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.

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

Abstract: There is described an automated laboratory system for handling test tubes containing biological material specimens supported by conveying devices (3) along guide lanes (1, 2), in which motorized conveyor belts (62) run, comprising main lanes (1) and secondary lanes (2) for overtaking the conveying devices (3) and/or routing the conveying devices (3) of the test tubes (4) to the various pre-testing, (19-20), testing (17) and post-testing stations (21).

Abstract: Container gripper comprising a main frame (2) and movable supporting members (7) for gripper fingers (8-9) movable between an open position and a closed position. The container gripper is provided with a finger displacement detecting sensor (20, 21) which is responsive to the instantaneous position of the gripper fingers (8, 9). The finger detecting sensor may consist of a Hall effect assembly (20) formed by a magnet (10) and a Hall effect sensor (4) or of an optical encoder (21).

Abstract: An apparatus for removing caps from tubular containers, including a fixed frame provided with a grasping unit for holding a container in a fixed vertical position and a head assembly which is movable above containers of variable height along the vertical axis thereof. The head assembly has a cap receiving cavity with an upper abutment surface for matching the upper surface of the cap of containers of variable size and is provided with a plurality of movable sharpened elements for catching the cap of the container when received in said cavity. There are provided a first driving unit for moving the sharpened elements towards the cap of the container to catch it and a second driving unit for moving the sharpened elements in at least one further direction to remove the cap from the container.

Abstract: A specimen container carrier for a conveyor in a laboratory automation system which includes a circular body driven by the conveyor and container holding elements arranged in the circular body, the container holding elements being maintained in a container holding position by respective elastic elements and are connected to each other by synchronization elements forcing the specimen container to remain coaxially positioned with respect to the circular body.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring a specimen container from a departure support to a container which includes a gripper supporting frame and a container gripper selectively movable with respect to the frame between an upper position and lower position in which gripper fingers of the container gripper are able to catch a container in a departure support or to leave the container in a container carrier. The apparatus further includes a gripper blocking element movable between a work position, in which said gripper blocking element stops the movement of the container gripper towards the lower position in an intermediate position between the upper and lower positions, and a rest position in which the gripper blocking element allows the container gripper to reach the lower position sliding along the lateral surface of the container.

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: There is disclosed an automated bench (2) for loading/unloading test tubes (1) by means of a test-tube (1) handling device (4) between multi-location racks (3) arranged according to parallel rows (40) lying on said bench (2) and transport devices (5) for transporting individual test tubes (1) that are movable on an automatic conveyor (6) of test tubes (1). Said bench (2) comprises means (14) for transferring multi-location racks (3) towards a test tubes load/unload position (16) and an ordered succession of pistons (17) that is selectively mobile between a lowered rest position and a raised stop position of the rack (3) positioned on the bench (2) so as to stop the rack (3) in successive positions with the rows (40) of the rack (3) occupying in succession said load/unload position (16) of bench (2). A sensor (20) of the bench (2) detects the presence of test tubes (1) in every single row (40) of rack (3) in load/unload position (16).

Abstract: An apparatus is described for identifying the patient and marking the laboratory test tubes associated with said patient during the sampling of biological material to be analysed, comprising a high-security portable hardware device (1) for processing and storing the patient's data, a device (2) for reading said portable hardware device and for the biometric identification of the patient, a personal computer (4) interacting with an operator and connected to a computer network for exchanging data by means of an application software with a remote means (3) for storing data. Said apparatus also includes a computerised test tube labelling unit (5) comprising a printer (8) for printing bar codes on labels (7) able to receive print commands from said personal computer (4) following a comparison between expected and detected test tubes housed in a positioning and identification device (9) supported by said labelling unit (5).

Abstract: There is disclosed an apparatus for automatically marking laboratory test tubes (2) in the stage of drawing biological material to be analyzed, comprising two or more distributors (5) of test tubes of different type that are selectable by a control unit (4) and are suitable for feeding test tubes (2) to a test-tubes positioning device (1) that is in turn suitable for presenting correctly positioned test tubes to a computerized labeling machine (3) comprising a printer for printing barcodes on labels. Each distributor (5) comprises an automatic drawing and discharging device (100) for drawing and discharging single test tubes from a container (9) of test tubes of a selected distributor (5) to said positioning device (1).

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: There is described an apparatus for automatically centrifuging test tubes containing biological material comprising a plurality of centrifuges (9, 31) functionally identical to one another yet independent and adapted to centrifuge test tubes (3) offered to an interface (5) for centrifuging test tubes (3) by means of a conveying system included in an automatic conveyor of test tubes (3). Said plurality of centrifuges (9, 31) are fitted on a turntable (10, 32) adapted to offer each centrifuge (9, 31) at a suitable loading/unloading point (100, 200) adjacent to the loading/unloading point (7, 202) of the interface (5).

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: There is described an apparatus adapted to automatically load and unload biological material test tubes into and from a capsule (9) suitable for the handling in a pneumatic mail system, said test tubes being supported by a test tube container (10) which may be removably accommodated in said capsule.

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.

Abstract: There is described an automated laboratory system for handling test tubes containing biological material specimens supported by conveying devices (3) along guide lanes (1, 2), in which motorized conveyor belts (62) run, comprising main lanes (1) and secondary lanes (2) for overtaking the conveying devices (3) and/or routing the conveying devices (3) of the test tubes (4) to the various pre-testing, (19-20), testing (17) and post-testing stations (21).

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically depositing, preserving and retrieving biological material test tubes is described, comprising a refrigerated storage (1) with movable horizontal shelves (37) and a conveyor interface (4), adapted to automatically transport biological material test tubes, a device (3) adapted to handle the test tubes between the interface (4) and the containers (5) of a sorted plurality of test tubes, said containers (5) having toothed guides (20) and being able to be placed on the lanes (11) of a bench (6), a handling device (7) of the containers (5) between the bench (6) and an access area (38) of the storage (1), slidingly mounted to the bench (6) and comprising motorized toothed means (18) adapted to couple with said toothed guides (20) of the containers (5) for horizontally moving the latter between the access area (38) of the storage (1) and the bench (6), and a control unit (9) adapted to coordinate said devices (3, 7) during the loading/unloading operations by means of locating means (43,

Abstract: Container gripper comprising a main frame (2) and movable supporting members (7) for gripper fingers (8-9) movable between an open position and a closed position. The container gripper is provided with a finger displacement detecting sensor (20, 21) which is responsive to the instantaneous position of the gripper fingers (8, 9). The finger detecting sensor may consist of a Hall effect assembly (20) formed by a magnet (10) and a Hall effect sensor (4) or of an optical encoder (21).