AUTOMATIC HANDLING OF SAMPLE CUPS CLOSED WITH A SCREWABLE CAP

摘要

An apparatus for automatically handling sample cups closed with a screwable cap in a system wherein portions of biological samples contained in primary sample tubes have to be automatically pipetted into and from said sample cups. In order to provide very simple and relatively inexpensive means for automatically opening, closing and transporting sample cups the apparatus is characterized in that it comprises a transportable gripper (11) which includes a rotatable gripper tool (21) apt to enter and engage with a recess (35, 36) of said cap (34) to form a connection which can be locked by rotating the gripper tool (21) in a first sense with respect to said sample cup (31) and which can be unlocked by rotating the gripper tool (21) with respect to said sample cup (31) in a second sense opposite to the first.