Tube rack transfer device and diagnostic instrument

The present invention relates to a tube rack transfer device for transferring tube racks, comprising a first rail extending in a first horizontal direction and a second rail extending in a second horizontal direction orthogonal to the first horizontal direction, with the second rail being movable along the first rail and comprising at least one transfer head being movable along the second rail, with the transfer head comprising at least one control pin, adapted to be coupled with at least one of: an input pusher, translatable in the second direction, for transferring a tube rack from a rack carrier to a sampling area of an analyzer; an output pusher for transferring a tube rack from the sampling area to a rack carrier; a tube rack for transferring the tube rack between different rack carriers and/or between different positions of the same rack carrier. It further relates to an in-vitro diagnostic instrument, comprising at least one analyzer for carrying out in-vitro diagnostic tests on biological samples, at least one sample unit for inputting/outputting tube racks, a sampling area for withdrawing samples from sample tubes, and at least one transfer device as described.