A pipette comprises a pipette housing, a neck configured to clamp on a pipette tip, and a drive apparatus. The drive apparatus comprises a drive element configured to displace a displacement element to draw a liquid sample into the pipette tip and to eject the liquid sample from the pipette tip. A scanning apparatus comprises a scanning element positioned proximate the neck and configured to be displaced relative to the pipette housing by a collar of the pipette tip when clamping the pipette tip onto the neck. A mechanical display apparatus is coupled to the scanning apparatus and comprises a display. When the pipette tip is clamped to the neck the scanning apparatus is configured to adjust the display depending on a height of the collar of the pipette tip relative to the neck, and the neck is configured to accommodate different collar heights.

The present disclosure provides better aspiration and dispensing of liquids by an innovative mechanism by (i) offsetting the diameter of a bottom tube with a narrower and tapered top piston when the two are moved together in the same chamber to give extremely fine resolution, thereby eliminating the need for any skinny or filamentous piston, (ii) using thick walled compliant O-rings to seal against the different diameters of the tapered piston to given an additional order of magnitude range of resolution, (iii) letting the bottom tube move in the chamber alone without offset to give high Row, and (iv) an at-the-ready space between the tube and piston in the chamber to permit contact-free blowoff, including viscous samples.

A system, mixing-enhanced microfluidic container, and methods for small volume sample collection and/or analysis is disclosed. Namely, the invention is directed to a small volume sample collection system that includes a mixing-enhanced microfluidic container and a durable reusable actuation chuck. The mixing-enhanced microfluidic container is used to collect small volumes of sample fluid and includes a means for mixing the sample fluid with reagents disposed within the microfluidic container. The mixing means utilize an array of surface-attached structures (e.g., a micropost array). The application of an “actuation force,” such as a magnetic or electric field, actuates the surface-attached structures into movement, wherein the actuation chuck in close proximity to the mixing-enhanced microfluidic container provides the “actuation force.”

An exemplary blood sampling device can be provided that can collect a small amount of blood and prevent blood leakage. The exemplary blood sampling device can comprise a pipette tip-shaped blood sampler having an internal space for aspirating and holding blood by the capillary action and having openings at the top and bottom, a cylindrical container capable of accommodating the blood sampler and a cap piston-shaped sealing cap for sealing the container, wherein a receiving part is provided at the bottom of the container and a locking part and a screw part are provided on the upper outer side of the container, and a mandrel extending from the inner upper surface of the sealing cap is provided and a projection and a screw part are provided on the inner side surface of the sealing cap.

A pipetting device for processing a fluid sample includes a receiving element and a pipette tip detachably arranged on the receiving element, a displacement element flow-connected to the pipette tip for generating a flow for receiving or ejecting the fluid sample. The pipetting device includes an optically transparent extension detachably arranged on the pipette tip in such a way that the extension is flow-connected to the displacement element via the pipette tip, so that the fluid sample can be received into the extension or can be ejected from the extension by the flow that can be generated by the displacement element.

A micropump for exchanging liquid between a supply region and a working region is provided. An enclosed gas region is located above the working region. The micropump includes a capillary pipette having a closed pipette tip on a first end, an open pipette inlet disposed opposite the first end, and a pipette section enclosing the working region and disposed in a direction of the open pipette inlet from the closed pipette tip. The micropump further includes a liquid-permeable filter covering the open pipette inlet and connected to the supply region. The micropump additionally includes a capillary structure extending through the gas region between the closed pipette tip and the liquid-permeable filter.

A system for single-use immunochemical tests, comprising a support equipped, along a main direction, with a plurality of housings, including —at least one first housing for the sample to be analyzed, —at least one second housing for substances to be combined with the sample during the test, —at least one third housing for a well carrying a substance to be combined with the sample during the test, characterized in that the surface of said at least one third housing of said support is opaque to light and said well is made of a material at least partially transparent to light, and in that said at least one third housing is —equipped with a through-hole on the bottom, so that a beam of light can pass through said bottom of the third housing and through said well, in order to conduct a colorimetric absorbance test, or —equipped with a closed bottom in order to conduct a luminescence test in the well, —so that said system uses a single type of well at least partly transparent to light to conduct colorimetric absorbance and luminescence tests.

A microfluidic sample processing device, capable of automatically processing a microfluidic sample, comprises: a tray apparatus, for accommodating a reagent and a chip clamp for mounting a microfluidic chip; a mechanical arm, having a connecting head for connecting the chip clamp, a gas flow channel for communicating with an inner cavity of the chip clamp being arranged in the connecting head; a negative pressure suction apparatus, for providing negative pressure to the gas flow channel of the connecting head; a lifting apparatus, for driving the connecting head to rise and fall; and a translation apparatus, for driving the connecting head to move to above the chip clamp or above the reagent; wherein, the tray apparatus is positioned below the mechanical arm, and the mechanical arm is arranged on the translation apparatus and is connected to the lifting apparatus.

The invention relates to an arrangement for preparing a plurality of samples for an analytical method, comprising a carousel with a solid housing and moveable receiving parts for the sample containers; a control for controlling the receiving parts in the carousel; and a sample receiving device for providing the sample for the analytical method. Said arrangement is characterized in that one or more stations for preparing samples are provided on the carousel, the receiving parts for the sample containers of the carousel can be positioned on said stations. Said arrangement also comprises a centrifuge with pairs of opposite lying receiving parts provided for the sample containers, and said receiving parts are arranged such that they can move on the centrifuge for the sample holder such that a transfer of a sample holder between a receiving part in the carousel and a receiving part in the centrifuge can be carried out. The control takes place by the same control which is also provided for controlling the carousel.

The present invention provides systems, devices, and methods for point-of-care and/or distributed testing services. The methods and devices of the invention are directed toward automatic detection of analytes in a bodily fluid. The components of the device can be modified to allow for more flexible and robust use with the disclosed methods for a variety of medical, laboratory, and other applications. The systems, devices, and methods of the present invention can allow for effective use of samples by improved sample preparation and analysis.