Patent ID: 8865069

Claim:
An apparatus for the automated opening/closing of one or more fluid containers for containing samples and/or one or more reagents, each of which having a body comprising an opening and a cap for closing the opening, wherein the cap is pivotable with respect to the body so as to open or close the opening, the apparatus comprising: a mount; a carriage supported by the mount by a translating mechanism that bidirectionally translates the carriage with respect to the mount between a first translating position and a second translation portion, wherein the carriage comprising a base portion and a pivoting portion supported by the base portion by a pivoting mechanism that bidirectionally pivots the pivoting portion with respect to the base portion between a first pivoting position related to a closing position of the cap of each of the fluid containers in which the container opening is closed and a second pivoting position related to an opening position of the cap in which the container opening is opened, with the pivoting portion being pivoted with respect to the base portion in the second translating position, wherein the pivoting portion has at least one contact member in contact with at least one projecting portion of the cap of each of the one or more fluid containers while pivoting the pivoting portion so as to open and optionally close the opening and wherein the pivoting portion is coupled to a pre-tensioning member that pre-tensions the pivoting portion with respect to the base portion in a pivoting direction related to closing the opening of each of the one or more fluid containers; and one drive coupled to the carriage for translating the base portion and pivoting the pivoting portion.