Patent ID: 8030080
Filing Date: 2011-10-04
Classification: B01L,G01L,G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for manipulating items in a closed container, comprising: a container having an interior region configured to hold a plurality of items to be manipulated; a flexible barrier configured to sealably attach to the container, wherein the flexible barrier is sized and configured to enclose a workspace in the interior region of the container and has a center portion that merges into an outer perimeter portion, and wherein the center portion of the flexible barrier can move relative to the outer perimeter portion; and a tool integrated with or within the flexible barrier, the tool having a first interface and a second interface, wherein the first interface is configured to attach to a robotic device on a first side of the barrier outside of the interior region of the container and the second interface is disposed within the interior region of the container under the flexible barrier and is configured to manipulate the items in the interior region when the flexible barrier is sealably attached to the container, wherein the plurality of items comprise nucleic acid samples, wherein the tool is attached to a center portion of the flexible barrier, and wherein the flexible barrier is sealably attached to the container with sufficient flexibility so that the center portion of the flexible barrier is able to translate in three dimensions and change in shape while an outer perimeter portion of the flexible barrier remains sealably attached to the container to allow the robotic device to move the tool so that the second interface within the interior region of the container, travels between about 4-24 inches in a vertical direction and about a length and width of the container, and wherein the container further comprises a plurality of stations for processing the nucleic acid samples.