Abstract: There is described a multiple rack apparatus for accommodating biological product containers unloaded from a storage for the preservation of the same interfaced with a laboratory automation system, comprising an odd number of said racks which can be housed within a platform having a number of locations, which is equal to said odd number plus one. Said racks can horizontally or vertically slide from one location to another of said platform, taking advantage of the presence of a temporarily empty location, said racks further occupying in turn an operating location which, being vertical with respect to an outlet tube of said storage, accommodates said biological product containers unloaded from said storage.

Abstract: It is described a conveyor of specimen containers (9) supported by carriers (8) in laboratory automation systems comprising at least one analyzer (10, 50, 60). Said conveyor comprising a main transport unit (2), at least one spur transport unit (4-5, 7) allowing the positioning of the specimen container (9) inside said at least one analyzer (10, 50, 60) without removing said specimen container (9) from its carrier (8).

Abstract: A distributed automation apparatus for laboratory diagnostics is described, comprising modules for processing biological products transported on an automatic conveyor and modules for interfacing with analysis devices, both said modules being connected to said automatic conveyor, each of said modules is independent of the other modules, it being provided with its own control board, which allows it to work autonomously and independently of a central control unit which provides a worklist to each node which is dynamically read and updated by said control unit, and said module reading and updating said, worklist.

Abstract: Apparatus for automatically filling wells of plates with biological material from a laboratory automation system for conveying biological samples or reactants contained in test tubes, and automatically routing said plates towards processing modules of said biological material. Said apparatus contains a platform interposed between said laboratory automation system and a handling system of consumable products, which includes a horizontal crosspiece whereon a first robot and a second robot are sliding mounted, the first robot being provided with gripping means of pipettes adapted to collect and release the biological material or the reactant, and a second robot being provided with gripping means of consumable products.

Abstract: A laboratory automation system is described, comprising an automatic conveyor belt sliding within a sliding profile of a lane, and a coating tape interposed between the automatic conveyor belt and the sliding profile. The profile includes a first region onto which a coating tape is applied by gluing.

Abstract: An automatic apparatus is described, which is suitable for the withdrawal of portions of biological material from a parent test tube (1), mobile in a conveyor (6) of a test tube transport plant by means of transport devices (8) of single test tubes, to be loaded in one or more child test tubes (2) countermarked beforehand with suitable identification means and to be sent to different biological material analysis instruments interfaced to said transport plant.

Abstract: An apparatus for identifying a patient and marking containers of biological products or test tubes (13) associated with said patient before collecting said biological products to be analyzed is described, comprising a high security portable hardware device (1) for processing and storing the patient's data capable of associating the patient's personal data and biometric data, a reading and patient biometric recognition device (2) of said portable hardware device, a personal computer (4) interacting with an operator and connected to a local communications network (50) for exchanging information with remote data storage means (3), one or more computerized labeling machines (5) of test tubes (13), each comprising a printer (11) of barcodes onto labels (10) adapted to receive printing commands after comparing expected and detected specimens (13) accommodated in a positioning and recognition device (12) supported by said labeling machine (5) and applying said labels (10) to said test tubes (13).

Abstract: There is described a process station of devices for conveying biological product containers comprising a main lane for the flow of said conveying devices and a secondary lane for the flow of said conveying devices connected to each other by connection stretches.

Abstract: An apparatus for conveying test tubes including a recruiting device and a positioning device having first and second lanes including two spaced, parallel walls forming an opening between the walls, and motorized belts located above a top edge of the walls, the first lane being narrower than the second lane. Further, test tubes having a diameter smaller than a width of the first lane extend between the walls of the first lane so that the test tube has a vertical orientation and is supported by a cap engaging a top edge of the walls of the first lane, and test tubes having a diameter larger than a width of the first lane rest on the top edge of the walls of the first lane in a horizontal orientation.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically marking laboratory test tubes in the stage of drawing biological material to be analyzed, which includes two or more distributors of test tubes of different types that are selectable by a control unit and are suitable for feeding test tubes to a test-tubes positioning device which in turn is suitable for presenting correctly positioned test tubes to a computerized labelling machine containing a printer for printing barcodes on labels. Each distributor includes an automatic drawing and discharging device for drawing and discharging single test tubes from a container of test tubes of a selected distributor to the positioning device.

Abstract: An interface apparatus between a pneumatic mail system and a feeding system of biological products to a laboratory automation system is described, the apparatus comprising a capsule suitable for being conveyed in a pneumatic mail system which accommodates therein one or more biological material containers, said capsule opening and connecting to a device for transferring said biological material containers contained in said capsule into at least one recruiting device of said biological product containers, said at least one recruiting device being used to load said containers of biological products into a positioning device interfaced with a gripping device of said biological product container for transferring said biological product container on an automatic conveyor belonging to a laboratory automation system. Said capsule has an inner chamber containing foam elements adapted to withhold said biological product containers present in said capsule.

Abstract: There is described an apparatus for loading test tubes (1) in conveying devices (6) included in an automatic conveyor (7) for test tubes, comprising a recruiting device (2) for test tubes adapted to feed test tubes to a positioning device (4) for test tubes having a lane (15, 16) consisting of two spaced, parallel walls (17) on the edges of which respective motorized belts (18) slide, the distance between said walls (17) forming the lane (15) being adjustable and such that a test tube makes a 90° rotation when horizontally falling from the recruiting device (2), thus remaining vertically hanging and resting on the belts (18) by the projecting part of the cap with respect to the lateral body of the test tube. The belts (18) convey the test tube to a loading area (8) where the test tubes are handled by a test tube handling device (5) to a working point (9) included in the conveyor (7) adapted to automatically convey test tubes from and to modules for preparing and analyzing biological material.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically centrifuging test tubes containing biological material including a plurality of centrifuges functionally identical to one another yet independent and adapted to centrifuge test tubes offered to an interface for centrifuging test tubes using a conveying system included in an automatic conveyor of test tubes. The plurality of centrifuges is fitted on a turntable adapted to offer each centrifuge at a suitable loading/unloading point adjacent to the loading/unloading point of the interface. Each centrifuge is provided with a motor adapted to generate the centrifugal motion by setting a rotor in rotation, and a test tube handling device including an arm with a first gripper adapted to load test tubes to be centrifuged and a second gripper adapted to unload centrifuged test tubes, simultaneously to the loading, the arm sliding along a curved guide adapted to generate a forced rotation of the grippers.

Abstract: A process for prioritizing urgent test tubes in a test tubes (50) transport installation is disclosed, the test tubes (50) being loaded on transport devices (4) of single test tubes (50) in an automated analysis laboratory, comprising the loading of test tubes (50) classified as urgent and non urgent on transport devices (4) for transporting single test tubes (50), moving said loaded transport devices (4) on a conveyor belt until they interact with an identification device (5) identifying the test tube upstream of processing modules (6) of the test tubes (50), removal of the test tubes (50) that are recognized to be non-urgent from the respective transport device (4) and discharging of the non-urgent test tubes (50) onto a wait bench (10) for non-urgent test tubes (50), moving transport devices (4) for transporting single urgent test tubes (50) towards the processing modules (6), the recall by a control unit (7) of the non-urgent test tubes (50) at the moment in which the availability of the processing module

Abstract: Equipment for transferring biological products containers from an interface support to a transport device and vice-versa for biological containers, positioned at different heights. The equipment including a frame to which a holding device for biological products containers is connected vertically mobile with respect to the frame and provided with fingers suitable to hold, transfer and release a container for biological products. The frame is integer with a sliding device along a bar fixed to an inclinable body. The inclinable body being in its turn rotatingly connected to a sustaining body, and a regulation device for the inclination of the inclinable body, and consequently of the bar, with respect to the sustaining body being present in function of the difference of height existing between the interfacing support and the transport device for biological products containers.

Abstract: An interface apparatus between a pneumatic mail system and a feeding system of biological products to a laboratory automation system is described, the apparatus comprising a capsule suitable for being conveyed in a pneumatic mail system which accommodates therein one or more biological material containers, said capsule opening and connecting to a device for transferring said biological material containers contained in said capsule into at least one recruiting device of said biological product containers, said at least one recruiting device being used to load said containers of biological products into a positioning device interfaced with a gripping device of said biological product container for transferring said biological product container on an automatic conveyor belonging to a laboratory automation system. Said capsule has an inner chamber containing foam elements adapted to withhold said biological product containers present in said capsule.

Abstract: It is described an apparatus for removing a flexible film seal (12) from a tubular specimen container (3), comprising a vertical mounting shaft (5) upon which is mounted a holding member (6) for a head assembly (9) having a cavity (13) and pinch means (14, 15). There is provided driving means for causing coupling motion of said head assembly (9) and said specimen container (3) towards each other to receive the seal (12) into said cavity (13), then operating said pinch means for pinching the flexible film seal (12), and finally causing removing motions of said head assembly (9) and said specimen container (3) away from each other to remove the flexible film seal (12) from the head of the specimen container (3).

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically depositing, preserving and retrieving biological material test tubes is described, including a refrigerated storage with movable horizontal shelves and a conveyor interface, adapted to automatically transport biological material test tubes, a device adapted to handle the test tubes between the interface and the containers of a sorted plurality of test tubes, the containers having toothed guides and being able to be placed on the lanes of a bench, a handling device of the containers between the bench and an access area of the storage, slidingly mounted to the bench and including motorized toothed members adapted to couple with the toothed guides of the containers for horizontally moving the latter between the access area of the storage and the bench, and a control unit adapted to coordinate the devices during the loading/unloading operations.

Abstract: An apparatus and method adapted to automatically load and unload biological material test tubes into and from a capsule suitable for handling in a pneumatic mail system, the test tubes being supported by a test tube container which may be removably accommodated in the capsule, wherein the apparatus includes a loading and unloading interface, a receiving/dispatching station for conveying capsules to/from various biological material collection departments and a receiving/dispatching station for conveying capsules to/from biological material testing departments, and devices adapted to handle arriving test tube containers and test tubes to be dispatched to a bench, including a loading area and an unloading area for test tubes and test tube containers, arriving material identifying and checking devices and orienting devices for test tube containers, including a control unit adapted to coordinate the devices during the loading and unloading operations.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically closing test tubes containing biological material mounted to an automatic test tube conveyor is described, comprising a cap recruiting device (11) adapted to feed a curved channelizer (12) adapted to tip a cap (5) from a configuration with the opening upwards at the inlet of the channelizer (12) to a configuration with the opening downwards at the outlet of the channelizer (12) at a loading surface (13). A horizontal pusher (22) moves the cap (5) from said loading surface (13) to a housing (23) in a channel (14) in which a stem (24) vertically slides and is adapted to move the cap (5) upwards in a test tube closing device (9) comprising a movable head (26) adapted to grip the cap (5) pushed by the stem (24) and to close the open test tube blocked at a working point of the conveyor.