Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.

Roche Diagnostics Gmbh

F. Hoffmann-la Roche Ag

Marco Bucher

Gottlieb Schacher

David Huber

A tube rack transfer device for transferring racks is presented. A first rail extends in a first horizontal direction and a second rail extends in a second horizontal direction orthogonal to the first direction. The second rail moves along the first rail and comprising a transfer head movable along the second rail. The transfer head comprises a control pin to be coupled with one of: an input pusher, translatable in the second direction, for transferring a rack from a carrier to a sampling area of an analyzer; an output pusher for transferring a rack from the sampling area to a carrier; a rack for transferring the rack between different carriers and/or between different positions of the same carrier. An in-vitro diagnostic instrument comprises an analyzer for carrying out tests on biological samples, a sample unit for inputting/outputting racks, a sampling area for withdrawing samples from tubes, and a transfer device.

Tube rack transfer device and diagnostic instrument

A device for gripping vessels is presented. The device comprises a mount, a support having a longitudinal axis coupled to the mount so to be rotatable relative to the mount around the longitudinal axis, a rotating mechanism for rotating the support, a gripper coupled to the support so to be translatable relative to the support along the longitudinal axis. The gripper has jaws for gripping a vessel, a translating mechanism for translating the gripper, at least one actuator for driving the translating mechanism and/or rotating mechanism and at least two reference elements fixed to the mount in at least two different stop positions. The jaws are passively biasable towards each other for holding a vessel in positions other than the at least two stop positions. The jaws are actively biasable away from each other by pushing the gripper against a reference element in one of the stop positions.

Device for gripping vessels

A method and an automated system for testing liquid samples comprising a reaction vessel transferring device are presented. A first analytical unit for running a first diagnostic test comprises a rotatable first vessel holder detachably holding reaction vessels. A second analytical unit for running a second diagnostic test comprises a stationary linear second vessel holder detachably holding reaction vessels. The transferring device comprises a gripper for gripping a reaction vessel and transfers reaction vessels from the first vessel holder to the second vessel holder and/or vice versa. The device is translatable parallel to the second vessel holder and the gripper moves along a curved path between a picking position and a reaction vessel seat of the second vessel holder.

Device and method for transferring reaction vessels

A tube rotator for rotating test tubes arranged in a tube rack as well as a system and process for reading information of machine-readable labels of the test tubes are disclosed. The tube rotator may comprise a pivoted lever having two lever arms, a friction wheel rotatably fixed to one lever arm and arranged to be brought in or out of contact with at least one test tube for rotating the test tube by friction. A first actuator may be rotatably coupled to the friction wheel, and a pretensioner which is capable of generating a pretensioning force may act on the lever for pivoting the lever in one pivoting direction. An eccentric may be rotatably fixed with respect to the base and arranged to roll off the other lever arm for pivoting the lever in another pivoting direction. A second actuator may be rotatably coupled to the eccentric.

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Hohenrain, Switzerland

Marco Bucher