Test tube capping and de-capping apparatus

A capping and de-capping system comprising:

• an array of capping and de-capping grippers coupled to a gripper attachment body and configured to cap and de-cap tubes in an array of tubes, each gripper configured to engage and retain a cap and having an axial throughgoing passage;
• an array of ejector pins coupled to a pin attachment body, each ejector pin extending through the throughgoing passage of one of the grippers and configured to translate through the throughgoing passage to contact the cap retained by the gripper to eject the cap from the gripper;
• an array of electromotors, each electromotor configured to induce a rotational movement to one of the grippers;
• and
• a pin translation drive mechanism configured to translate the pin attachment body and the gripper attachment body relative to each other to effectuate translation of the ejector pins through the throughgoing passages of the grippers to cause the ejector pins to contact the caps retained by the grippers to eject the caps from the grippers.