Abstract: A method for introducing a sample rack holding a plurality of sample receptacles into a receiving bay in a housing of an automated analytical system is disclosed. The method is carried out by manually moving the sample rack from a loading position towards a processing position along a lane in the receiving bay, pausing the movement when the rack reaches a focusing position, moving a reader to focuse onto the lane, resuming the movement of the sample rack and detecting features of the sample rack during the movement, positioning, detecting, and locking the sample rack in the processing position, and processing the content of the sample receptacles.

Abstract: A timepiece case including a middle (20) receiving a horological movement (1) having at least one function corrector (10, 12) for carrying out various functions of activating, selecting, resetting and/or correcting a piece of information derived from the current time of the horological movement (1). The middle has a correction member (100), and a control stem (120) moving in translation within the cylindrical body of the correction member. The correction member (100) is mounted such that it slides in the middle (20) between a plurality of stable positions, each of the stable positions modifying the position of the end (122) of the control stem (120) facing the horological movement (1).

Abstract: A multifunction correction device (100) for a case (2) of a timepiece including a horological movement (1) having at least one function corrector (10, 12) for carrying out various functions of activating, selecting, resetting and/or correcting a piece of information derived from the current time of the horological movement. A control member (130) is capable of moving in rotation about the axis of revolution (X-X) of a control stem (120) between a plurality of angular positions and a protrusion (123) is configured such that the rotation of the control member (130) modifies the angular position of the protrusion (123) about the axis of revolution (X-X) and relative to the horological movement (1).

Abstract: A multifunction correction device (100) for a case (2) of a timepiece including a horological movement (1). The correction device includes: a cylindrical body (110) integral with the timepiece case (2); a primary correction module (120) moving in translation in a first direction, having a primary control member (121) integral with a primary control stem (123), which operates a first function corrector (10) of the horological movement (1); and a secondary correction module (130) moving in translation in a second direction parallel to the first direction, the secondary correction module (130) comprising a secondary control member (131) integral with a secondary control stem (133), which operates a second function corrector (12) of the horological movement (1), the cylindrical body (110) receiving the primary correction module (120) and the secondary correction module (130).

Abstract: Elementary timepiece mechanism comprising a first housing about an axis, a second housing, and a mobile element comprising a first shoulder pivoting in the first housing and a second shoulder pivoting in the second housing, the second housing comprising at least a first abutment surface arranged to ensure the alignment of the mobile element on said axis when the mobile element is in abutment on the first abutment surface, and the elementary mechanism includes at least one elastic return means arranged to return the mobile element to this first abutment surface.

Abstract: Elementary timepiece mechanism comprising a first housing about an axis, a second housing, and a mobile element comprising a first shoulder pivoting in the first housing and a second shoulder pivoting in the second housing, the second housing comprising at least a first abutment surface arranged to ensure the alignment of the mobile element on said axis when the mobile element is in abutment on the first abutment surface, and the elementary mechanism includes at least one elastic return means arranged to return the mobile element to this first abutment surface.

Abstract: Timepiece wheel set (1) including an arbor (3) carrying a wheel (4), and a heart cam (2) in an angularly indexed position with respect to the wheel (4), the heart cam (2) is freely mounted in a radial direction (R) with respect to the axis (D) of the arbor (3), and is returned in a neutral position towards the axis (D) by at least one flexible element (6), which is either a strip (25; 26) incorporated in the heart cam (2), or a spring (60) inserted between the wheel (4) and the heart cam (2), and the flexible element (6) is dimensioned to damp impacts applied to a peripheral cam track (23) comprised in the heart cam (2).

Abstract: Timepiece wheel set (1) including an arbor (3) carrying a wheel (4), and a heart cam (2) in an angularly indexed position with respect to the wheel (4), the heart cam (2) is freely mounted in a radial direction (R) with respect to the axis (D) of the arbor (3), and is returned in a neutral position towards the axis (D) by at least one flexible element (6), which is either a strip (25; 26) incorporated in the heart cam (2), or a spring (60) inserted between the wheel (4) and the heart cam (2), and the flexible element (6) is dimensioned to damp impacts applied to a peripheral cam track (23) comprised in the heart cam (2).

Abstract: An analytical processing and detection device is described which comprises a rack capable of holding at least one reaction receptacle, at least one magnetic unit for exerting a magnetic field on at least one reaction receptacle comprising magnetic particles in a fluid, wherein said at least one magnetic unit is reversibly or irreversibly connected to said rack, and wherein said magnetic field causes the magnetic particles to be sequestered to the side walls of said at least one reaction receptacle, and a detection unit for detecting a signal in the fluid in said reaction receptacle.

Abstract: The invention relates to a timepiece with an analogue display, including a timepiece movement (1) provided with a mechanical output, located on an arbour (2) of said movement, and a display assembly (30) provided with at least one time display device (31, 32, 111, 112) driven by said mechanical output, wherein the display assembly is separate from the timepiece movement (1) and linked to a fixed part (10) of said movement (1) by support means which enables said display device to take several different positions around the output arbour (2) of the movement. According to the invention, the support means of the display assembly includes an intermediate support (34, 70, 72, 70?) secured to the fixed part (10) of the timepiece movement (1) and provided with support members (36, 87, 89, 87?, 89?) allowing said at least one display device (31, 32, 111, 112) to be assembled in several positions on the intermediate support (34, 70, 72, 70?). The invention concerns the field of timepiece display members.

Abstract: Multi-sector mechanism (1) for displaying a physical quantity on a timepiece (100), on several partial displays (2), each representing the change in said physical quantity over a given partial range (3), the total range of variation in said quantity being covered by the set of said partial ranges (3), each partial display (2) including an indicator (4) that moves relative to a scale (5) representing the partial range (3) specific thereto. Each partial display (2) includes a continuous mechanism (11) for moving the moving indicator (4) thereof opposite a scale representing said total range, and includes eclipsing means arranged for only allowing said moving indicator (4) to be seen opposite said scale (5) representing the partial range (3) specific thereto, and for reducing or obscuring visibility of said moving indicator (4) opposite the scales representing any other partial ranges, and said continuous mechanisms (11) of said partial displays (2) are all synchronous with each other.

Abstract: The invention relates to a timepiece with an analogue display, including a timepiece movement (1) provided with a mechanical output, located on an arbour (2) of said movement, and a display assembly (30) provided with at least one time display device (31, 32, 111, 112) driven by said mechanical output, wherein the display assembly is separate from the timepiece movement (1) and linked to a fixed part (10) of said movement (1) by support means which enables said display device to take several different positions around the output arbour (2) of the movement. According to the invention, the support means of the display assembly includes an intermediate support (34, 70, 72, 70?) secured to the fixed part (10) of the timepiece movement (1) and provided with support members (36, 87, 89, 87?, 89?) allowing said at least one display device (31, 32, 111, 112) to be assembled in several positions on the intermediate support (34, 70, 72, 70?). The invention concerns the field of timepiece display members.

Abstract: Multi-sector mechanism (1) for displaying a physical quantity on a timepiece (100), on several partial displays (2), each representing the change in said physical quantity over a given partial range (3), the total range of variation in said quantity being covered by the set of said partial ranges (3), each partial display (2) including an indicator (4) that moves relative to a scale (5) representing the partial range (3) specific thereto. Each partial display (2) includes a continuous mechanism (11) for moving the moving indicator (4) thereof opposite a scale representing said total range, and includes eclipsing means arranged for only allowing said moving indicator (4) to be seen opposite said scale (5) representing the partial range (3) specific thereto, and for reducing or obscuring visibility of said moving indicator (4) opposite the scales representing any other partial ranges, and said continuous mechanisms (11) of said partial displays (2) are all synchronous with each other.

Abstract: An analytical processing and detection device is described which comprises a rack capable of holding at least one reaction receptacle, at least one magnetic unit for exerting a magnetic field on at least one reaction receptacle comprising magnetic particles in a fluid, wherein said at least one magnetic unit is reversibly or irreversibly connected to said rack, and wherein said magnetic field causes the magnetic particles to be sequestered to the side walls of said at least one reaction receptacle, and a detection unit for detecting a signal in the fluid in said reaction receptacle.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for the optical detection of light from analytical samples, the system comprising an analytical instrument comprising an optical detection unit and a sample block unit for receiving a plurality of analytical samples, the system further comprising a calibration device for calibrating the optical detection unit of the analytical instrument, wherein the calibration device comprises a substrate and at least one electrically powered reference light source coupled to the substrate, said at least one reference light source emitting light being detected by the optical detection unit.