A receptacle for minimizing evaporation of a fluid includes a single-piece body, a fluid-tight seal, a penetrable septum, and a lid. The body includes a chamber having an opening. The fluid-tight seal is affixed to a surface of the body that defines the first opening. The fluid-tight seal covers the opening and is frangible. The septum covers the opening and the fluid-tight seal. The septum includes at least one slit forming slats. The lid has an opening axially aligned with the opening and is coupled to the body such that at least a portion of the septum is disposed between the lid and the fluid-tight seal.

The present invention relates to a device for collecting body fluids including (a) a fluid receiving part including a fluid receiving space in which an internal low pressure less than an external atmospheric pressure is formed; (b) a fluid collection part including a hollow microstructure connected to form an open system with the fluid receiving space of the fluid receiving part; and (c) a microstructure hollow barrier for blocking the hollow of the microstructure to maintain the internal low pressure formed in the fluid receiving means.

A sample-taking unit having a sampling unit and a hold-down device which is movable relative thereto in a parallel manner, said sample-taking unit including a self-holding mechanism which, as a result of a self-locking effect, automatically fixes the hold-down device in a lowered fixing position against an upward movement until the self-locking effect is removed again as a result of the self-holding mechanism being acted upon with a detaching force, preferably as a result of contact between the sampling unit and a clamping element of the self-holding mechanism.

Described herein are systems and methods used for washing needle assemblies with multiple needles.

A sample carrier for assaying can include a plurality of pins having a surface that is capable of picking up at least one substance on the surface. The pins can be arranged such that one or more of the plurality of pins are introduced into a corresponding reaction vessel of a microplate. The sample carrier can be divided into a plurality of modules, with each of the plurality of modules comprising one or more pins of the plurality of pins. Methods of use include placing the sample carrier onto a microplate so that at least the one or more of the plurality of pins extend into the corresponding reaction vessel of the microplate.

The present invention relates to the automation of incubation, processing, harvesting and analysis of samples in a multi-cell plate. In particular, a multi-cell plate including a body with a plurality of cells is presented. Furthermore, an automated crystal harvesting and processing system with a cutting unit, a fluid unit and a removing device is presented. The multi-cell plate further includes a sealing film for sealing the cells on a first side of the body and a sample film for sealing the cells on a second side of the body. The sample film is adapted for accommodating a biological material for crystallization. Furthermore, the sample film is of a thickness and composition that makes it compatible with x-rays and also with laser ablation. The design of the multi-cell plate and the automated crystal harvesting and processing system allows for several steps of incubation, processing, harvesting and analysis of the samples to be automated.

A tube segment sampler system (10) for withdrawing a fluid sample from a tube segment (100), the sampler (10) having a first tube piercing member (28) for piercing the tube segment at a first location and a second tube piercing member (28) for piercing the tube segment at a second location so as to allow air to be drawn into the tube segment (100) through one of the openings made by one of the piercing members (28) whilst fluid is withdrawn through the other of the openings.

An autosampler for sampling liquids is disclosed. The autosampler may comprise a holder for holding at least one vial, a syringe for withdrawing a liquid sample from the at least one vial, an actuator for actuating the syringe, a housing for accommodating the syringe and the actuator, and a magnifying lens attached to the housing to facilitate visual inspection of the syringe during use. The magnifying lens may be accommodated in a door of the housing, behind or integrated in a transparent section of the door. The autosampler may be used in conjunction with a chromatograph, such as a gas chromatograph, a liquid chromatograph, or an ion chromatograph.

A clinical diagnostic sample analyzer for analyzing a sample of a patient is disclosed. The analyzer includes a telescoping closed-tube sampling assembly with a sample probe concentrically housed within a piercing probe and a venting mechanism. The closed-tube sampling assembly is used for aspirating a sample from a sample tube for analysis by a clinical diagnostic sample analyzer.

The invention relates to an arrangement (10) for preparing a plurality of samples for an analytical method, comprising a carousel (14) with a solid housing (12) and moveable receiving parts (16) for the sample containers (18); a control for controlling the receiving parts (16) in the carousel (14); and a sample receiving device (24) for providing the sample to be analysed; one or more stations (24, 26, 28, 30, 32) for preparing samples are provided on the carousel (14), the receiving parts (16) for the sample containers (18) of the carousel (14) can be positioned on said stations; a centrifuge (22) with pairs of opposite lying receiving parts (42) provided for the sample containers (18), and said receiving parts (42) are arranged such that they can move on the centrifuge (22) and the movements can be controlled in such a manner that the sample holder (18) can be transferred between a receiving part (16) in the carousel (14) and a receiving part (42) in the centrifuge (22).