Incubator with positioning means for slide-like test elements.

摘要

Slide-like test elements normally have a reference surface which is used to ensure that the element is properly located in an analyzer. When an element is transferred to a rotor in the analyzer for reading, the reference surface cannot be accurately aligned with reference surfaces in the rotor due to "out-of-round" deviations. Described herein is an incubator (30) arrangement useful in an analyzer (10) and a method for locating a slide element (E) properly in the incubator (30). The incubator (30) is provided with a referencing mechanism (40, 48, 50, 52) which is effective to push back on the reference surface of an element (E) which has been inserted too far into a station (36) of the incubator (30) to move the portion of the element (E) which is to be read back a distance which is predetermined for that station (36) an amount which gives the most effective reading of the element (E).