A method provides for the placing of samples containers inside holders, a first displacement bringing the holders to an zone with access to the blood analyser pipetting area, identifying the containers during this displacement, a second rectilinear displacement through the pipetting zone along a path perpendicular to the first, a third rectilinear displacement bringing the holders to a second zone acceding to the pipetting area a fourth displacement through the pipetting area and bringing the holders to second outlet zone located on the first path and a path bringing the holder, to the first access zone or an evacuating zone. The method is particularly useful for carrying out hemostasis test on centrifuged blood samples.

Waiting areas for allowing a plurality of sample racks to stop and wait are provided on by-pass line in each analysis unit. Sample racks introduced from ordinary sample inlet section or emergency sample inlet section, after waiting in the waiting area, are subjected to sample pipette operation by sample pipetting device. In the ordinary mode corresponding to ordinary sample processing, all of the stop positions of the waiting areas can be utilized, however, in the emergency mode corresponding to emergency sample processing, at least one or more of the stop positions of the waiting areas is prohibited to be used so as for the sample rack coming in to skip the stop position prohibited to be used.

The present invention refers to an apparatus for transporting components within an automatic analyzer system. In order to provide a simple and low cost apparatus for transporting components within an automatic analyzer system, the apparatus comprises a component carrier suitable for holding a plurality of components; transport means for transporting the component carrier from a first position in a first apparatus which has a first housing and forms part of the analyzer system to at least a second position in a second apparatus which has a second housing and also forms part of the analyzer system; and a third housing containing the transport means and connected with the first housing of the first apparatus and aligned with the second housing of the second apparatus.

A dual analyzer system comprising at least two analyzers where samples to be tested are partitioned into three groups in accord with the frequency the test assays are requested. One analyzer performs a portion of the most frequently menu assays and all of a first subgroup of less frequently requested assays. The second analyzer performs a similar portion of the most frequently menu assays and all of a second subgroup of less frequently requested assays. The first of the analyzers is not equipped to perform any of the second subgroup of assays and the second analyzer is not be equipped to perform any of the second subgroup of assays.

A system for a clinical lab that is capable of automatically processing, including sorting, of multiple specimen containers. The system comprises a central controller, a workstation, one or more analyzers, and an automated centrifuge. The workstation has automatic detectors for detecting the presence of a holder holding specimen containers. The workstation has a bar code reader for reading bar codes on the containers. The system has a transport subsystem, preferably a workstation robotic arm and an analyzer robotic arm for transporting the specimen containers, moving them to and from the workstation, to and from the analyzers, and to and from the centrifuge. The centrifuge is loaded with buckets containing specimen containers. The workstation can be provided with a balance system for balancing the weight of the buckets used. The workstation can also have a decapper for automatically removing caps from the specimen containers.