Patent ID: 8640539

Claim:
A device for treating specimens, comprising: a plurality of reagent containers ( 12 ) which are arranged in predetermined positions, the plurality of reagent containers ( 12 ) being filled with reagents at a fill level ( 44 ), a transport mechanism ( 22 a , 22 b ) for transporting at least one transport container ( 16 a , 16 b ) which accommodates at least one carrier ( 20 ) on which at least one specimen can be placed, at least one sensor ( 34 ) for determining the fill level ( 44 ) of the plurality of reagent containers ( 12 ) with reagents ( 42 ), the at least one sensor being separated from the plurality of reagent containers by a vertical distance, and an evaluation unit ( 38 ) for evaluating information determined by the at least one sensor ( 34 ), wherein the transport mechanism ( 22 a , 22 b ) comprises a gripper ( 32 a , 32 b ) by which the at least one transport container ( 16 a , 16 b ) can be moved into one of the plurality of reagent containers ( 12 ) and out of the one of the plurality of reagent containers ( 12 ), respectively, wherein the at least one sensor ( 34 ) is arranged on the transport mechanism ( 22 a , 22 b ) such that the vertical distance from the at least one sensor to the plurality of reagent containers ( 12 ) is constant during upward and downward movement of the at least one transport container by the gripper, wherein a vertical distance between the gripper and the plurality of reagent containers changes during the upward and downward movement of the at least one transport container by the gripper.