Centrifuge

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a centrifuge with a loading and unloading device for precisely guiding a reaction vessel unit into and out of the rotor chamber. The present invention further relates to an optical detection device as part of a centrifuge. Additionally, the present invention relates to a centrifuge into which, or out of which, a reaction unit can be precisely guided by a robotic gripper arm.

[0002] The automation of certain laboratory tasks is almost indispensable today. Efforts are made to replace as many steps as possible that previously had to be performed manually with automated processes, ideally without any human intervention. However, it is not always easy to automate tasks requiring very precise handling of individual experimental components. In laboratory work, especially pipetting, many steps require transferring liquids into designated containers with an accuracy of tenths of a millimeter. This presents the challenge of precisely matching both the container and the pipette. The same applies to emptying reaction vessels by pipetting or suction, for example, to wash the inner surfaces of the reaction vessels.

[0003] It is equally desirable to be able to perform several experimental steps, which often follow one another in a single experiment, within a single apparatus, thus minimizing or even eliminating the transport of individual components such as reaction vessels. Transporting components not only represents an additional source of error, for example through contamination, but also consumes additional time.

[0004] DE 10 2008 042 971 A1 discloses a centrifuge in which a magnetic device is integrated to hold magnetizable particles within a reaction vessel by means of magnetic force.

[0005] CN 102175855 A discloses a fully automatic 360° plate washing machine. The rotational axis of this machine runs parallel to the horizontal plane, thus allowing the washing of multiple plates simultaneously in one housing, thereby increasing efficiency and significantly reducing costs. US 4,953,575 relates to a washing device for cuvettes. For this device, the cuvettes are placed in a holder within a rotor. Rotating the rotor removes the liquid from the cuvettes.

[0006] JP 2009264927 A discloses a device comprising a drum in which a microplate can be placed. The drum can be loaded with several microtiter plates, which then rotate about a horizontal axis of rotation. The drum is loaded with the microtiter plate in such a way that its openings are directed towards the interior of the drum.

[0007] Document EP 937502 A2 describes a method for handling a microtiter plate, whereby the microtiter plate can be cleaned by centrifugation. For this purpose, the microtiter plate is placed in the rotating housing via a conveyor belt, so that the openings of the microtiter plate are directed away from the axis of rotation.

[0008] EP 1 270 078 A1 discloses a centrifuge with a vertical axis of rotation. The centrifuge can be loaded and unloaded from above using a vertically movable device. The reaction vessels are positioned in oscillating holders. It is described that the centrifuge is particularly suitable for automated centrifugation processes.

[0009] WO 2015 / 018878 A1 describes another centrifuge which has an elastic arm with which microtiter plates can be drawn into or pushed out of the rotor of the centrifuge.

[0010] One object of the present invention is to provide a centrifuge comprising a loading and unloading device that enables precise maneuvering of a reaction vessel unit into and out of the rotor chamber. A further object of the present invention is to provide a centrifuge with which complex process steps can be carried out in a very small space.

[0011] One or more of these problems are solved by the subject matter of the independent claim.

[0012] Preferred embodiments are described in the dependent subclaims.

[0013] According to the first aspect of the present invention, a centrifuge is provided which has a rotor and a rotor chamber in which the rotor is arranged and rotatably mounted, wherein the rotor has a receiving area for receiving a reaction vessel unit, and the centrifuge is provided with a loading and unloading device comprising a rigid sliding rod for positioning a reaction vessel unit in or removing a reaction vessel unit from the rotor, wherein the sliding rod is arranged to be horizontally displaceable such that it can be moved between an unloading position in which it extends through the rotor in the rotor chamber and a loading position in which it is withdrawn at least from the area of ​​the rotor chamber occupied by the rotor during one revolution.and a linear drive for moving the transfer rod between the unloading position and the loading position, wherein the centrifuge has a detection device for determining the position of the transfer rod in the direction of movement and a pipetting unit with at least one nozzle, so that a reaction vessel unit can be arranged below the pipetting unit to fill a reaction vessel.

[0014] A centrifuge according to the present invention makes it possible, by means of the described loading and unloading device, to bring a reaction vessel unit very precisely into a specific end position and to move a reaction vessel unit with very high precision during the shifting process.

[0015] The loading and unloading device includes a sliding rod which is rigid and transmits a movement generated by the linear drive very precisely.

[0016] The sliding rod is arranged in such a way that it is moved back and forth along a horizontal axis only by a linear drive, without allowing any deviations in other directions during its movement.

[0017] A "rigid sliding rod" within the meaning of the present invention means that the sliding rod is not bent when used as intended, or that the bends are in the microscopic range, so that they have no effect on the longitudinal extent of the sliding rod.

[0018] Due to the rigid design of the sliding rod, it can be easily and reliably sealed against the walls bordering the rotor chamber. This minimizes the risk of contamination escaping from the rotor chamber.

[0019] Because the loading and unloading device described herein enables very precise positioning of a reaction vessel unit in the direction of movement, the position of the reaction vessel unit can be exactly coordinated with a second device. Such a second device could be, for example, a pipetting unit, a detection unit, a robotic arm, or the like.

[0020] The rigid sliding rod enables "absolute positioning." Absolute positioning means that if the position of the sliding rod is known, the position of a reaction vessel unit coupled to the sliding rod is also known. Due to its rigidity, the free end of the rigid sliding rod can be positioned so precisely within the rotor chamber that there is no upward, downward, or lateral deflection that could affect the position of the free end along the length of the pipetting rod. Therefore, if the position of a specific point on the sliding rod is known, the position of the free end, located within the rotor chamber or in the receiving area in front of the rotor chamber, can be determined. Thus, it is sufficient, for example, to control or detect the position of the end of the sliding rod connected to the linear actuator to know the position of the reaction vessel unit.This eliminates the need for sensors in the rotor chamber to detect the free end of the sliding rod, or sensors to detect the reaction vessel unit or a support unit for the reaction vessel unit. The pipetting unit can be movable or stationary, attached to the centrifuge housing. Precise maneuvering of the reaction vessel unit beneath the pipetting unit ensures accurate and clean filling of the reaction vessel, i.e., without the risk of spillage or overflow. This enables automated filling of reaction vessels using a pipetting unit and, simultaneously, automated loading and unloading of a centrifuge with this reaction vessel unit.

[0021] For example, before loading the centrifuge, the reaction vessel unit can be filled with a solution. This solution is then removed from the vessel by centrifugation around a horizontal axis, with the opening of the reaction vessel unit facing away from the axis. Following this, the reaction vessel unit can be placed under the pipetting unit again using the loading and unloading device to refill it and then empty it again by centrifugation. This method is particularly suitable when several identical steps, such as washing steps, need to be performed. In this case, the reaction vessel unit is filled with a washing solution and then emptied by centrifugation. This process can be repeated several times as required.

[0022] The pipetting device is preferably connected to several fluidic inlets. Preferably, at least three, in particular at least five, and most preferably at least seven fluidic inlets are provided. Each fluidic inlet is equipped with a separate control valve that can be individually controlled by a central control unit. This makes it possible to carry out complex washing processes fully automatically, with different reagents being successively fed to the reaction vessel units.

[0023] Because the reaction vessel unit can be controlled with very high precision by a loading and unloading device as described herein, and therefore its position can be positioned very precisely relative to a pipetting device, the present invention is particularly suitable for experimental and test setups that are carried out with reaction vessel units requiring reaction vessels with very small diameters. In particular, a centrifuge of the present invention is suitable for microtiter plates comprising, for example, 96, preferably 384, more preferably 1,536 reaction vessels or wells.

[0024] In a microtiter plate with 10,536 reaction vessels, the distance between two adjacent reaction vessels is 2.25 mm. To ensure precise positioning of the reaction vessels, for example, relative to a pipetting unit, it is advantageous for the linear actuator to move the transfer rod, and thus the reaction vessel unit, with an accuracy of at least 0.2 mm, preferably at least 0.1 mm. Therefore, the linear actuator is preferably designed as a linear actuator that converts a rotary motion into a linear motion by means of a meshing or positive-locking engagement. However, the linear actuator can also be a correspondingly precisely controllable linear motor. Such linear motors generally require additional sensors, which is why a mechanical linear actuator with meshing engagement is generally preferred.

[0025] The ability to precisely fill very small reaction vessels greatly reduces or even completely eliminates the risk of contamination, spillage, and fluid loss due to mis-pipetting.

[0026] Furthermore, the centrifuge according to the present invention can be considered advantageous because the sliding rod of the loading and unloading device is not located in the area of ​​the rotor chamber occupied by the rotor during one revolution. This means that, particularly when emptying the reaction vessel unit by centrifugation, the escaping contents cannot come into contact with the loading and unloading device, especially not with the sliding rod. This minimizes the risk of contamination within the rotor chamber due to a contaminated sliding rod.

[0027] The centrifuge of the present invention can have a coupling element at a free end of the sliding rod which extends into the rotor chamber, wherein the coupling element is designed for reconnecting the sliding rod to a reaction vessel unit or a support unit for a reaction vessel unit.

[0028] A coupling element on the sliding rod enables repeated coupling and decoupling with a reaction vessel unit or a carrier unit for a reaction vessel unit. This allows the reaction vessel unit or the carrier unit to be "grasped" by the sliding rod and then decoupled again at the desired position. This decoupling allows the sliding rod to leave the area of ​​the rotor chamber occupied by the rotor during one revolution, thus minimizing or eliminating the contamination risks described above. The coupling element of the present invention can include a locking element that engages with a counter-locking element provided on the reaction vessel unit or the carrier unit, wherein at least the locking element or the counter-locking element is elastically mounted.

[0029] Such a system, with a locking and a counter-locking element, ensures a secure and stable coupling of the reaction vessel unit or the carrier unit for a reaction vessel unit. Because the locking element engages flush with the counter-locking element, it prevents the reaction vessel unit or the carrier unit from moving in any direction other than along the horizontal axis of the sliding rod during the loading and / or unloading process. This, in turn, ensures that the reaction vessel unit can be positioned precisely and, if necessary, filled accurately with a pipetting unit.

[0030] Both the locking element and the counter-locking element can be elastically mounted. Alternatively, only the locking element or only the counter-locking element can be elastically mounted. The elastic mounting ensures smooth coupling and decoupling, preventing any potential sliding or collision of the reaction vessel assembly. This prevents contents from potentially leaking from one reaction vessel and either being lost or contaminating an adjacent one.

[0031] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the counter-locking element of the reaction vessel unit or the carrier unit is elastically mounted and is coupled to a locking bracket, such that the locking bracket is pivotable between two positions, wherein an unlocking position is assumed when the locking element and the counter-locking element are locked together and a locking position is assumed when the locking element and the counter-locking element are separated from each other, wherein the locking bracket has a locking element which, in a locking position, can engage with a corresponding counter-locking element of a rotor.

[0032] Due to the elastic mounting of the counter-locking element, the coupling and decoupling process can be carried out smoothly, i.e. without jerky movements, as described above, thus avoiding strong vibration of the reaction vessel unit or the carrier unit.

[0033] The coupling of the elastically mounted counter-locking element with a locking bar also ensures that, after the sliding rod is decoupled from the reaction vessel unit or the support unit, it can no longer be moved within the rotor. By engaging a corresponding counter-locking element on a rotor unit, the locking bar connects the reaction vessel unit or the support unit to the centrifuge's rotor unit in such a way that removal, movement, slippage, or the like is not possible without releasing the lock. Thus, after its locking element has been separated from the counter-locking element on the sliding rod, the reaction vessel unit or the support unit is fixed, at least at that point, by the engagement of the locking element with a corresponding counter-locking element on the rotor unit.

[0034] Preferably, the sliding rod has a smooth surface. A smooth surface allows for easy and thorough cleaning of the sliding rod. With a smooth surface, the risk of unwanted contaminants accumulating permanently is low. Furthermore, a smooth surface can be reliably sealed with a sealing device against areas outside the rotor chamber. This at least partially prevents deposits on the sliding rod from being carried out of the rotor chamber.

[0035] The sliding rod of the present invention can be hollow and open at its rear end, which faces away from the rotor chamber. A threaded rod arranged coaxially with the sliding rod can engage with a thread connected to the sliding rod in a meshing engagement, such that a relative rotational movement of the threaded rod with respect to the sliding rod results in a translational movement of the sliding rod, whereby the threaded rod can engage with the sliding rod at its rear end.

[0036] The sliding rod is preferably guided in a rotationally fixed manner, so that a rotation of the threaded rod generates the relative rotational movement. It is also possible, in principle, to rotate the sliding rod, in which case the threaded rod can be fixed in position. If a rotating sliding rod is provided, it is advantageous to include a coupling element that can act independently of the rotational position. Such a coupling element could, for example, be a rotationally symmetrical detent element or a coupling magnet.

[0037] Because the sliding rod is moved by a rotary motion of the threaded rod, it is possible to precisely position the reaction vessel unit or carrier unit coupled to the sliding rod and thus, in particular, to accurately control its position relative to a pipetting unit. This system converts a rotary motion into a translational motion, making it possible to move the sliding rod, or the reaction vessel unit or carrier unit coupled to it, a predefined distance or to bring it into a predefined position. For particularly high accuracy, a ball screw enclosed in a nut can be used, within which balls circulate in a closed system.

[0038] Since the threaded rod can retract into the sliding rod at its rear end, the loading and unloading device can be kept small. When retracted, the threaded rod can be almost completely enclosed within the sliding rod. The maximum length of the sliding rod, including the threaded rod, is achieved when the sliding rod is fully extended, i.e., when it extends through the rotor chamber. This occurs, for example, when a reaction vessel or carrier unit outside the rotor chamber is either coupled to or uncoupled from the sliding rod. In this case, the threaded rod is fully extended from the sliding rod.

[0039] Preferably, the rotor chamber of the centrifuge is enclosed by a housing. The sliding rod is guided through an opening in a housing wall, with a sealing element provided in the area of ​​the opening to seal the sliding rod against the housing wall. The sliding rod thus extends into the rotor chamber and the drive unit.

[0040] The sealing element separates the rotor chamber from the drive unit of the sliding rod. This prevents contents located in the rotor chamber, especially those removed from the reaction vessels by centrifugation, from leaving the rotor chamber and entering the drive unit. This significantly reduces or completely eliminates the risk of contamination with contents from the reaction vessels outside the rotor chamber.

[0041] The sealing element ensures that any liquid that may be present on the sliding rod is wiped off during movement and thus prevented from being carried from the rotor chamber into the drive area. An embodiment in which the sliding rod has a smooth surface is particularly advantageous, as this allows the sealing element to fit flush against the sliding rod. This enables effective wiping of materials from the sliding rod.

[0042] During the centrifugation process, the sliding rod is retracted as completely as possible into the opening in the housing wall. This is intended to prevent the contents removed from the reaction vessels during centrifugation from coming into contact with the sliding rod. Should this nevertheless occur, the contents can be wiped off by the tightly fitting sealing element.

[0043] The centrifuge of the present invention further comprises a detection device to determine the position of the sliding rod in the direction of movement.

[0044] A suitable detection device ensures that the position of the sliding rod in the direction of movement can be precisely determined at all times and that the reaction vessel unit or carrier unit can be moved precisely to the desired location.

[0045] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the centrifuge comprises a horizontal axis of rotation about which the rotor rotates during operation of the centrifuge.

[0046] A horizontal axis of rotation means that the axis of rotation runs parallel to a bottom wall of the rotor chamber housing, so that when the centrifuge is positioned on a horizontal surface, the axis of rotation is horizontal. With such a centrifuge featuring a horizontal axis of rotation, reaction vessel units, such as microtiter plates, can be inserted horizontally into the rotor, with the reaction vessel(s) positioned with their openings facing upwards. This allows for the easy addition and removal of the reaction vessel units, which contain liquid and are open. This enables the centrifuge to be easily connected to existing automated systems, particularly robotic or laboratory systems, and integrated into an automated process.

[0047] Another aspect of the present invention relates to the integration of a device for the optical detection of assays, in particular homogeneous assays.

[0048] A wide variety of experiments are evaluated and analyzed through the detection of optical signals. Optical detection methods can be performed in various ways. For example, optical signals can be detected by generating fluorescence, by light, or similar means. Some reactions used to generate optical signals proceed very rapidly, which is why direct measurement after adding the appropriate reagents may be desirable.

[0049] For optical detection, a detection device is preferably provided, which includes at least one optical sensor (= a camera) and preferably a light source. The optical sensor can be designed as a line sensor or as an area sensor.

[0050] The optical detection device is preferably directed approximately vertically downwards, so that the contents of open-topped reaction vessels can be detected. The viewing direction can be exactly vertical or slightly inclined to a vertical.

[0051] The optical detection device is preferably designed and arranged such that it can scan the reaction vessel unit in a cell-like manner adjacent to the rotor space in the movement area, with one scanning line being oriented approximately perpendicular to the direction of movement of the reaction vessel unit or carrier unit.

[0052] The optical detection unit can have one or more light sources. If multiple light sources are present, they are preferably individually controllable. The light sources preferably use LEDs as the light source.

[0053] Such a light source can be positioned on the same side as the optical sensor with respect to the movement path of a reaction vessel unit to provide bright-field and / or dark-field illumination. Such a light source can also be positioned on the opposite side of the movement path of a reaction vessel unit for illuminating reaction vessels.

[0054] The optical detection device can include a color sensor or a color camera with which the color of the contents of the reaction vessels can be detected.

[0055] Preferably, the optical detection device is designed to detect the fill level of the individual reaction vessels. The fill level can be scanned, for example, using an optical triangulation method, in particular a laser triangulation method. Other methods for optical 3D scanning can also be provided, such as stereoscopy, deflectometry, or white-light interferometry. Methods for 3D scanning are known, for example, from WO 2011 / 060769 A1, DE 10 2009 040 081 A1, DE 10 2008 036 275 A1, DE 197 21 688 A1, DE 103 09 544 A1, DE 43 01 538 A1, DE 195 32 767 C2, and DE 44 39 307 C2. These and other optical methods for 3D scanning can be used to simultaneously scan the fill level of one or more reaction vessels. Therefore, these documents are referenced in their entirety.

[0056] Optical scanning using a color camera can also be used to analyze the color of the contents of the reaction vessels. This constitutes a spectral analysis of the sample.

[0057] The optical detection device is preferably arranged parallel to and adjacent to a series of pipetting nozzles of a pipetting device, so that the individual reaction vessels, into which a solution is supplied via the pipetting nozzles, can be optically scanned during or immediately after pipetting. This allows the filling of the individual reaction vessels to be precisely recorded and taken into account during further processing. For example, the concentration of certain compositions may depend on the amount of solvent pipetted, whereby different concentrations are generally permissible but must be known. By detecting the fill level, the concentration can then be determined and considered in the subsequent evaluation.This is particularly useful for very small reaction vessels, where a slightly different fill quantity can cause a significant difference in the fill level and, consequently, in the concentration.

[0058] Furthermore, such an optical detection device can be configured to detect the position of a reaction vessel unit or a carrier unit. The position of the reaction vessels or carrier unit determined by the optical detection device can be used in a closed control loop to control a drive for moving the carrier unit or the reaction vessel unit. This also makes it possible to use external drive mechanisms, such as a robot arm, whose control system is coupled to the optical detection device of the centrifuge.

[0059] Detecting the position of the reaction vessel unit also allows for automatic control of the pipetting of liquids into the individual reaction vessels, whereby the position of the reaction vessels relative to the pipetting nozzles is detected and aligned. This makes it possible, for example, to fill several rows of reaction vessels with liquid sequentially.

[0060] The optical detection device can also automatically identify the type of reaction vessel unit (e.g., 96, 384, or 1536 reaction vessels). Pipetting can then be controlled accordingly.

[0061] The centrifuge may have an evaluation unit with which the signals obtained by the optical detection device are automatically evaluated according to the following parameters: Colour of the contents of at least one reaction vessel of the reaction vessel unit, fill level of at least one reaction vessel of the reaction vessel unit, position of the reaction vessel unit, type of reaction vessel unit.

[0062] The values ​​of these parameters, as recorded in this way, can be used for the automatic control of processes for handling samples contained in the reaction vessels of the reaction vessel units. The following steps can thus be automatically executed in any order, either once or multiple times: Pipetting, spectral analysis, cleaning

[0063] Another aspect of the present disclosure is a centrifuge as described above, which is loaded and unloaded by means of a robot arm instead of the described loading and unloading mechanism.

[0064] For this purpose, the robot arm has a coupling element that allows a reaction vessel unit or a carrier unit for a reaction vessel unit to be coupled to the robot gripper. After coupling the reaction vessel unit or the carrier unit, the robot gripper can then either pull it out of the rotor chamber or load it into the rotor chamber. Using appropriate control and measuring devices, the reaction vessel unit or the carrier unit for a reaction vessel unit can be moved into a predefined position. This also allows for positioning of the reaction vessel unit or the carrier unit relative to a pipetting device.

[0065] The reaction vessel unit or carrier unit of the robot gripper arm can be positioned so that the reaction vessel is first filled using the pipetting device before it is then moved into the rotor chamber of the centrifuge using the robot gripper arm.

[0066] If the reaction vessel unit is a microtiter plate, the robotic gripper arm can first precisely position the unit to fill one row or column of wells after another. The fully filled plate is then pushed into the rotor chamber by the robotic gripper arm. After the centrifugation process is complete, the gripper arm retrieves the plate from the rotor chamber, allowing it to be refilled row by row or column by column, or transported further as needed.

[0067] The control and measuring device is preferably designed to detect the position of the reaction vessel unit or the carrier unit and, by means of a closed control loop, to control the movement of the robot gripper arm so that the reaction vessel unit or the carrier unit is positioned at the desired position. For this purpose, the control and measuring device preferably includes an optical detection device as described above.

[0068] By using a linear drive, in particular a linear drive that converts a rotary motion into a linear motion through a positive-locking or interlocking engagement, the linear drive can be controlled by the control device in such a way that it sets the position of the rigid sliding rod so precisely that the position of an associated reaction vessel unit does not need to be measured, but is determined so exactly by the position of the sliding rod that other components, such as the pipetting device or the robot arm, can act on the reaction vessel unit without their position being measured separately (absolute positioning).

[0069] This significantly simplifies the centrifuge's design, as no sensors or control elements are required to detect the reaction vessel unit or corresponding supports in the rotor area, on the balcony, or in the loading and unloading area of ​​the centrifuge. Furthermore, this also simplifies the integration of the centrifuge with other devices for automating the workflow of processing substances contained in a reaction vessel unit. For example, the centrifuge can be coupled to a robot arm in such a way that, when the reaction vessel unit is transferred from the centrifuge to the robot arm, the centrifuge's control unit transmits the position specified by the linear drive to a control unit on the robot arm. The robot arm can then grasp the reaction vessel unit at this position.

[0070] For the exchange of a reaction vessel unit between the centrifuge and a transport device for such reaction vessel units, such as a robot arm, the control device of the centrifuge can be designed in such a way that the sliding rod for such an exchange process is always positioned in exactly the same position known to the transport device, so that the reaction vessel unit can be positioned by the transport device for coupling with the sliding rod or can be picked up at this position accordingly.

[0071] Another advantage of the rigid sliding rod is that its free end is positioned very precisely with respect to height and lateral deflection compared to conventional flexible elements, thus simplifying automatic coupling with a support unit or reaction vessel. With a flexible sliding element, there is a risk that the free end will be at a different height depending on the deflection, often making automatic coupling of a support unit or reaction vessel impossible. By using a rigid sliding rod, any support unit or beam can be positioned at a predetermined location and coupled to the rod.The corresponding coupling element on the carrier unit or other reaction vessel unit only needs to be positioned at a predetermined height that interacts with a corresponding coupling element at the free end of the sliding rod. This makes it possible to automatically couple different carriers, carrier units, or reaction vessel units to the sliding rod in an automated system. This can be easily achieved by having a suitable gripping element, such as a robot arm, simply exchange the carrier, carrier unit, or reaction vessel unit. This allows different formats of reaction vessel units to be automatically exchanged in an automated system. It is not necessary to provide a separate sensor, such as an optical sensor, to detect the position of the free end and thus enable coupling with another carrier or carrier unit.another reaction vessel unit is controlled.

[0072] The automatic exchange of different supports or carrier units makes it possible to use reaction vessel units or microtiter plates that conform to a special format. Most microtiter plates conform to the so-called SBS format. However, for specialized applications, there are also special formats with a different arrangement of reaction vessels. These special formats may also have a different footprint or height. Such deviations from a standard format, especially the SBS format, can be compensated for, for example, by using appropriate supports or carrier units. To accommodate different heights of microtiter plates, for instance, carrier units of varying heights can be used.

[0073] Small reaction vessels can be filled with a solution and arranged with their openings facing downwards without the solution escaping. Capillary action holds the solution within the vessels. This is particularly true for microtiter plates with 1536 reaction vessels. However, it can also occur with microtiter plates containing 96 or 384 reaction vessels. This depends on the shape and surface finish of the individual reaction vessels.

[0074] A centrifuge therefore preferably has a rotor that can accommodate a reaction vessel unit, allowing the reaction vessels to be oriented with their openings facing either downwards or upwards when inserted into the centrifuge. This makes it possible to position the reaction vessel unit in the rotor such that the openings of the reaction vessels either point towards the axis of rotation or outwards with respect to the rotor's axis of rotation. The centrifuge can thus be used both for centrifuging solutions in the reaction vessels (with the openings pointing towards the axis of rotation) and for emptying the reaction vessels (with the openings pointing away from the axis of rotation).The receiving area of ​​the rotor can therefore be designed in such a way that a reaction vessel unit can be inserted into the rotor in a form-fitting manner in both orientations, in which the openings either point towards the axis of rotation or are directed away from the axis of rotation.

[0075] Preferably, the centrifuge is combined with a device that can rotate the reaction vessel units so that they can be inserted into the centrifuge with the openings facing downwards or upwards. Such a device could, for example, be a robotic arm, which is accordingly controlled by a control unit.

[0076] The different aspects described above can also be applied in combination.

[0077] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings show: Figure 1: A perspective view of a centrifuge without a housing from a top oblique angle; Figure 2: A sliding rod with an associated drive in a perspective view; Figure 3: A cross-section through a coupling element located at the end of a sliding rod and through a counter-locking element with a support unit; Figure 4: A support unit for a reaction vessel unit with a counter-locking element in a perspective view; Figure 5: The unit with a counter-locking element according to Figure 4 coupled coupling element made of Figure 3 Figure 6 shows a sliding unit according to Figure 2 with attached support unit in perspective view, Figure 7 the sliding unit made of Figure 6Figure 8 shows a cross-section through a coupling element, which engages with a counter-locking element on a carrier unit with its locking element; Figure 9 shows a cross-section through a carrier unit and the associated counter-locking element, into which the locking element of the coupling element of the sliding rod engages; Figure 10 shows a section of the centrifuge in cross-section with a carrier unit and a sliding rod, whose coupling element does not engage with the counter-locking element of the carrier unit; Figure 11 shows a section of the centrifuge in cross-section with a carrier unit and a sliding rod, whose coupling element has released after engaging with the counter-locking element and the carrier unit is held on the rotor by a locking bracket; Figure 12 shows a sliding unit according to Figure 6In longitudinal section, Figure 13 shows a section of a sliding rod, wherein the coupling element has a hook which engages in a corresponding counterpart on a support unit, Figure 14 shows a hook of a coupling element of a sliding rod which has been rotated by 90° to engage in a corresponding counterpart of a support unit, Figure 15 shows a cross-section through a coupling element of a sliding rod, wherein the locking element of the coupling element is designed as a large pin and engages in a counter-locking element of a support unit.

[0078] An exemplary embodiment of a centrifuge 1 according to the invention is explained in more detail below. This centrifuge 1 comprises a rotor chamber 2 in which the rotor 4 is located, a drive unit 3 in which a linear drive 11 is arranged, and a sliding rod 6. A reaction vessel unit or a support unit 5 for a reaction vessel unit can be pulled into the rotor chamber 2 or pushed out of the rotor chamber onto a platform 8 using the sliding rod 6. Figure 1 ).

[0079] The rotor 4, which can be loaded with at least one reaction vessel unit and can rotate about an axis of rotation, is located in the rotor chamber 2. Preferably, the rotor 4 rotates about a horizontal axis of rotation.

[0080] The rotor chamber 2 is spatially separated from the external environment by a housing and from the drive unit 3 by a partition 7. A base frame 15 is located in the drive unit 3. This base frame 15 extends over the area outside the rotor chamber 2, in which the sliding rod 6 can be accommodated.

[0081] The base frame 15 serves to hold the elements specified for the linear drive of the sliding rod 6.

[0082] The base frame 15 includes a guide rail 28, which extends from the partition 7 into the area of ​​the drive unit 3 and whose length corresponds approximately to the length of the sliding rod 6. The guide rail 28 is arranged parallel to the sliding rod 6. At the end of the guide rod 28 furthest from the partition 7, a retaining element 29 is provided in which a threaded rod 9 is rotatably but axially fixed. The threaded rod 9 extends from the retaining element 29 towards the sliding rod 6, which is hollow and open at its rear end, i.e., the end facing the threaded rod 9. The threaded rod 9 is located with its front, free end inside the sliding rod 6. The threaded rod 9 and the sliding rod 6 are thus aligned with each other.

[0083] In the present embodiment, the rear end of the sliding rod 6 is coupled to a slide 30, which is guided by the guide rail 28. The slide 30 holds the sliding rod 6 in the drive unit 3 in a rotationally fixed manner. The slide 30 has a nut 31 in which the threaded rod engages. A bracket 32 ​​is arranged on the slide 30, which moves together with the slide 30, which interacts with a detection device 13.

[0084] The detection device 13 is a laser scanner that generates a laser beam 14. The laser beam 14 is directed by means of a mirror 36 onto the bracket 32, which is connected to the carriage 30. This allows the distance of the bracket 32 ​​from the detection device 13, and thus the position of the carriage 30, to be measured very precisely. Since the carriage 30 is fixedly connected to the sliding rod 6, the position of the sliding rod 6 in the centrifuge is also uniquely determined.

[0085] The threaded rod 9 projects slightly rearward from the retaining element 29. A drive pinion 33 is attached to the threaded rod 9 at this point. The drive unit 3 comprises a motor 34, preferably a stepper motor, which drives the drive pinion 33 of the threaded rod 9 via a belt 35.

[0086] Since the carriage 30, and thus the sliding rod 6, is guided non-rotatably on the guide rail 28, a rotation of the threaded rod 9 moves the nut 31, which engages with the threaded rod 9, in the axial direction of the threaded rod 9 or the sliding rod 6, thereby moving the carriage 30 and the sliding rod 6 accordingly in the axial direction. This unit, consisting of the base frame 15, threaded rod 9, carriage 30, and sliding rod 6, thus constitutes the linear drive 11, which converts a rotary motion into a linear motion. Other linear drives are also possible within the scope of the invention, for example, those consisting of a rack and a gear that engages with the rack and thus converts a rotary motion of the gear into a linear motion. Linear drives are therefore preferably devices that use a positive connection (nut - threaded rod or gear - rack) or...A meshing mechanism converts a rotary motion into a linear motion. In contrast to a frictional connection, the risk of the interacting components shifting relative to each other is significantly lower.

[0087] Thus, the sliding rod 6 can be moved out of the drive unit 3 through the partition 7 into the rotor chamber 2 ( Figure 2 The sliding rod 6 can also extend through the entire rotor chamber 2, exiting it at one end through an opening in a housing wall 16 on the opposite side of the partition 7. The sliding rod 6 then extends from the drive unit 3 through the partition 7, through the rotor chamber 2, to the balcony 8 located outside the centrifuge housing.

[0088] By changing the drive direction, the sliding rod 6 can be moved back along the same path. In doing so, it moves from outside the centrifuge housing back through the rotor chamber 2, through the opening in the housing wall 16, to an opening in the partition wall 7. Based on this, the directions of movement of the sliding rod 6 can be described as out of the centrifuge 1 and into the centrifuge 1. The movement takes place along a horizontal axis.

[0089] The opening in the housing wall 16 can be closed by a flap or a door. The opening is large enough to allow a reaction vessel unit and / or a carrier unit 5 for a reaction vessel unit to be moved through it.

[0090] The sliding rod 6 has a coupling element 10 at its free end, which can move through the rotor chamber 2 ( Figure 3The coupling element 10 serves to enable the reconnectable connection of the sliding rod 6 to a reaction vessel unit or a support unit 5 for a reaction vessel unit. The coupling element 10 comprises a locking element 17, which is either rigidly or elastically mounted. The locking element 17 can also be rigidly mounted and itself have an elastic nature.

[0091] Preferably, the locking element 17 is a spring sheet which is fixed inside the hollow sliding rod 6 and has a downwardly projecting locking lug 21 at the end protruding from the sliding rod, which can be produced by deformation of the spring sheet ( Figure 3 ).

[0092] The carrier unit 5 for a reaction vessel unit serves to hold a reaction vessel unit, which can then be moved to a predefined position by moving the carrier unit 5.

[0093] Reaction vessel units can consist of single tubes or multiple reaction vessels arranged in a fixed configuration. Preferably, the reaction vessel unit is a microtiter plate. The microtiter plate can be a 96-well, 384-well, or 1536-well microtiter plate. The microtiter plate preferably conforms to the SBS format. However, it can also be designed in a special format.

[0094] The carrier unit 5 can be designed in the form of a frame or rack which can accommodate the corresponding reaction vessel unit ( Figure 4 Using the carrier unit 5, the reaction vessel unit can be moved into the rotor chamber 2 for loading the centrifuge or out of the centrifuge onto the balcony 8 to unload the centrifuge 1.

[0095] To move the carrier unit 5, it is coupled to the sliding rod 6 via a coupling element 10 ( Figure 5 ).

[0096] To couple the sliding rod 6 with the support unit 5, the locking element 17 engages with the locking lug 21 with a counter-locking element 18 on the support unit 5. Preferably, either the locking element 17 or the counter-locking element 18 is elastically mounted.

[0097] Both can also be elastically mounted. This minimizes the forces when the locking element 17 meets the counter-locking element 18 due to the elasticity of both parts, thus facilitating the engagement process.

[0098] The counter-locking element 18 can be elastically mounted in various ways. For example, it can be elastically arranged on the support unit 5 by means of coil springs. An elastic arrangement using a leaf spring 22, which extends along the lower edge of the support unit 15, can also be used.

[0099] The counter-locking element 18 can be coupled to a locking bar 19. The locking bar 19 then moves vertically together with the counter-locking element 18 when the latter is moved by the sliding rod 6, which engages the counter-locking element 18, along with the locking element 17. The locking bar 19 serves to lock the carrier unit 5 to the rotor via a counter-locking element 20 during positioning in the rotor chamber. This locking of the carrier unit 5 via a locking bar 19 with a counter-locking element 20 occurs when the carrier unit 5 has been positioned on the rotor 4 in the rotor chamber 2 and the locking lug 21 of the locking element 17 has disengaged from the counter-locking element 18.

[0100] The loading and unloading process of centrifuge 1 proceeds as follows: The carrier unit 5 is located outside centrifuge 1 on the balcony 8 in front of an opening in the housing wall 16. The linear drive 11 extends the sliding rod 6 towards the rotor chamber until it extends completely through it and exits the rotor chamber 2 through the opening in the housing wall 16 on the opposite side. The sliding rod 6 is then extended until the locking element 17 of the coupling element 10 of the sliding rod 6 engages the counter-locking element 18 of the carrier unit 5. Further extension of the sliding rod 6 causes the locking lug 21 of the locking element 17 to engage the counter-locking element 18. A frame or edge of the balcony 8 can act as a stop for the carrier unit 5 to prevent the sliding rod 6 from simply pushing the carrier unit 5 forward.This enables reliable locking of the locking element 17 with the counter-locking element 18. As the locking element 17 slides over the counter-locking element 18 until it reaches its final engagement position, both the locking element 17 and the counter-locking element 18 are pushed away from each other due to their elastic arrangements. This is facilitated by the sliding motion. When the locking element 17 is in full engagement with the counter-locking element 18, the counter-locking element 18, with the locking lever 19 coupled to it, is in a slightly lowered position. This lowered position, directed downwards towards the base of the carrier unit 5, is caused by the force exerted by the locking element 17 on the counter-locking element 18.

[0101] The coupling process is now complete and the sliding rod 6 can be moved back into the rotor chamber 2 by means of the linear drive 11. In doing so, it pulls the coupled carrier unit 5 from the balcony 8 through the opening in the housing wall 16 into the rotor chamber 2 until it reaches a final position on the rotor 4 ( Figure 6 ). The final position in the rotor 4 is reached when the carrier unit 5 encounters a stop element or counter-locking element 20, which is a component of the rotor 4.

[0102] The lowered position of the counter-locking element 18 and the locking lever 19 allows the locking lever 19 to engage under a section of the stop element or counter-locking element 20. If the sliding rod 6 is now retracted further, i.e., through the partition 7 adjacent to the drive unit, the carrier unit 5 is held in position by the stop element 20, and the locking element 17 of the sliding rod 6 is pulled back over the counter-locking element 18 until it completely loses contact. Figure 7After the sliding rod 6 is separated from the carrier unit 5, the elastically mounted components of the carrier unit 5 (counter-locking element 18 and locking bracket 19) rise back to their initial position. The locking bracket 19, which is immersed under the counter-locking element 20, now engages with the counter-locking element 20. This ensures that the carrier unit 5 is connected to the rotor 4 via the counter-locking element 20. Figure 8 ).

[0103] After completion of the centrifugation process, the sliding rod 6 is extended from its retracted position out of the partition 7 towards the rotor chamber until it couples again to the carrier unit via the locking element 17 with the counter-locking element 18 ( Figure 9As described above, when the locking element 17 engages with the counter-locking element 20, the locking lever 19 is in a downward-pointing position towards the base of the carrier unit, thereby unlocking the locking lever 19 with the counter-locking element 20. This allows the carrier unit 5 to be moved stably and precisely out of the rotor chamber 2 onto the balcony 8 by further moving the sliding rod 6 through the rotor chamber 2. For this purpose, the opening in the housing wall 16 is opened.

[0104] Once the carrier unit 5 is on the balcony 8, the reaction vessel unit inside can be removed and, if necessary, replaced with a new one. Alternatively, the reaction vessels can be refilled followed by another centrifugation step.

[0105] If required, the reaction vessel unit can be filled either during the centrifuge loading process or during the centrifuge unloading process using a pipetting device. The pipetting device can, for example, be mounted on the outside of the housing wall 16 of the centrifuge 1. The pipetting device has at least one or more nozzles arranged parallel to each other in a row, with their nozzle openings pointing downwards. The nozzles are small tubes that may be slightly inclined relative to the vertical. This introduces a liquid jet into the reaction vessels at an angle relative to the vertical. An optical detection device, as described previously, for two- or three-dimensional scanning of the reaction vessel unit can also be provided adjacent to the nozzles of the pipetting device.

[0106] The carrier unit 5, which comprises the reaction vessel unit, is moved beneath the pipetting device, allowing the reaction vessels within the reaction vessel unit to be filled with a liquid. For pipetting, the movement of the carrier unit 5 or the reaction vessel unit is preferably stopped. A reaction vessel unit, such as a microtiter plate with reaction vessels arranged in a two-dimensional grid, is therefore pipetted stepwise and partially.

[0107] The process of loading and unloading the centrifuge or filling and emptying the reaction vessels can be repeated fully automatically several times.

[0108] The sliding rod 6 preferably has a smooth surface.

[0109] In one embodiment, the sliding rod 6 is hollow and open at the end opposite the coupling element, i.e., at the end pointing away from the rotor chamber. A threaded rod 9 can move coaxially into this opening by a rotational movement of the threaded rod 21 into the sliding rod 6. This is made possible by the threaded rod 9 engaging with a thread connected to the sliding rod 6, so that a rotational movement of the threaded rod 9 results in a translational movement of the sliding rod 6. Figures 10 to 12 ).

[0110] The sliding rod 6 extends through an opening in a partition wall 7 between the drive unit 3 in the rotor chamber 2 ( Figures 10 to 12In the area of ​​the opening of the partition 7, a sealing element 12 is arranged, which seals the sliding rod 6 against the partition 7. The sealing element 12 can be a packing seal. Preferably, the sealing element 12 lies very close to the sliding rod 6 in order to achieve the highest possible seal. The high frictional forces that arise from the close contact of the sealing element 12 with the sliding rod 6 during movement of the sliding rod 6 can be overcome by the described linear drive using a threaded rod 9.

[0111] Alternatively, the coupling element 10 can have a rotatable hook 23 or a pin 26 ( Figures 13 to 15 ) or, as a further alternative, have magnetic coupling.

[0112] If the coupling element 10 includes a rotatable hook 23 for coupling a reaction vessel unit or a support unit 5 for a reaction unit, the hook is guided through a hook receiving opening 24, which is located in a hook receiving section 25. The hook receiving section 25 forms part of the reaction vessel unit or the support unit 5. The hook 23 is located at the front end of the sliding rod 6, which is why it can be guided precisely through the designated hook receiving opening 24 by the sliding movement of the sliding rod 6 in the linear direction described above.

[0113] The hook receiving opening 24 is designed such that when the hook 23 rotates, it engages with the hook receiving section 25 in such a way that the sliding rod is coupled to the reaction vessel unit or the support unit 5. This allows, as an alternative to the method described above, the reaction vessel unit or the support unit 5 to be precisely positioned by means of the sliding rod 6 via the coupling by means of the hook 23 along the linear displacement axis of the sliding rod 6.

[0114] In order for the hook 23 to engage behind the hook receptacle 25, the hook 23 must first be inserted into the hook receptacle opening 24. Engagement then occurs by rotating the hook approximately 90 to 270° to change its position so that it can no longer be pulled out of the hook receptacle opening 24.

[0115] Decoupling can be achieved by turning the hook 23 back to its original position as when the hook was inserted into the hook receiving opening 24, thus making it possible to pull it out of the hook receiving opening 24.

[0116] Another embodiment can be a coupling element 10 having a pin 26. Such an embodiment is similar to the embodiment described above with a locking element 17 and a counter-locking element 18. The difference is that instead of the locking element 17 and the counter-locking element 18, a pin 26 or a pin receiving element 27 is used to couple the sliding rod 6 to the support unit 5. Here, the pin 26 slides into an elastically mounted opening of the pin receiving element 27. Due to its elasticity, the opening is enlarged by the insertion of the pin 26 until the pin has been completely pushed through and engages with the pin receiving element in its final position. During this coupling process, the locking process also takes place as described above with the locking bracket 19 and the counter-locking element 20.The axis of rotation of the rotor 4 is preferably horizontal and thus parallel to the horizontal direction of movement of the sliding rod 6.

[0117] The subject matter of the present invention is particularly suitable for centrifuging reaction vessel units, and especially for centrifuging reaction vessel units in which the openings of the reaction vessels are oriented away from the axis of rotation. This means that the washing and emptying of reaction vessels can be advantageously carried out using the centrifuge described herein. In combination with automated filling by means of a pipetting device, the present invention thus allows experimental steps involving the filling and emptying of reaction vessels to be carried out repeatedly and fully automatically in succession. The precise positioning of the reaction vessel units, or...The carrier unit for a reaction vessel unit enables precise filling of the individual reaction vessels, and centrifugation, with the openings of the reaction vessels oriented away from the axis of rotation, ensures thorough, contact-free emptying of the reaction vessels. Overall, the filling and emptying process of a reaction vessel unit can thus be carried out more precisely and fully automatically. The subject matter of the invention described herein is particularly advantageous for reaction vessel units such as microtiter plates, which have up to 1536 individual reaction vessels.

[0118] In particular, the present invention is suitable for integration into a fully automated experimental procedure.

[0119] The centrifuge described herein is also suitable for experiments using magnetic beads that need to be washed during the experiment. It is known that the magnetic beads can sometimes be held in the reaction vessel manually using a magnet while the vessel is shaken, for example, to remove the washing solution. With the centrifuge described herein, such a washing step can be carried out fully automatically. By applying magnetic interactions during the centrifugation step, the magnetic beads can be prevented from leaving the reaction vessel. If the openings of the reaction vessels are oriented away from the axis of rotation during centrifugation, the liquid contained in the reaction vessel can be removed while the magnetic beads remain inside.This allows for contactless and thorough washing without the risk of losing the magnetic beads.

[0120] The rotor chamber of the centrifuge is enclosed in a housing (not shown). The housing can be equipped with a spray device for spraying a decontamination agent into the rotor chamber. The spray device has one or more spray nozzles that preferably distribute the decontamination agent in fine droplets within the rotor chamber. Such a decontamination agent can be an alkali, a strong oxidizing agent, or an alcohol-based agent. By providing such a spray device, the rotor chamber can be decontaminated or sterilized at any desired time. When spraying the decontamination agent, the rotor is preferably rotated slowly to ensure that the agent is evenly distributed within the rotor chamber. The rotor housing is, for example, formed from two halves. The spray nozzles are then preferably located at the seam between the two halves.

[0121] The rotor housing can be equipped with a window, allowing a view into the rotor chamber from the outside. This enables the detection of, for example, foam formation or other effects within the rotor chamber. This is particularly useful when testing new processes in the centrifuge.

[0122] The centrifuge preferably has a control unit that actuates the linear drive for moving the transfer rod. This control unit preferably contains a control signal that describes the position of the transfer rod and thus also the position of a reaction vessel unit coupled to the transfer rod. This position signal preferably has an accuracy of at least 0.2 mm and, in particular, at least 0.1 mm. The positioning of the transfer rod can be repeated any number of times with the desired accuracy, where "any number of times" means at least 1,000 movements of the transfer rod and preferably at least 10,000 movements of the transfer rod.

[0123] By using a linear drive that can precisely position the transfer rod, it is unnecessary to install sensors in the rotor chamber or on the balcony to detect the location of the reaction vessel unit, its support unit, or the transfer rod. These sensors are therefore unnecessary. This simplifies the centrifuge's design in the section where the reaction vessel unit is moved. Consequently, such a centrifuge can be easily connected to other laboratory equipment that loads or unloads the centrifuge, such as a robotic arm. Reference symbol list: 1 centrifuge 2 Rotor chamber 18 Counter-locking element 3 drive unit 19 locking bar 4 rotor 20 Counterlocking element / stop element 5 Carrier unit 6 Sliding rod 21 Rastnose 7 partition 22 leaf spring 8 balcony 23 Hook 9 threaded rod 24 Hook mounting opening 10 coupling element 25 Hook attachment section 11 Linear actuator 26 Cones 12 Sealing element 27 pin mounting element 13 Detection device 28 Guide rail 14 laser beam 29 retaining element 15 base frame 30 Sleds 16 housing wall 31 Mother 17 Latching element 32 Iron 33 drive pinion 34 Motor 35 belt 36 Mirror

Claims

1. A centrifuge (1) comprising a rotor (4) and a rotor compartment (2) in which the rotor (4) is arranged and rotatably supported, wherein the rotor (4) comprises a receiving area for receiving a reaction vessel unit, characterized in that the centrifuge (1) is provided with a loading and unloading device, which comprises a rigid slide bar (6) for positioning a reaction vessel unit in the rotor (4) or for removing a reaction vessel unit from the rotor (4), wherein the slide bar (6) is arranged to be horizontally movable such that it can be moved between an unloading position in which it extends in the rotor compartment (2) through the rotor (4), and a loading position in which it is pulled out at least from that area of the rotor compartment (2) which is occupied by the rotor (4) during a revolution, a linear drive (11) for moving the slide bar (6) between the unloading position and the loading position, and wherein the centrifuge comprises a detection device (13) for determining the position of the slide bar (6) in the direction of movement as well as a pipetting unit having at least one nozzle, so that a reaction vessel unit can be arranged underneath the pipetting unit in order to fill a reaction vessel.

2. The centrifuge (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that a coupling element (2) is arranged at a free end of the slide bar (6) located in the rotor compartment (10), wherein the coupling element (10) is formed for connecting the slide bar (6) to a reaction vessel unit or to a support unit (5) for a reaction vessel unit in a reconnectable manner.

3. The centrifuge (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the coupling element (10) comprises a latching element (17) which can engage in a counter latching element (18) provided on the reaction vessel unit or on the support unit (5), wherein at least the latching element (17) or the counter latching element (18) is elastically supported.

4. The centrifuge (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the counter latching element (18) of the reaction vessel unit or of the support unit (5) is elastically supported and coupled with a locking bracket (19), so that the locking bracket (19) is pivotable between two positions, wherein an unlocking position is adopted if the latching element (17) and the counter latching element (18) are latched with each other, and a locking position is adopted if the latching element (17) and the counter latching element (18) are separated from each other, wherein the locking bracket (19) comprises a locking element which is able to engage in a corresponding counter locking element (20) in a locking position.

5. The centrifuge (1) according to any of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the slide bar (6) has a smooth surface.

6. The centrifuge (1) according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the slide bar (6) is hollow and formed so as to be open at the rear end facing away from the rotor compartment (2), and a threaded rod (9) is provided so as to be coaxial with the slide bar (6), and the threaded rod (9) is in meshing engagement with a thread connected to the slide bar (6) so that a translatory movement of the slide bar (6) is performed by a rotary movement of the threaded rod (9), wherein the threaded rod (9) can slide into the slide bar (6) at the rear end.

7. The centrifuge (1) according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the rotor compartment (2) is enclosed by a housing and the slide bar (6) is guided through an opening in a housing wall (16), wherein a sealing element (12), which seals the slide bar (6) with respect to the housing wall, is provided in the area of the opening.

8. The centrifuge (1) according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the centrifuge (1) is formed with a horizontal axis of rotation around which the rotor rotates in operation of the centrifuge.

9. The centrifuge (1) according to any of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the pipetting unit comprises a plurality of pipetting nozzles.

10. The centrifuge (1) according to any of claims 1 to 9, characterized by an optical detection unit, wherein the optical detection unit is preferably designed and arranged such that it is able to scan the reaction vessel unit adjacent to the rotor compartment (2) in the movement range thereof.

11. The centrifuge (1) according to claim 10, characterized in that the detection unit comprises a line scan camera for scanning the reaction vessel unit line by line, wherein a scan line is oriented so as to be approximately perpendicular to the direction of movement of the reaction vessel unit.

12. The centrifuge (1) according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the detection unit comprises a color camera for spectrally scanning a reaction vessel unit.

13. The centrifuge (1) according to any of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the optical detection unit is designed for making a 3D scan of a reaction vessel unit.

14. The centrifuge (1) according to any of claims 10 to 13, characterized in that the centrifuge (1) comprises an evaluation device by means of which signals obtained with the optical detection device are automatically evaluated according to the following parameters: - color of the content of at least one reaction vessel of the reaction vessel unit, - filling level of at least one reaction vessel of the reaction vessel unit, - position of the reaction vessel unit, - type of the reaction vessel unit.

15. The centrifuge (1) according to any of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the linear drive (11) converts a rotational movement into a linear movement by an interlocking or meshing engagement.

16. The centrifuge (1) according to any of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the centrifuge (1) comprises a housing which encloses the rotor compartment (2), wherein a spraying device for spraying a decontamination solution into the interior is provided on the housing.

17. The centrifuge (1) according to any of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the centrifuge (1) comprises a housing which encloses the rotor compartment (2), wherein the housing is provided with a window.

18. The centrifuge (1) according to any of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the centrifuge (1) comprises a control device which controls the linear drive (11), wherein a control signal describing the position of the slide bar (6) is present in the control device, and the control device comprises an interface via which the position of the slide bar (6) can be transmitted to a further apparatus, such as a robot, or to a further component of the centrifuge (1), such as a pipetting unit, so that the further apparatus or the further component can obtain the position of the slide bar (6) and thus the position of a reaction vessel unit.

19. The centrifuge (1) according to claim 18, characterized in that the control signal describes the position of the slide bar (6) with a precision of at least 0.2 mm and preferably of at least 0.1 mm.