Reaction vessel exchanger device for a diagnostic analyzer

A diagnostic analyzer comprising:

• a first sample process path having an incubation track operable to move reaction vessels along the first sample process path;
• a second sample process path having a processing track disposed below the first sample process path and operable to move reaction vessels along the second sample process path;
• a reaction vessel exchanger device operable to transfer the reaction vessels from the first sample process path to the second sample process path;
• a pipetting device operable to pipette reagents or samples into the reaction vessels held by the incubation track;
• and
• at least one detection device operable to take readings of the samples contained in the reaction vessels;
• wherein the reaction vessel exchanger device comprises a rotation member operable to rotate the reaction vessels, as they are held by the incubation track, from a first orientation to a second orientation;
• the incubation track comprises a plurality of incubation track slots operable to hold the reaction vessels, and the processing track comprises a plurality of processing track slots operable to hold the reaction vessels, the plurality of processing track slots disposed directly below the plurality of incubation track slots in vertical alignment;
• and the incubation track slots and the reaction vessels are sized so that when the reaction vessels are disposed in the first orientation within the incubation track slots the reaction vessels will be held by the incubation track, and when the reaction vessels are disposed in the second orientation within the incubation track slots the reaction vessels will pass through the incubation track slots into the processing track slots.