Abstract: An apparatus includes vertically spaced holding shelves, each including first and second shelf portions separated by an open area. A carrier configured to hold consumables is longer than the open area so that ends of the carrier can be supported on the first and second shelf portions. A transporter includes a support chassis laterally spaced from the holding shelves, a lift platform for carrying the carrier and having a length that is less than the length of the open area, a scissors actuator connecting the lift platform to the support chassis and configured to translate the lift platform laterally between a first position aligned with the support chassis and a second position laterally displaced from the support chassis and aligned with the open area of one of the holding shelves, and a transport elevator coupled to the support chassis for moving the support chassis in a vertical direction between the plurality of holding shelves.

Abstract: A carrier support moveable between a first position and a second position is configured to hold a carrier for holding a plurality of receptacles. The carrier support includes a carrier locking mechanism to lock the carrier with respect to the carrier support when the carrier support is in the second position and to release the carrier when the carrier support is in the first position to permit the carrier to be removed from the carrier support when the carrier support is in the first position. The carrier locking mechanism includes a pivoting latch configured to pivot between a first position not engaged with a portion of the carrier and a second position engaged with a portion of the carrier and a slide latch configured to translate linearly between a first position not engaged with a portion of the carrier and a second position engaged with a portion of the carrier.

Abstract: A system includes a reagent pack input carousel, a carousel frame supporting the carousel, and a track on which the carousel frame is supported for movement of the carousel into and out of an instrument in drawer-like fashion. The carousel is rotatable about an axis of rotation and includes a plurality of reagent pack input stations arranged about the perimeter of the carousel. Each input station is adapted to carry a reagent pack, and the input stations are oriented at an angle with respect to a radial orientation relative to the axis of rotation. Each input station includes an alignment block located at a radially inner end of the station, and the block is received within a recess formed in an end of the reagent pack placed in the station to align and position of the reagent pack within the station.

Abstract: A mechanism for holding and moving a plurality of containers includes a carousel configured to be rotatable about a vertically-oriented axis of rotation, and the carousel includes a plurality of container-holding pockets arranged circumferentially around an outer periphery of the carousel. Each container includes a vertically-oriented groove formed on each of opposed sides of the container. Each container-holding pocket is open at the outer periphery of the carousel to permit a container to be withdrawn out of the pocket in a radial direction with respect to the axis of rotation, and each container-holding pocket includes retention clips configured to engage the grooves formed on the container to removably retain the container within the container pocket.

Abstract: A mechanism for positioning a fluid container supported on a movable carrier at a predetermined location comprises a container positioning ramp located adjacent to a portion of the moveable carrier and a container hold down arm. The container positioning ramp is configured to be contacted by a bottom portion of a container supported on the movable carrier when the movable carrier moves the container to the predetermined location. The container hold down arm is configured for selective movement relative to the container positioned at the predetermined location and is configured to contact a top portion of the container positioned at the predetermined location and push the container down so that the bottom portion of the container maintains contact with the container positioning ramp.

Abstract: A system for disposing of spent containers comprises a retainer cage disposed over a waste opening. The retainer cage comprises opposed, vertically-oriented first and second sides, an upper retainer bar and a lower retainer bar extending laterally from the first side of the retainer cage toward the second side, and a container gripper. The retainer bars are vertically spaced from one another and extend across a portion of the width of the retainer cage leaving a gap between the second side and terminal ends of the retainer bars, and the gap between the retainer bars and the second side is configured to permit a container to be inserted through the gap. The gripper is configured to hold the container, insert the container through the gap to a position between the first and second sides, and move to a position whereby the gripper is positioned between the vertically-spaced retainer bars and the container is located behind the retainer bars.

Abstract: A method for reconstituting a reagent within a reagent pack including one or more wells and at least one of the wells containing a lyophilized reagent comprises the steps of receiving reagent packs into a reagent pack input carousel, transferring one reagent pack with a rotary distributor from the input carousel to a reagent pack storage carousel, retrieving the reagent pack from the storage carousel with the rotary distributor and placing the reagent pack into a reagent pack loading station, and dispensing a reconstitution reagent with an automated pipettor into the well containing the lyophilized reagent to form a reconstituted reagent.

Abstract: A mechanism for providing selective access to one of a plurality of containers within a substantially enclosed housing comprises a movable carrier within the housing, a container access opening formed in a top wall of the housing, and a shutter plate attached to the top wall of the housing. The carrier is configured to hold and carry the plurality of containers. The container access opening is formed at a position on a path traversed by the plurality of containers carried on the carrier so that movement of the carrier sequentially places each of the plurality of containers beneath the container access opening. The shutter plate is pivotable between a first position covering the container access opening to thereby prevent access to the container located beneath the opening and a second position exposing the opening to thereby allow access to the container located beneath the opening.

Abstract: A mechanism for performing capacitive level sensing of fluid within a fluid container supported on a movable carrier comprises a conductive probe, a probe position sensor, and a movable grounding element. The probe is configured for capacitive level sensing by detecting a signal or change of signal based on capacitance when the probe, or a conductive tip removably attached to the probe, contacts the surface of the fluid within the container. The probe position sensor is for monitoring a vertical position of the probe and recording the position at which the signal or change of signal is detected. The movable grounding element is configured for selective movement relative to a container positioned by the movable carrier at a level-sensing location with respect to the probe until the grounding element is in close proximity to or in contact with a portion of the container.

Abstract: A mechanism for grasping a container having grooves formed on opposed sides thereof includes a chassis that rotates about a chassis axis of rotation and a gripper carriage supported for rotation with the chassis and configured for movement in a radial direction with respect to the chassis axis of rotation. The gripper carriage includes a container gripper with a first gripper element that includes a first hook; and a second gripper element that includes a second hook spaced. The first hook and the second hook are bent toward each other, and the first gripper element and the second gripper element are coupled to one another for coordinated pivoting movement toward each other or away from each other. The container gripper is configured to grasp a container by pivoting the first and second gripper elements toward each other until the respective first and second hooks each engage one of the grooves of the container.

Abstract: A liquid container system having a liquid container, where the liquid container includes (i) an intermediate top wall, (ii) a liquid inlet tower extending above the intermediate top wall, (iii) a liquid inlet fluidly connected to the liquid inlet tower at a position above the intermediate top wall and through which the liquid container receives liquid from a liquid source, and (iv) a vacuum tower extending above the intermediate top wall and to which a pressure differential source can be fluidly connected at a position above the intermediate top wall to draw liquid into the liquid container through the liquid inlet.

Abstract: A liquid container system including a transfer container for receiving liquid transferred to the transfer container by a liquid transfer pump, where the transfer container includes (i) a main body, (ii) a connector shelf extending laterally from the main body and including a horizontal portion and defining a bottom wall, and (iii) a liquid transfer connector fitting extending downwardly from the bottom wall of the horizontal portion of the connector shelf and configured for fluidly connecting the transfer container to the liquid transfer pump.

Abstract: A system for managing liquid waste includes a first liquid container that receives waste liquid, a liquid transfer pump fluidly connected to the first liquid container; and a second liquid container fluidly connectable to the liquid transfer pump. The liquid transfer pump is can be selectively activated to transfer liquid waste from the first liquid container to the second liquid container when the second liquid container is fluidly connected to the liquid transfer pump.

Abstract: A carrier support moveable between a first position and a second position is configured to hold a carrier for holding a plurality of receptacles. The carrier support includes a carrier locking mechanism to lock the carrier with respect to the carrier support when the carrier support is in the second position and to release the carrier when the carrier support is in the first position to permit the carrier to be removed from the carrier support when the carrier support is in the first position. The carrier locking mechanism includes a pivoting latch configured to pivot between a first position not engaged with a portion of the carrier and a second position engaged with a portion of the carrier and a slide latch configured to translate linearly between a first position not engaged with a portion of the carrier and a second position engaged with a portion of the carrier.

Abstract: An input module includes a carrier shelf for supporting a receptacle carrier, a retrieval dock configured to receive one receptacle from a carrier supported on the carrier shelf and present the receptacle for removal by a receptacle transport apparatus, and a pusher configured to push receptacles on the carrier to one end of the carrier and to push one receptacle at a time off the end of the carrier and onto the retrieval dock. A method for determining a number of receptacles on a carrier includes placing the carrier on a carrier shelf, pushing receptacles on the carrier to one end of the carrier with a packer, detecting a position of the packer the receptacles have been pushed to the end of the carrier, and determining the number of receptacles on the carrier from the position of the packer.

Abstract: A method for reconstituting a reagent within a reagent pack including one or more wells and at least one of the wells containing a lyophilized reagent comprises the steps of receiving reagent packs into a reagent pack input carousel, transferring one reagent pack with a rotary distributor from the input carousel to a reagent pack storage carousel, retrieving the reagent pack from the storage carousel with the rotary distributor and placing the reagent pack into a reagent pack loading station, and dispensing a reconstitution reagent with an automated pipettor into the well containing the lyophilized reagent to form a reconstituted reagent.

Abstract: A diagnostic system is configured to perform first and second, different nucleic acid amplification reactions. The system includes a bulk reagent container compartment configured to store first bulk reagent container containing a first bulk reagent for performing sample preparation processes with a first subset and a second subset of a plurality of samples and a second bulk reagent container containing a second bulk reagent for performing the first nucleic acid amplification reaction. The system includes a unit-dose reagent compartment storing a unit-dose reagent pack including unit-dose reagents for performing the second nucleic acid amplification reaction.

Abstract: Systems and methods for transferring containers (100) include or employ a container loading interface (200), a container storage module (400), and a container distributor (300) configured to transfer containers from the container loading interface to the container storage module. The container loading interface includes movable support platform (202) that is movable between accessible and a non-accessible positions and a container loading transport (214). The container storage module includes a housing (402) and a container storage transport (418). The container distributor includes a container gripper (320) configured to grasp a container on the container loading transport and to transfer the container to the container storage transport in the container storage module.

Abstract: A reagent pack changer includes a reagent pack input device, a reagent pack storage compartment, a reagent pack storage carousel disposed within the storage compartment, and a rotary distributor. The input device includes a reagent pack input carousel rotatable about an axis of rotation, with reagent pack stations for holding reagent packs disposed around the axis of rotation of the carousel. The reagent pack storage carousel is rotatable about an axis of rotation with reagent pack stations for holding reagent packs disposed around the axis of rotation. The rotary distributor is configured to move a reagent pack between the reagent pack input carousel and the reagent pack storage carousel.