample receptacle (16): again repositioning the first gripping section (30) such that the sample vessel (18) is assigned to the target sample vessel receptacle with respect to the stroke movement path, disengaging the sample vessel (18) from the first holder (34) provided in the first gripping section (30) and moving the sample vessel (18) along the stroke movement path from the first side to the second side, depositing the sample vessel (18) in the target sample vessel receptacle.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said disengaging of the sample vessel (18) from the first holder (34) provided in the first gripping section (30) is effected by means of the first tool (42) provided in the first gripping section (30).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first gripping section (30) has a centering device (36) for the sample vessel (18) which is independent of the first holder (34) and which comprises at least one spring member, wherein in the course of engaging the sample vessel (18) with the first holder (34) provided in the first gripping section (30) and/or in the course of disengaging the sample vessel (34) from the first holder (34) provided in the first gripping section (30), centering of the the sample vessel (18) with respect to the stroke movement path is effected by clamping engagement with the centering device (36).

7. The method of claim 6, wherein clamping engagement of the sample vessel (18) with the centering device (36) and centering of the sample vessel (18) with respect to the stroke movement path during a pickup manipulation take place in any case before said engaging and/or during a dispensing manipulation take place in any case upon or after release of the engagement of the sample vessel (18) with the first holder (34) provided in the first gripping section (30).

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the spring member is designed such that the sample vessel (18), in the course of its movement in an engagement direction from the sample carrier (16) to the first holder (34), is brought in clamping engagement with the centering device (36) before it engages with the first holder (34), and/or that the sample vessel (18), in the course of its movement opposite to the engagement direction from the first holder (34) to the sample carrier (16) upon release of the engagement between the sample vessel (18) and the first holder (34), is in clamping engagement with the centering device (36).

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first tool (42) provided in the first gripping section (30) is designed to be coupled with the sample vessel (18) for driving the same in the direction from the first side to the second side, but not for driving the same in the direction from the second side to the first side.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first tool (42) provided in the first gripping section (30) is designed to be coupled with the sample vessel (18) when moving in the direction from the first side to the second side, and to be uncoupled from the sample vessel (18) when moving in the direction from the second side to the first side.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first tool (42) provided in the first gripping section (30) has a pin or punch (44) which cooperates with the first side of the sample vessel (8) to move the sample vessel (18) in the direction from the first side to the second side.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the second tool (48) provided in the second gripping section (32) is designed to be coupled with the sample vessel (18) for driving the same in the direction from the second side to the first side, but not for driving the same in the direction from the first side to the second side.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the second tool (48) provided in the second gripping section (32) is designed to be coupled with the sample vessel (18) when moving in the direction from the second side to the first side, and is designed to be uncoupled from the sample vessel (18) when moving in the direction from the first side to the second side.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the second tool (48) provided in the second gripping section (32) has a pin or punch (50) which can be introduced into a corresponding recess in the sample vessel (18) for moving the sample vessel (18) in the direction from the second side to the first side.

15. A gripping device (12) for picking up a sample vessel (18), in particular a sample vessel filled with a liquid, from a sample carrier (16), comprising: a first gripping section (30) which is designed to grip the sample vessel (18) from a first side, wherein the first gripping section (30) has a first holder (34) for the sample vessel (18) and a first tool (48) for moving the sample vessel (18) along a stroke movement path, and a second gripping section (32) which is designed to grip the sample vessel (18) from a second side opposite the first side, wherein the second gripping section (32) has a second holder (52) for the sample vessel (18), wherein the gripping device (12) has a controller assigned thereto, which controls the gripping device (12) for carrying out the method according to claim 1.

16. A sample manipulation device (10) for automated manipulation of sample vessels (18), in particular of sample vessels (18) filled with a liquid, which is movable along predetermined coordinates relative to a sample carrier (16) accommodating the sample vessels (18), wherein the sample manipulation device (10) comprises at least one gripping device (12) according to claim 15.

17. The sample manipulation device (10) of claim 16, which is movable relative to the sample carrier (16) along Cartesian axes.

18. A memory element having a memory area in which a computer program is stored, the computer program being designed to carry out the method according to claim 1 when executed in a controller controlling a gripping device (12), wherein the gripping device (12) is designed to pick up a sample vessel (18), in particular a sample vessel filled with a liquid, from a sample carrier (16), wherein the gripping device (12) comprises a first gripping section (30) which is designed to grip the sample vessel (18) from a first side, the first gripping section (30) having a first holder (34) for the sample vessel (18) and a first tool (48) for moving the sample vessel (18) along a stroke movement path, and wherein the gripping device (12) comprises a second gripping section (32) which is designed to grip the sample vessel (18) from a second side opposite the first side, the second gripping section (32) having a second holder (52) for the sample vessel (18).

Description

[0048] The invention will be explained in more detail in the following by description of an embodiment with reference to the drawings, wherein:

[0049] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a section of a sample manipulation device comprising a gripping device according to an embodiment, in a configuration during a pickup manipulation prior to removal of a sample vessel from a sample carrier;

[0050] FIGS. 2 to 11 each show, in an identical side view, the configuration of the gripping device in various stages during a pickup manipulation, in which a sample vessel is removed from a removal sample carrier having a securing means for sample carriers against removal, and a subsequent dispensing manipulation in which the sample vessel is dispensed into a target sample carrier.

[0051] In all figures, like reference numerals designate like or similar components. For a more detailed description, reference is made to the respective first figure that illustrates a respective component. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, the same description applies to all other figures as well. These are usually described only insofar as changes or additions to the previous figures need to be explained. It is understood that supplements also refer to the other figures.

[0052] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a section of a sample manipulation device 10 comprising a gripping device 12 according to an embodiment. In the situation shown in FIG. 1, the gripping device 12 is in a configuration prior to the beginning of the removal of a sample vessel 18 from a removal sample carrier 16 during a pickup manipulation (i.e. a sample vessel is picked up from the removal sample carrier by the gripping device 12). The sample vessels 18 are received in the sample carrier 16 in sample vessel receptacles each. Receiving of the sample vessels in a respective sample vessel receptacle of a sample carrier 16 was carried out in a dispensing manipulation by the gripping device 12, namely by moving each sample vessel 18 in a dispensing directionin the embodiment illustrated from above to belowand placing the sample vessel 18 in the respective sample vessel receptacle of the target sample carrier 16. Each sample vessel receptacle has a detent means, not shown in detail, which engages with a respective sample vessel 18 received in the sample vessel receptacle and ensures that a sample vessel 18 received in the sample vessel receptacle can no longer be removed from the sample vessel receptacle by lifting of the sample vessel 18i.e. by moving the sample vessel 18 in a direction opposite to the dispensing direction. In order to nevertheless remove sample vessels 18 from the sample vessel receptacles, the sample manipulation device 10, in particular the gripping device 12, is designed for carrying out a special method which will be explained in more detail by way of FIGS. 2 to 11. FIGS. 2 to 11 show a side view of the configuration of the gripping device 12 in various stages in the course of a pickup manipulation, in which a sample vessel 8 is removed by the gripping device 12 from a removal sample carrier 16 having a sample carrier securing means against removal, and a subsequent dispensing manipulation in which the sample vessel 18 is then dispensed by the gripping device 2 into a target sample carrier 16.

[0053] The sample manipulation device 10 comprises a sample table 14 having sample carriers 16 supported thereon (of which only two sample carriers are provided with reference numeral 16 in FIG. 1 by way of example). Each sample carrier 16 comprises a plurality of sample vessel receptacles in which individual sample vessels 18 (of which only two sample vessels are provided with reference numeral 18 in FIG. 1 by way of example) can be stored. In the configuration illustrated in FIG. 1, all sample carriers 16 are completely equipped or filled with sample vessels 8, and the gripping device 12 serves to carry out a pickup manipulation in which one of the sample vessels 18 is picked up from the sample carrier 16 by the gripping device 12.

[0054] The sample vessel receptacles are arranged in a respective sample carrier 16 in the form of a rectangular matrix, with 812=96 sample vessels 18 per sample carrier 16 in the embodiment illustrated. It is understood that instead of the configuration of the sample carriers according to FIG. 1, any other configuration can be selected. For example, sample carriers 16 with 12, 24, 48, 96, or 384 sample vessel receptacles are used as standard in medical and biochemical research. The sample vessel receptacles can be arranged in the form of a rectangular matrix with rows and columns as in FIG. 1, or otherwise in any other configuration, for example with offset of two adjacent rows or columns from one another. The sample vessels 18 may have any configuration that is compatible with the particular sample carrier 16 used. Conventional sample vessels 18 have a substantially cylindrical body portion with a diameter matched to the sample carriers 16 used, which is generally slightly smaller than the diameter of the respective sample carrier receptacles used. In addition, many sample vessels 18 have detents on their peripheries which engage corresponding detents in a respective sample vessel receptacle and thus block backward movement of the sample vessel 18 out of a sample vessel receptacle.

[0055] The sample carriers 16 can be transported by means of a sample carrier transport system (also referred to as tray shuttle), not shown in detail, between a storage area for sample vessels 18 and the manipulation area for sample vessels 18 shown in the figures. In the manipulation area, which for example may be assigned to an input/output interface of a sample storage device, the gripping device 12 is operative. The gripping device 12 is designed such that it can remove, from sample carriers 16 located in the manipulation area, sample vessels 18 individually from the respectively assigned sample carrier 16 or can deposit sample vessels 18 individually in a sample vessel receptacle of a sample carrier 16 located in the manipulation area. For this purpose, the sample manipulation device 10 has a first manipulator arm 20 which is linearly movable in a first direction (x direction) along a first linear guide mechanism 22 by means of a drive not shown in detail. The first manipulator arm 20 extends substantially along a second direction (y direction) which is orthogonal to the first direction. The first and second directions span a plane which in the following is referred to as xy plane. In the embodiment illustrated, the xy plane extends substantially horizontally. On the first manipulator arm 20, a second manipulator arm 24 is supported so as to be movable linearly along the first manipulator arm 20. The second manipulator arm 24 extends substantially orthogonal to the xy plane and is linearly displaceable along the first manipulator arm 20 (i.e. in the y direction). To this end, there is used a drive, generally designated 26. The first manipulator arm 20 has a guide mechanism, which is not referenced, for linear movement of the second manipulator arm 24 in the y direction. By moving the first manipulator arm 20 along the guide mechanism 22 and the second manipulator arm 24 along the first manipulator arm 20, the second manipulator arm 24 can thus reach any position in the xy plane above (i.e. in vertical projection upwardly) the sample carrier receptacles on the sample table 14.

[0056] On the second manipulator arm 24, there is arranged the gripping device 12, more precisely, a first gripping section 30 of the gripping device 12 is arranged on the second manipulator arm 24, as described in more detail below. The first gripping section 30 is supported on the second manipulator arm 24 in such a manner that the first gripping section 30 is indeed displaceable in principle along the second manipulator arm 24and thus in a direction orthogonal to the xy plane (z direction or stroke movement direction). As will be explained in detail below, in the context of the present invention, movements of the first gripping section 30 orthogonal to the xy plane are reduced to a minimum. This provides for a significant speed advantage in picking-up and dispensing manipulations by the gripping device 12 proposed here. The first gripping section 30 is arranged at such a height with respect to the sample table 14 that the first gripping section 30 is located a sufficient distance above the upper side of the sample vessels 18 stored in the sample carriers 16, so that neither during the movement of the second manipulator arm 24 along the first manipulator arm 20 nor during movement of the first manipulator arm 20 along the guide mechanism 22 a collision occurs with sample vessels accommodated in the sample carriers 16. As already mentioned, movement of the first gripping section 30 of the gripping device 12 in the z direction in the course of a pickup manipulation or in the course of a dispensing manipulation should possibly not take place at all or should at least be limited to the lowest possible extent.

[0057] FIG. 1 shows that the first gripping section 30 is arranged at a lower end of the second manipulator arm 24 (at least a portion of the second manipulator arm 24 which is mounted on the first manipulator arm 20). On the first gripping section 30, there is provided a first holder 34 which serves for fixing a sample vessel 18 to be picked up by the first gripping section 30. The first holder 34 is fixedly mounted on the manipulator arm 24 and thus is movable together with the manipulator arm 24 only. The first gripping section 30 comprises furthermore a centering device 36. The centering device 36 is associated with the first holder 34, in the sense that the centering device 36 is disposed upstream of the first holder 34 with respect to an imaginary stroke movement path (i.e. movement in the z direction) of a sample vessel 18 picked up into the first holder 34, for example, away from the sample carrier 16 towards the first holder 34. As shown in FIG. 1, the centering device 36 can be attached to the first holder 34, in particular to a lower side of the first holder 34. The first holder 34 may be releasably attached to the second manipulator arm 24, for example by means of a threaded connection.

[0058] The gripping device 12 comprises furthermore a second gripping section 32. The second gripping section 32 is arranged below the sample table 14 and is thus located below the sample vessels 18 accommodated in the sample carriers 16. The second gripping section 32 may be coupled to the first gripping section 30 in such a manner that when the first gripping section 30 moves in the xy plane, the second gripping section 32 moves concomitantly in a plane parallel to the xy plane. This can be achieved, for example, by attaching the second gripping section 32 to a manipulator arm 40 parallel to the first manipulator arm 20, with the manipulator arm 40 being guided on a guide means parallel to the guide mechanism 22. Joint movement of the two manipulator arms 20 and 40 in the x direction can be effected by appropriate mechanical coupling of the two manipulator arms 20 and 40. Joint movement of the first gripping section 30 along the first manipulator arm 24 and the second gripping section 32 along the manipulator arm 40 (i.e. in the y direction) can be effected, for example, by assigning a separate drive to the first gripping section 30 and the second gripping section 32, respectively, and synchronizing the drives with each other by suitable mechanisms (electrical and/or mechanical). Other types of coupling between the first and the second gripping sections 30 and 32, in particular between the two manipulator arms 20 and 40, are of course conceivable. It is advantageous when the coupling between the first gripping section 30 and the second gripping section 32 is releasable, so that the first gripping section 30 is movable in certain situations relative to the second gripping section 32 in the xy plane, if desired. This means that, in particular, the two manipulator arms 20 and 40 each have their own independently operating drive in a disconnected mode and can be displaced independently of each another along the guide mechanism 22.

[0059] It can be seen in FIG. 1 that the second gripping section 32 is disposed at an upper end of an arm portion projecting upwardly from the manipulator arm 40. The second gripping section 32 comprises a second holder 52 (see FIGS. 2 to 11) and a second tool 48 in the configuration of an upwardly extendible punch 50 (see FIGS. 2 to 11).

[0060] For picking up a normal sample vessel 18 from a sample carrier 16, i.e. a sample vessel 18 not secured by means of securing means against removal of the sample vessel 18 from the sample vessel receptacle by movement in a direction opposite to the dispensing direction (in the embodiment illustrated, movement in upward direction), the first and second manipulator arms 20, 24 firstly move into a position in which the first gripping section 30 and the second gripping section 32 are located in a projection of a central axis of the respective sample vessel receptacle in the direction of the z axis and are arranged facing each other above and below the sample vessel receptacle. When this position is reached, the second gripping section 32 moves upwardly along with its second tool 48, until the punch 50 of the second tool 48 comes into abutment with a bottom side of the respective sample vessel 18. As soon as the abutting contact has been established, the second tool 48, in the course of the continued upward movement thereof, lifts the sample vessel 18 until the upper side of the sample vessel 18 comes into engagement with the first holder 34 attached to the first gripping section 30. Once the sample vessel 18 is in engagement with the first holder 34, the second tool 48 is no longer required and is moved back to its initial position. The further manipulation of the sample vessel, in particular the displacement thereof within the xy plane, then takes place through the first gripping section 30.

[0061] The first gripping section 30 comprises furthermore a first tool 42. The first tool 42 normally serves, i.e. when depositing and/or removing normal, i.e unsecured, sample vessels 18, in particular for assisting in releasing an engagement between sample vessel 18 and first holder 34, as is necessary in the course of a dispensing manipulation. As can be seen from FIG. 1, the first tool 42 is arranged on the second manipulator arm 24 such that it is located above the upper side of the sample vessels 18 accommodated in the sample carriers 16 on the sample table 14. The first tool 42 even is located so far above that it comes into abutment with a sample vessel 18 that is held in the first holder 34 from above this sample vessel 18. Like the second tool 48 provided on the second gripping section 32, the first tool 42 may also comprise, for example, a punch 44 which, however, is extensible in downward direction, i.e. in the direction opposite to the second tool 48. For depositing or storing a sample vessel 18 held in the first holder 34 into a sample carrier 16 by means of the first gripping section 30, the first and second manipulator arms 20, 24 firstly move to a position in which the first holder 34 is located in a projection of a central axis of the respective sample receptacle in the direction of the z axis. Once this position has been reached, the first tool 42 along with the punch 44 thereof moves downwards until the punch 44 comes into abutment with an upper side of the respective sample vessel 18. As soon as the abutting contact is established, the punch 44, in the course of its continued downward movement, pushes the sample vessel 18 downwards in order to release the engagement of the sample vessel 18 with the first holder 34. The sample vessel 18 then falls downwards due to its force of gravity and is caught in the associated sample receptacle of the sample carrier 16. This process may be supported by the second tool 48 of the second gripping section 32, in that the second tool 48 is moved upwards before releasing the engagement between sample vessel 18 and first holder 34 and then, upon release of said engagement, intercepts the falling movement of the sample vessel 18 and thereby gently guides the sample vessel 18 in downward direction.

[0062] When a sample vessel 18 is accommodated in a receptacle of the sample carrier 16 secured against removal in a direction opposite to the dispensing direction (i.e. secured against upward movement in the situation shown in the figures), removal of the sample vessel 18 from the sample carrier 16 can no longer take place in the same manner as described above for normal sample vessels 18 by simply lifting the sample vessel 18 by means of the second tool 48. In order to allow also for removal of such sample vessels by the gripping device 12 without further modifications, a special method is provided for this case, which will be explained in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 2 to 11.

[0063] FIGS. 2 to 11 show a side view of the configuration of the gripping device 12 in various stages during a pickup manipulation, in which a sample vessel 18 is removed from a removal sample carrier 16 with securing means for securing sample vessels 18 against removal from a sample vessel receptacle (FIGS. 2 to 9), and a subsequent dispensing manipulation in which the sample vessel is deposited or dispensed into a target sample carrier 16 (FIGS. 10 and 11).

[0064] FIG. 2 illustrates the situation prior to beginning the pickup manipulation. The sample vessel 18 to be picked up from the removal sample carrier 16 is still located in the sample vessel receptacle of the sample carrier 18. Movement of the sample vessel 18 in upward direction out of the sample receptacle is blocked by the securing means.

[0065] It can be seen in FIG. 2 that also the second gripping section 32 comprises a second holder 52 in addition to the second tool 48. The second holder 52 serves for temporarily accommodating a sample vessel 18 in the course of a pickup manipulation, as will be explained in more detail below. The second holder 52 basically may have the same configuration as the first holder 34. Due to the fact that the second holder 52 needs to hold a respective sample vessel only temporarily and the manipulation distances in this process are quite short, a separate centering device assigned to the second holder may possibly be dispensed with. Basically, however, there is nothing speaking against the provision of such a centering device also for the second holder 52. As regards the structure and operation of the same, the statements made in connection with the centering device assigned to the first holder 34 apply in corresponding manner, so that a repetition can be dispensed with.

[0066] In the situation illustrated in FIG. 2, the first gripping section 30 has moved along with its first holder 34 in the xy plane into a position on a first side (above) of the sample vessel 18 to be removed from the sample carrier 16. Accordingly, the second gripping section 32 is also located in a position in the xy plane on a second side (below), opposite the first side, of the sample vessel 18 to be removed from the sample carrier 16. The first gripping section 30, in particular the first holder 34 thereof, faces the second gripping section 32, in particular, the second holder 48 thereof, along the stroke movement path (i.e. in z direction).

[0067] FIG. 3 shows the subsequent step of bringing the first tool 42 of the first gripping section 30 into engagement with the sample vessel 18. This engagement occurs from the first side (i.e. from above), by bringing the punch 44 of the first tool into abutment with an upper side of the sample vessel in the course of a movement of the punch 44 from above to below. FIG. 3 also shows that in the course of this process the entire first gripping section 30 has been moved from above to below by corresponding movement of the manipulator arm 24. Such movement is not absolutely necessary. However, such movement may be useful to limit the required movement distance of the first tool 42 in the z direction (from above to below) and thus provide more stability to the manipulation. Basically, it is desirable to limit movements of the first gripping section 30 and the second gripping section 32 in the z direction as far as possibleapart from movements of the first tool 42 relative to the first gripping section 30 and movements of the second tool 48 relative to the second gripping section 32, as there are speed advantages achieved when the first gripping section 30 and the second gripping section 32 need to be moved in the xy plane only. However, the gain in reliability may be sufficiently large that the short movement of the first gripping section 30 in the z direction shown in FIG. 3 (as well as the further short movement of the first gripping section 30 in the z direction towards the second gripping section 32, as shown in FIG. 7) may be useful.

[0068] FIG. 4 then illustrates that the first tool 42 of the first gripping section 30 is manipulated in the z direction in such a manner that the punch 44 of the first tool 42 moves from the first side toward the sample vessel 18 to be picked up and is brought into abutment with the sample vessel. In FIG. 4, the first tool 42 to this end moves from above to below until the punch 44 comes into abutting contact with an upper side of the sample vessel 18. Upon further movement of the first tool in the direction describedi.e. from above to belowthe punch 44 of the first tool 42 pushes the sample vessel 18 in the sample vessel receptacle from above to below. The force exerted thereby by the first tool 42 is large enough to pierce a bottom of the sample vessel receptacle, and thus the sample vessel 18 is moved along the stroke movement path in the direction from the first side to the second side. In other words, the first tool 42 pushes the sample vessel 18 down through the bottom of the sample vessel receptacle as far as into a region below the sample carrier 16. The movement of the sample vessel 18 in downward direction ends as soon as the sample vessel 18 is received in the second holder 52 of the second gripping section 32. The second holder 52 of the second gripping section 32as already describedis located exactly opposite or facing the first holder 34 along the stroke movement path (z direction), on the second side of the sample carrier 16, i.e. below the sample carrier 16. The second holder 52 thus temporarily holds the sample vessel 18 so that it can be manipulated together with the second holder 48. This situation is illustrated in FIG. 4. FIG. 5 shows that the first tool 42, which now is not necessary any more for the time being, retracts to its initial position, so that the first gripping section 30 is again located completely above the sample vessels 18 accommodated in the sample carrier 16 and the first gripping section 30 thus can be moved in the xy plane without interference.

[0069] FIG. 6 shows that the first gripping section 30 and the second gripping section 32 are now displaced in a lateral direction (in the xy plane) orthogonal to the stroke movement path (z direction) and move to a new position in the xy plane. Movement of the first gripping section 30 and the second gripping section 32 in the z direction does not take place in this course. The new position of the first gripping section 30 and the second gripping section 32 in the xy plane is selected such that the sample vessel 18 now accommodated in the second holder 52 is arranged in a free area not occupied by the sample carrier 16 or another sample carrier 16. Thus, in this new position, the first gripping section 30, in particular the first holder 34 thereof, on the first side of the sample vessel 18which now is accommodated in the second holder 52 of the second gripping section 32is located opposite the second gripping section 32, in particular the second holder 52, along the stroke movement path. This permits a subsequent movement of the sample vessel 18 in the stroke movement direction (z direction) to release the sample vessel 18 from the second holder 52 and receive the same in the first holder 34 (see FIG. 8).

[0070] FIG. 7 shows that, prior to the step of moving the sample vessel 18 along the stroke movement path in the opposite direction from the second side to the first side and engaging the sample vessel 18 with the holder 34 provided in the first gripping section 30, in an intermediate step, the entire first gripping section 30 is moved downwardly in addition by corresponding movement of the manipulator arm 24 from above to below. Such movement movement is not absolutely necessary. However, it may be useful to minimize the distance between the first holder 34 and the second holder 52 and thus limit the required movement distance of the second tool 48 in z direction (from below to above). In this manner, more stability can be imparted to the manipulation. Although, for reasons of obtaining an as fast as possible manipulability, it is basically desired to restrict movements of the first gripping section 30 and the second gripping section 32 in the z directionapart from movements of the first tool 42 relative to the first gripping section 30 and movements of the second tool 48 relative to the second gripping section 32as far as possible, the movement of the first gripping section 30 in the z direction towards the second gripping section 32, as illustrated in FIG. 7, may be a useful supplementation.

[0071] As shown in FIG. 8, there is then taking place the actual step of moving the sample vessel 18 along the stroke movement path (z direction) in the opposite direction from the second side to the first side (from below to above) and of engaging the sample vessel 18 with the first holder 34 provided in the first gripping section 30. This manipulation is accomplished by engagement from the second side (i.e. from below), by bringing the punch 50 of the second tool 48 into abutment with a bottom side of the sample vessel 18 in the course of a movement of the punch 50 from below to above. The second tool 48 then moves from below to above until the sample vessel 18 engages the first holder 34. Starting from this state, which is shown in FIG. 8, the second gripping section 32 is no longer required for further manipulation. The second tool 48 retracts to its initial position, as shown in FIG. 9. For further dispensing manipulation, only the first gripping section 30 is manipulated further. The first gripping section 30 remains in its position as shown in FIG. 8. To this end, the coupling between the first gripping section 30 and the second gripping section 32 is released.

[0072] The dispensing manipulation, as illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11, of the sample vessel 18 now accommodated in the first holder 34 in a target sample carrier 16 (which as a rule will not be identical with the removal sample carrier 16) corresponds to the previously described dispensing manipulation for unsecured sample vessels 18, so that reference can be made to the statements hereinbefore. As shown in FIG. 10, the first gripping section moves to a position in which the first holder 34 is located in a projection of a central axis of the respective sample carrier in the z axis direction. Once this position has been reached, the first tool 42 moves downwardly with its punch 44 until the punch 44 comes into abutment with an upper side of the respective sample vessel 18 (FIG. 11). As soon as the abutting contact is established, the punch 44 in the course of the further downward movement thereof pushes the sample vessel 18 downwardly in order to release the engagement of the sample vessel 18 with the first holder 34. The sample vessel 18 then falls downwards due to its force of gravity and is caught in the associated sample receptacle of the sample carrier 16. This process can be supported by the second tool 48 of the second gripping section 32 in that the second tool 48 is moved upwardly prior to releasing the engagement between sample vessel 18 and first holder 34 and then, after release of said engagement, intercepts the filing movement of the sample vessel 18 and thus smoothly guides the sample vessel 18 downwardly. However, in the embodiment illustrated, this is not the case, but rather the dispensing manipulation takes place without the involvement of the second gripping section 32.