An automated laboratory system includes a vertical shelving system including a frame and at least one shelf movably mounted to the frame such that the at least one shelf is movable relative to the frame between a docked position and an undocked position, the at least one shelf being configured to carry at least one instrument. The system also includes a robotic device proximate the vertical shelving system and being configured to access the at least one instrument carried by the at least one shelf.

Pipette tip couplers, pipette tips, coupler and tip combinations, and methods for coupling and decoupling a pipette tip to or from, respectively, a pipette tip coupler mounted on a pipette device. The pipette tip couplers include an elastomeric element, an annular crown shaped raceway, and a coupler stop shoulder surface. The pipette tips include a groove in a first cylindrical section, a second cylindrical section, a tip stop shoulder surface at the interface of the first and second cylindrical sections, a third cylindrical section, a sealing seat surface at the interface of the second and third cylindrical sections, and a fourth section adjacent to the third cylindrical section. When the pipette tip is mounted on the pipette tip coupler, the annular crown shaped raceway abuts the tip groove, the coupler stop shoulder surface abuts the tip stop shoulder surface, and the elastomeric element abuts the sealing seat surface.

Pipette tip couplers, pipette tips, coupler and tip combinations, and methods for coupling and decoupling a pipette tip to or from, respectively, a pipette tip coupler mounted on a pipette device. The pipette tip couplers include an elastomeric element, a discrete segment assembly, and a coupler stop shoulder surface. The pipette tips include a groove in a first cylindrical section, a second cylindrical section, a tip stop shoulder surface at the interface of the first and second cylindrical sections, a third cylindrical section, a sealing seat surface at the interface of the second and third cylindrical sections, and a fourth section adjacent to the third cylindrical section. When the pipette tip is mounted on the pipette tip coupler, the discrete segment assembly abuts the tip groove, the coupler stop shoulder surface abuts the tip stop shoulder surface, and the elastomeric element abuts the sealing seat surface.

A microfluidic device includes a first substrate comprising a surface, a flow channel disposed in the first substrate such that a sidewall of the flow channel extends between a floor of the flow channel and the surface, a film disposed on the floor of the flow channel, an array of wells disposed in the film, and a second substrate bonded to the surface of the first substrate, whereby the second substrate at least partially covers the flow channel.

Pipette tip couplers, pipette tips, coupler and tip combinations, and methods for coupling and decoupling a pipette tip to or from, respectively, a pipette tip coupler mounted on a pipette device. The pipette tip couplers include an elastomeric element, a discrete segment assembly, and a coupler stop shoulder surface. The pipette tips include a groove in a first cylindrical section, a second cylindrical section, a tip stop shoulder surface at the interface of the first and second cylindrical sections, a third cylindrical section, a sealing seat surface at the interface of the second and third cylindrical sections, and a fourth section adjacent to the third cylindrical section. When the pipette tip is mounted on the pipette tip coupler, the discrete segment assembly abuts the tip groove, the coupler stop shoulder surface abuts the tip stop shoulder surface, and the elastomeric element abuts the sealing seat surface.

An adapter for connecting an array of pipette tips having through bores with conical upper ends to a multichannel air displacement pipettor having a plurality of ports with compliant internal sealing surfaces. The adapter comprises a planar base with an array of openings extending between its top and bottom surfaces. Sealing tubes project upwardly from the top surface, and tip mounting tubes project downwardly from the bottom surface, with pairs of sealing tubes and tip mounting tubes being arranged coaxially and in communication with respective ones of the openings in the base. The tip mounting tubes are externally dimensioned and configured for insertion into the conical upper ends of the pipette tips, and the sealing tubes are externally configured and dimensioned for insertion into the ports of the pipettor and into sealing interengagement with their compliant internal sealing surfaces.

Sample carrier includes a thermal-control block having an active surface and an outer surface that face in opposite directions. The active surface has a series of mounting areas that are distributed along a length of the thermal-control block. The sample carrier also includes chamber cells that are configured to be disposed over respective mounting areas of the series of mounting areas. The sample carrier also includes a removable cover body that is configured to be coupled to the thermal-control block with the chamber cells therebetween. The thermal-control block and the chamber cells are shaped to form corresponding reaction chambers therebetween. The cover body and the thermal-control block are in fixed positions with respect to each other to form a unitary structure. The reaction chambers have corresponding inlets that open in a common direction to an exterior of the sample carrier.

A device for locking a volume adjustment screw for a pipetting system, comprising a control member which rotates as one with a position selector, the member cooperating with a locking wheel such that: when the selector is in the free adjustment position, the member ensures that the wheel is axially spaced from another wheel, such that the teeth of the wheels do not cooperate with each other; when the selector is in the fine adjustment position, the member allows the wheel to move away from and then to move axially towards the other wheel while transitioning from one tooth to another; when the selector is in the locking position, the member axially locks the wheel to prevent the teeth from being disengaged.

A rack for automated analyser systems and provides a rack for automated analyser systems, the rack comprising a main body having an extended front side and a corresponding extended reverse side as well as at least two side walls defining at least one opening that is accessible from the main body's upper side for taking up a container for a sample that is to be processed; an upper insert that is arranged onto an upper end of the main body, wherein the upper insert has openings with a predefined diameter defining the upper surface of the rack.

An interface is provided for storing microfluidic samples in a nanoliter sample chip. A fluid access structure provides a fluid access region to a selected subset of sample wells from an array of sample wells. A fluid introduction mechanism introduces a sample fluid to the fluid access region so that the sample wells in the selected subset are populated with the sample fluid without the unselected sample wells being populated with the sample fluid.