Patent ID: 6919044

Claim:
A clinical chemistry system comprising: a storing station that receives and stores a plurality of primary sample tubes; a sampling station including a sample probe that draws a volume of sample from a primary sample tube and transfers the volume to a secondary tube; a carriage mechanism, comprising a gripper with a pair of opposed arms that close on one of the plurality of primary sample tubes, grips it, lifts it, and transports the primary sample tube from the storing station to the sampling station and returns the primary sample tube from the sampling station to the storing station; a first and a second secondary tube transfer station, respectively, for coupling to first and second anal analyzers, the first and second sample tube transfer stations adapted to move the secondary sample tube from a continuous transport mechanism to be received by a corresponding one of the first and second analyzers; and the continuous transport mechanism for moving filled secondary tubes to a selected one of the first and second secondary tube transfer stations; wherein the continuous transport mechanism is a continuous belt that travels adjacent the sampling station and the first and second secondary tube transfer stations; wherein a plurality of sample tube carriages are mounted to the belt, each sample tube carriage adapted for carrying the secondary sample tube; wherein the secondary tube carriages provide lateral access to a secondary tube within the secondary tube carriage from at least two sides of the secondary tube.