Reagent Cabinet System

A reagent cabinet for an automated processing apparatus, the reagent cabinet comprising:

• a housing having a front opening;
• a drawer slidably mounted in the housing and movable in a sliding direction between a first position in which the drawer is contained within the housing, and a second position in which at least a portion of the drawer extends outside the front opening of the housing, the drawer being configured to hold one or more fluid reservoirs in a first vertical height, and to hold one or more fluid supply containers in a second vertical height, the second vertical height being higher than the first vertical height;
• and
• one or more supply connection hoses each being configured to connect a respective fluid supply container to a respective fluid reservoir;
• wherein the one or more fluid supply containers are selectively removable from the drawer independently of the one or more fluid reservoirs to thereby permit replacement of the one or more fluid supply containers without removing the one or more fluid reservoirs.

A method for refilling a reagent cabinet, the method comprising:

• opening one or more doors closing a reagent cabinet housing in which a drawer initially is contained;
• sliding the drawer at least partially out of the reagent cabinet housing;
• connecting at least one fluid supply container to a respective supply connection hose connected to a respective fluid reservoir located on a lower deck of the drawer;
• mounting the fluid supply container to an upper deck of the drawer;
• sliding the drawer into the reagent cabinet housing;
• and
• closing the one or more doors.