The technology relates in part to a segmented pipette tip adapter that includes a plurality of plate segments and a junction between adjacent plate segments. Each of the plate segments often includes a proximal surface, a distal surface, edges, one or more nozzles disposed on the proximal surface, and one or more tubular projections disposed on the distal surface. Each of the nozzles often includes a nozzle bore, each of the tubular projections often includes a tubular projection bore, each of the plate segments often includes a plate bore disposed at each of the nozzles, and each nozzle bore often is aligned with a tubular projection bore and a plate bore. Each junction often is between adjacent edges of a pair of adjacent plate segments.

Aspects of the invention relate to liquid transfer systems including a pipette tip having a body defining an inner volume and having first and second ends, the first end arranged to transfer a volume of liquid into and out of the pipette tip and the second end arranged for attachment to a pipette, and a bladder sealingly attached to the body. In some embodiments, the bladder is disposable in the inner volume. The bladder may be defined by a membranous sac and/or a planar membrane. The bladder may be moveable in response to an applied pressure to transfer liquid. The bladder also may be stretchable to accommodate a volume of fluid. In some embodiments, the pipette tip is used in a cell culture incubator, with a manipulator including a pipette that is in fluid communication with the pipette tip.

The invention relates to a pipetting device having tube with an opening at one end for suctioning or discharging a sample fluid, and can be operatively connected to a pressure generation device at the other end. A first electrode is formed on the pipetting device that forms a measuring capacitor together with a second electrode formed by at least one part of the sample fluid and that can be received in the tube and the measuring capacitor is operatively connected to a measuring unit, and the measuring unit is designed to determine a volume of the suctioned or discharged sample fluid according to the capacity of the measuring capacitor. The invention also relates to a fluid processing system having a pipetting device of this type, as well as a method for determining a processed fluid volume during pipetting with a pipetting device of this type.

A metering head for a metering machine having a carrier having parallel attachments for picking up pipette tips, wherein each attachment has: a tube having a supporting protrusion at the bottom end, at least one sleeve which surrounds the tube and can be axially shifted on the tube, and at least one elastomer O-ring which surrounds the tube, a pressure plate above the sleeves having a plurality of first holes through which the tubes extend, wherein the pressure plate can be shifted along the tubes from a release position into a clamping position where the sleeves are pressed, at the bottom ends, against the adjacent O-rings, and the O-rings are expanded to clamp pipette tips; and a first shifting apparatus connected to the pressure plate moving the pressure plate between the release position and clamping position.

Various implementations of a pipette tip system are disclosed having a number of innovative features. In one implementation, a pipette tip tray includes a support plate and one or more sleeves extending downward from the bottom of the support plate. The sleeves can be configured to increase the stability of pipette tips stored in the tray. In another implementation, a pipette tip rack includes a rack base having one or more support walls extending underneath a pipette tip tray having downward extending sleeves. The thickness of the sidewalls of the sleeves can be reduced in the area of the support walls so that the support walls can reach the bottom of the support plate. In another implementation, a pipette tip rack includes a cover having a cushioning layer on the bottom of the cover that contacts the top of the pipette tips and stabilizes them during handling and transport.

An assembly for storing sample processing consumables can include a cover and a tray. The cover defines a cover cavity. The tray defines a first plurality of wells. The tray includes a first portion received within the cover cavity such that a press fit is formed between a first tray surface of the first portion of the tray and a first cover surface of the cover defining the cover cavity, thereby releasably coupling the cover to the tray. Each of the first plurality of wells contains a sample processing consumable. The assembly can be used to load sample processing consumables into a sample processing instrument.

According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a spacer plate for a rack for disposable pipette tips, the rack comprising: a tip plate comprising openings, the openings being adapted for holding a first set of disposable pipette tips; wherein the rack is stackable on another rack adapted for holding a second set of disposable pipette tips, to a nested and stacked configuration; wherein: the spacer plate is configured to be fixed under said tip plate; the spacer plate comprises a plurality of openings, the openings being adapted to receive narrow ends of the disposable pipette tips held by the tip plate; and in the nested and stacked configuration of the rack, the spacer plate is configured to delimit upward-directed movement of disposable pipette tips held by said another rack.

A system for processing biological material includes a first module and at least a second module, in which each of said first and second modules has at least the following identical characteristics: a size and a shape of a housing; a storage device being rotatably located within said housing; and a plurality of plate slots located in the storage device for receiving plates or containers carrying pipette tips, cell cultures or liquids. The first and second modules are selected from a process module, a storage module, an incubator, a freezer, a plastic-ware store, a refrigerator or a centrifuge.

Provided in part herein are pipette tip rack assemblies having one or more of the following features: (i) having a plurality of pipette tip receptacle plates, each plate having an array of pipette tips, stacked upon one another supported by a rack base; (ii) each plate having one or more projections from the proximal or distal surface and, optionally, orifices that oppose the projections of the next plate in the stack, and (iii) the rack base having a proximal surface with one or more orifices or projections that oppose the projections or orifices of the plate in the stack. Also provided are methods of dispensing pipette tips from pipette tip rack assemblies and manufacturing pipette tip rack assembly components.