Conveying device

Conveying device (10) for positioning and providing laboratory vessels (12;

• 12a;
• 12b;
• 12c) for nutrient media, samples, microorganisms, cell cultures, or the like for analysis, sample preparation, and/or sample manipulation on an associated apparatus (64), comprising:
• a first conveying unit (32) for conveying said laboratory vessels (12) backward and forward between an initial region (30) and a provision region;
• said first conveying unit (32) vertically conveys said laboratory vessel (12) from said initial region (30) to a predetermined height region (50) and vice versa;
• a second conveying unit (56) horizontally conveys said laboratory vessel (12) from said height region (50) to said provision region and vice versa;
• said conveying units (32, 56) each perform a translational movement of said laboratory vessel (12) along an axis (A);
• said laboratory vessel (12) is held in said provision region for analysis or preparation;
• a centering device (34, 40) centers said laboratory vessel (12) relative to said axis (A) of said first conveying unit (32), said first conveying unit (32) comprises a horizontally aligned support (34) for said laboratory vessel (12), and said axis (A) of said first conveying unit (32) extends orthogonally relative to a support surface of said horizontally aligned support (34);
• said centering device (34, 40) comprises a rotational drive (38) for said support (34) and a lateral ring guide (41) for the laboratory vessel (12) which tapers conically in one direction;
• said laboratory vessel and said support (34) are rotatable about said axis (A);
• and,
• said support (34) is moved in the direction of said conical taper and is guided by said lateral ring guide (41), and said laboratory vessel is thus centered on said lateral ring guide (41).