Abstract: A gripper for manipulating tube-shaped specimen cups having a gripper base, at least two gripper fingers each comprising a retaining section for clutching a specimen cup and being arranged to rotate relative to the base about a finger rotation axis. The retaining sections are arranged acentrically relative to the associated finger rotation axis. A first drive twists the fingers. The fingers are coupled to each other so that they are driven by the drive at the same time and with the same rotation speed and direction. A second drive is provided for twisting the base relative to the base body. A control unit controls the drives such that by a movement combination of twisting the fingers relative to the base and twisting the base relative to the base body for each of the retaining sections of the fingers in each case an essentially linear movement relative the base body results.

Abstract: A gripper for manipulating tube-shaped specimen cups having a gripper base, at least two gripper fingers each comprising a retaining section for clutching a specimen cup and being arranged to rotate relative to the base about a finger rotation axis. The retaining sections are arranged acentrically relative to the associated finger rotation axis. A first drive twists the fingers. The fingers are coupled to each other so that they are driven by the drive at the same time and with the same rotation speed and direction. A second drive is provided for twisting the base relative to the base body. A control unit controls the drives such that by a movement combination of twisting the fingers relative to the base and twisting the base relative to the base body for each of the retaining sections of the fingers in each case an essentially linear movement relative the base body results.