A pipetting unit (2) with capacitive liquid detection comprises: a pressure tube (10); a shield (12) disposed around the pressure tube (10); a coupling (14) for temporarily attaching a pipetting tip (4) to the pipetting unit (2), wherein when the pipetting tip (4) is connected, an electrical connection is established between the pressure tube (10) and the pipetting tip (4); and an electric circuit (20) coupled to the pressure tube (10) and the shield (12), wherein the electric circuit (20) is configured to apply a time-variable electrical signal to the pressure tube (10), said time-variable electrical signal permitting a capacitive detection of a contact between the pipetting tip (4) and a pipetting liquid (112) when the pipetting tip (4) is connected, and wherein the electric circuit (20) is configured to connect the shield (12) to ground.

Nanoliter pipette assembly. The assembly includes a housing containing a working fluid in a working fluid chamber therein and includes a moveable piston within the housing, the piston moveable by a linear actuation mechanism for contact with the working fluid. A tip portion is provided that includes a diaphragm deformable to engage an inner portion of the tip. It is preferred that the diaphragm have a projecting three-dimensional structure for direct contact with a liquid.

There is provided a bellows type dispensing tip, a bellows type dispensing apparatus, and a method of bellows type dispensing processing that performs highly precise dispensing processing despite having a simple structure. The apparatus comprises; two or more bellows type dispensing tips having; an accommodating section that is capable of accommodating a liquid or gas in the interior thereof surrounded by a wall face, and that has a deformable deforming wall face in a portion of the wall face, and an opening section communicated with the accommodating section, through which the liquid to be suctioned/discharged can flow in and flow out due to expansion and contraction of the interior caused by deformation of the deforming wall face; and a dispensing head that supports the bellows type dispensing tips, and that performs suction/discharge of the liquid into or from the bellows type dispensing tip, by deforming the deforming wall face.

In relation to an automated nucleic acid processor and an automated nucleic acid processing method using a multi function dispensing unit, processing involving extraction and amplification of the nucleic acid, can be consistently, quickly and efficiently conducted at a low cost with the use of a multi function dispensing unit, while saving user's trouble without expanding the scale of the device. The multi function dispensing unit includes: a nozzle head provided with a suction-discharge mechanism and nozzles detachably provided with dispensing tips; a container group having, at the very least housing parts for liquids and reaction containers for housing an amplification solution; a transfer mechanism that makes an interval between the nozzles and the container group relatively movable; a temperature controller whereby temperature control of the interior of the reaction vessels is possible; sealing liquids and/or sealing lids that are transportable to the reaction vessels using the nozzles, and which make the amplification solutions housed in the reaction vessels sealable within the reaction vessels; and a sealing control part that controls the suction-discharge mechanism or the transfer mechanism, such that the sealing liquid and/or the sealing lids seal the amplification solution within the reaction vessels when the housing of the amplification solution in the reaction vessels is completed.

This invention relates to methods, systems, and computer program products for verifying dispensing of a fluid from a pipette.

The present invention relates to a means for improving fluid exchange across a microplate, comprising a microplate which comprises one or more internal modifications which aid the introduction and removal of fluids from the wells of the plate and minimize the damage caused to biological matter located therein upon introduction or removal of a pipette tip and/or fluids, and/or a means for inclining the microplate at an angle from the horizontal and retaining the microplate in the inclined position, to facilitate fluid introduction and aspiration from the wells of the microplate.

An apparatus includes a pipette dispenser to control dispensing of a volume to a dispensing location. A tip is operatively coupled to the pipette dispenser. The tip includes an electromechanical print head to dispense the volume from the pipette dispenser to the dispensing location based on a command from the pipette dispenser that indicates an amount of the volume to be dispensed from the print head.

A disposable filter tip collar provides an improved system for using filters in conjunction with disposable pipette tips. The filters are installed into the tip-holding collar rather than inside each tip as in current use. The separation of the filters from the tips in this manner offers significant advantages for ease of use, cost, and pipetting performance. Because the filters are separate from the tips, the available liquid pipetting volume within the tips is not diminished as it is using the current system, which allows for more consistent pipetting and method development between filter and non-filter tips. Since the filters are not limited in size by the internal diameter of the pipette tips, larger diameter filters can be used which are more efficient and allow better pipetting performance.

An apparatus for assembling together a plurality of pipette tips into a single line or a rectangular array using a tip collar that will provide structural rigidity to the plurality of pipette tips. The tips are manufactured with vertical ribs and the tip collar is manufactured to achieve a friction fit with the vertical ribs of the tips, thereby producing a tip and collar assembly that is easier to manufacture, lower in cost, and more convenient for the operator.

An apparatus for assembling together a plurality of pipette tips into a single line using a tip collar that will provide structural rigidity to the plurality of pipette tips and the method of incorporating such an apparatus. Such rigidity created by the tip collar apparatus will allow for an innovative method of connecting a single line of pipette tips to their respective pipettors that will reduce the amount of downward axial force required to impinge the plurality of pipette tips using the traditional connection method. The tips will be maintained in a consistent and straight pattern as required for pipetting, and not susceptible to breakage. The tips can also be customized by the user into any pattern of tips in a single line as needed for specialized applications.