SPECIMEN TRANSFER APPARATUS

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a specimen transfer apparatus which efficiently and smoothly transfers containers housing specimens from a rack to another rack. SOLUTION: The specimen transfer apparatus 1 is an apparatus for transferring the tubular containers housing the specimens held in a first rack 100 to a second rack 200. The specimen transfer apparatus 1 is provided with: an apparatus main body 2; a gripping mechanism 3 capable of simultaneously gripping a plurality of the containers; a moving means 4 for moving the gripping mechanism 3; a control means for controlling the attitudes of the containers held in a row adjacent to a row to be transferred in the second rack 200; a first rack transfer mechanism 11 for transferring the first rack 100; a second rack transfer mechanism 12 for transferring the second rack 200; a barcode reader 13 for the containers for reading information carried by barcode labels attached to the containers; a barcode reader 14 for the second rack for reading information carried by barcode labels attached to the second rack 200:; and a reflection sensor 6 for projecting light to the containers and receiving the light. COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO