Automated sample handling instrumentation, systems, processes, and methods

1. A processing station for automatically processing a biological sample, comprising:

(a) a rotatable platform configured to rotate around a central axis;

(b) two or more container holders arranged in spatially distinct locations on the rotatable platform, wherein each of the container holders is configured to hold a container and wherein the rotatable platform is configured to mix a fluid sample contained within the container;

(c) a capping/decapping mechanism configured to decap and cap a container positioned in one of the two or more container holders;

(d) an automated pipettor comprising a pipette tip configured to selectively aspirate an amount of fluid into the pipette tip or dispense an amount of fluid from the pipette tip and to move the pipette tip with respect to the rotatable platform to enable the pipette tip to access a container carried on the rotatable platform; and

(e) mucoid strand detection means for detecting the presence of a mucoid strand suspended from the pipette tip,

wherein the rotatable platform, the capping/decapping mechanism, the automated pipettor, and the mucoid strand detection means are in operative communication with a controller programmed to:

(i) activate the rotatable platform to move a container positioned in one of the two or more container holders into a capping/decapping position,

(ii) activate the capping/decapping mechanism to remove a cap from the container,

(iv) activate the rotatable platform to move the container to a fluid transfer position,

(v) activate the automated pipettor to move the pipette tip into the fluid sample within the container, aspirate an amount of the fluid sample into the pipette tip, and withdraw the pipette tip from the fluid sample,

(vi) after the automated pipettor has aspirated the amount of the fluid sample from the container and withdrawn the pipette tip from the fluid sample within the container but before the automated pipettor moves the pipette tip away from the container, determine if there is a mucoid strand on the pipette tip with the mucoid strand detection means, and

(vii) if a mucoid strand is detected, activate the automated pipettor to dispense the aspirated fluid sample back into the container.

2. The processing station of claim 1 , further comprising a drip tray operatively located with respect to the capping/decapping mechanism and controlled by the controller and configured to be movable between a first position not under the capping/decapping mechanism and a second position under the capping/decapping mechanism.

3. The processing station of claim 1 , wherein the mucoid strand detection means comprises a machine vision system and a reverse capacitive liquid level detection system.

4. The processing station of claim 1 , wherein two or more container holders are positioned on the periphery of the rotatable platform.

5. The processing station of claim 1 , wherein each container holder is adapted to rotate around an individual secondary axis of rotation that is different than the secondary axis of each other container holder.

6. The processing station of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable platform is configured to orbitally mix the contents of each container.

7. The processing station of claim 6 , wherein the rotatable platform is configured to rotate circularly around the central axis together the two or more container holders circularly around their secondary axes in a direction opposite of the rotation of the rotatable platform.

8. The processing station of claim 1 , further comprising a data scanning mechanism configured to scan information on an outer surface of a container while the container is positioned in one of the two or more container holders.

9. The processing station of claim 1 , wherein the station comprises three container holders.

10. The processing station of claim 2 , wherein the drip tray is configured to translate in a radial plane relative to the central axis.

11. The processing station of claim 10 , wherein the motion of the drip tray, when translated comprises rotation about a tertiary axis that is different than the central axis of the rotatable platform.

12. The processing station of claim 11 , wherein the drip tray extends outwardly from the tertiary axis.

13. The processing station of claim 12 , wherein the extension is effected by way of an arm, post, plate, panel, or blade extending outwardly from the tertiary axis.

14. The processing station of claim 1 , wherein each of the container holders is configured to hold different containers, the different containers comprise two or more different containers, and at least one of the two or more different containers has a width, height, and/or diameter that differs from one other of the two or more different containers.

15. The processing station of claim 8 , wherein the data scanning mechanism comprises a barcode scanner.

16. The processing station of claim 15 , wherein the barcode scanner is utilized to determine the centerline and/or position of a barcode on a sample container or reaction vessel.

17. The processing station of claim 1 , further comprising an incubator adapted to heat at least a portion of the contents of the container.

18. The processing station of claim 1 , wherein elements (b)-(g) are comprised in a housing.

19. The processing station of claim 17 , wherein elements (b)-(g) and the incubator are comprised in a housing.

20. The processing station of claim 18 , further comprising a pick and place mechanism controlled by the controller and configured to move each of the two or more containers to different locations within the housing.

21. The processing station of claim 20 , further comprising an incubator situated within the housing controlled by the controller and configured to heat at least a portion of the contents of the container.

22. The processing station of claim 18 , further comprising a printer module in data communication with the data scanning mechanism, wherein the printer module is comprised in the housing.

23. The processing station of claim 22 , wherein the printer module is controlled by the controller and configured to print a bar code containing information about the container, the container's contents, or an assay to be performed utilizing the container's contents.

24. The processing station of claim 1 , further comprising a printer module controlled by the controller and configured to apply machine-readable indicia on a surface of a reaction vessel, the machine-readable indicia applied to the reaction vessel including indicia relating to information scanned on the container by the data scanning mechanism, and

wherein the automated pipettor is controlled by the controller and configured to move from the container at the fluid transfer position to the reaction vessel and dispense at least a portion of the aspirated sample material into the reaction vessel.

25. The processing station of claim 24 , wherein the information scanned on the container and the machine readable indicia applied to the reaction vessel comprise bar codes.

26. The processing station of claim 25 , wherein the bar code on the container and the bar code applied to the reaction vessel are at least partially identical.

27. The processing station of claim 24 , wherein the printer is a thermal printer configured to print indicia onto a label on the reaction vessel comprising thermally sensitive print media.

28. The processing station of claim 24 , wherein the information scanned on the container by the data scanning mechanism comprises sample-identifying information, and wherein the machine-readable indicia applied onto the surface of the reaction vessel by the printer module is at least partially identical to the information scanned on the container by the data scanning mechanism.

29. The processing station of claim 28 , wherein the machine-readable indicia applied on the surface of the reaction vessel includes additional machine-readable indicia that is different from the information scanned on the container by the data scanning mechanism, wherein information relating to one or more of time, volume, type, reagents, and errors is encoded in the additional machine-readable indicia.

30. The processing station of claim 3 , wherein the mucoid strand detection means consists of the machine vision system.

31. The processing station of claim 3 , wherein the mucoid strand detection means consists of the reverse capacitive liquid level detection system.

32. The processing station of claim 8 , wherein the information scanned by the data scanning mechanism comprises information about the container or its contents that is transmitted from the data scanning mechanism to a user interface, a laboratory information system, and/or a PC controller using a power line.