Apparatuses and methods for suspending and washing the contents of a plurality of cuvettes

A system for washing a plurality of cuvettes each containing a fluid sample and magnetic particles, comprising:

• a rotor configured to rotate the plurality of cuvettes about a vertical axis;
• a traveler mechanism located beneath the rotor, the traveler mechanism including:
• a guide rail provided in a vertical orientation with respect to the rotor,
• a sliding device configured to vertically translate along the guide rail, and
• a magnet holder connected to the sliding device, the magnet holder configured to retain a plurality of magnets that are spaced apart at a distance to enable a respective cuvette to pass between adjacent magnets,
• wherein the sliding device is configured to translate vertically toward the rotor to position the plurality of magnets so that each cuvette of the plurality of cuvettes is located adjacent to at least one magnet of the plurality of magnets;
• and
• a wash mechanism located above the rotor, the wash mechanism including:
• an arm configured to be movable vertically and horizontally with respect to the rotor,
• a plurality of tubes supported by the arm and connected to at least one fluid supply, and
• a base connected to an end of the arm, the base configured to retain a plurality of probes that are each fluidly connected to one of the plurality of tubes,
• wherein the wash mechanism is configured to use the plurality of tubes and the plurality of probes to wash the fluid sample within each of the plurality of cuvettes by at least one of injecting fluid into or aspirating fluid from the plurality of the cuvettes when the arm is horizontally aligned with the plurality of cuvettes and translated vertically to place at least a portion of the plurality of probes respectively into the plurality of cuvettes, while the plurality of magnets suspend the magnetic particles and the bound fluid sample located within each of the plurality of cuvettes.