Patent Publication Number: US-2023134019-A1

Title: Systems and related manifold assemblies

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/273,608, filed Oct. 29, 2021, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/344,872, filed May 23, 2022, the content of each of which is incorporated by reference herein in their entireties and for all purposes. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Sequencing platforms may include valves and pumps. The valves and pumps may be used to perform various fluidic operations. 
     SUMMARY 
     In accordance with a first implementation, an apparatus comprises or includes a reagent reservoir receptacle, a sample cartridge receptacle, a reagent sipper manifold assembly, an actuator, and a sample sipper manifold assembly. The reagent reservoir receptacle is to receive a reagent reservoir and the sample cartridge receptacle is to receive a sample cartridge. The reagent sipper manifold assembly comprises or has a first end and a second end and comprises or includes one or more reagent sippers. The actuator is coupled to the first end of the reagent sipper manifold assembly to move the reagent sipper manifold assembly relative to the reagent reservoir receptacle and the sample sipper manifold assembly comprises or has one or more sample sippers. Responsive to the actuator moving the reagent sipper manifold assembly toward the reagent reservoir receptacle, the second end of the reagent sipper manifold assembly engages the sample sipper manifold assembly and moves the one or more sample sippers toward the sample cartridge receptacle. 
     In accordance with a second implementation, an apparatus comprises or includes a cassette assembly of a sipper manifold assembly comprising or having a cassette housing, one or more sipper tubes, one or more sipper couplings, and one or more biasing elements. The one or more sipper tubes comprise or have a proximal end and a distal end. The one or more sipper couplings is movably coupled to the cassette housing the proximal end of the sipper tubes are coupled to the sipper couplings. The one or more biasing elements bias the one or more sipper couplings and allow relative movement between the sipper tubes and the cassette housing. 
     In accordance with a third implementation, an apparatus comprises or includes a sample cartridge comprising or having a housing, one or more sample tubes movably coupled to the housing, and a biasing element that biases the one or more sample tubes. 
     In accordance with a fourth implementation, a method comprises or includes moving a reagent sipper manifold assembly toward a reagent reservoir receptacle. The reagent sipper manifold assembly comprises or has a first end and a second end and comprises or includes one or more reagent sippers. The method also comprises or includes, responsive to moving the reagent sipper manifold assembly toward the reagent reservoir receptacle, engaging the second end of the reagent sipper manifold assembly and a sample sipper manifold assembly comprising or having a sample sipper and moving the sample sipper toward a sample cartridge receptacle. 
     In accordance with a fifth implementation, an apparatus comprises or includes a sipper manifold assembly having a base, a carriage, a vertical guide, and a processor. The base carries a first sensor and a second sensor vertically spaced from the first sensor. The carriage carries a sipper and a first flag and a second flag defining an aperture. The vertical guide couples the base and the carriage. The processor is to identify the sipper manifold assembly being in a first position based on the first sensor sensing the first flag and not sensing the aperture and the processor is to identify the sipper manifold assembly being in a second position based on the second sensor sequentially sensing the second flag and then the aperture. 
     In accordance with a sixth implementation, a method comprises or includes identifying a first sensor of a sipper manifold assembly being in a closed state. The sipper manifold assembly has a base carrying the first sensor and a second sensor vertically spaced from the first sensor and a carriage carrying a sipper. The method comprises or includes determining the sipper manifold assembly is in a first position based on the first sensor being in the closed state, moving the carriage toward a second position, and identifying the second sensor of the sipper manifold assembly being in a closed state. The method comprises or includes moving the carriage a threshold distance toward the second position, identifying the second sensor of the sipper manifold assembly being in an open state, and determining the sipper manifold assembly is in the second position based on the second sensor sequentially being in the closed state and then being in the open state after the carriage is moved the threshold distance. 
     In further accordance with the foregoing first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and/or sixth implementations, an apparatus and/or method may further comprise or include any one or more of the following: 
     In accordance with an implementation, the apparatus also comprises or includes a biasing element coupling the reagent sipper manifold assembly and the sample sipper manifold assembly. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the biasing element is a spring. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the second end of the reagent sipper manifold assembly comprises or has a lip and the sample sipper manifold assembly comprises or has a lip that engage when the second end of the reagent sipper manifold assembly engages the sample sipper manifold assembly and moves the one or more sample sippers toward the sample cartridge receptacle. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the apparatus also comprises or includes a flow cell receptacle to receive a flow cell and a sample fluidic line coupled to each sample sipper and fluidically coupled to the flow cell. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the reagent reservoir receptacle comprises or has a surface that is engageable by the sample sipper manifold assembly. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the apparatus also comprises or includes a platform comprising or having the surface. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the sample sipper manifold assembly comprises or includes a base, a carriage, and a vertical guide. The carriage comprises or has a first side and a second side. The second side comprises or includes the lip and is operatively coupled to the second end of the reagent sipper manifold assembly. The vertical guide couples the base and the first side of the carriage. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the apparatus comprises or includes a guide coupled to the base and defines one or more apertures corresponding to the one or more sample sippers and through which the one or more sample sippers pass. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the apparatus comprises or includes a horizontal guide coupling the base and the guide. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the apparatus comprises or includes a lead screw assembly coupled to the base and to the guide. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the lead screw assembly comprises or includes a lead screw carried by the base and a lead nut carried by the guide. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the apparatus comprises or includes a cassette assembly carrying the one or more sample sippers and coupled to the carriage. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the cassette housing defines a cassette cavity and the one or more sipper couplings are disposed within the cassette cavity. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the one or more sipper tubes comprises or includes a plurality of sipper tubes and the one or more sipper couplings comprises or includes a plurality of sipper couplings. 
     In accordance with another implementation, each sipper coupling comprises or has a corresponding biasing element. 
     In accordance with another implementation, each sipper coupling comprises or includes a spring seat and the one or more biasing elements comprise or include one or more springs positioned between each spring seat and the cassette housing. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the sipper couplings and corresponding sipper tubes are independently movable. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the apparatus comprises or has a guide plate coupled to the cassette housing and defining one or more slots. Each sipper coupling comprises or has a protrusion movable within the corresponding slot. 
     In accordance with another implementation, each slot comprises or has opposing stops engageable by the corresponding protrusion. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the sample sipper manifold assembly comprises or has a base, a carriage, and a vertical guide. The carriage carries the cassette assembly and the vertical guide couples the base and the first side of the carriage. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the apparatus also comprises or includes a guide coupled to the base and defines one or more apertures corresponding to the one or more sample sippers and through which the one or more sample sippers pass. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the apparatus comprises or includes a horizontal guide coupling the base and the guide. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the apparatus comprises or includes a vertical guide coupling the guide and the cassette assembly. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the vertical guide comprises or includes a rod coupled to the guide and an aperture of the cassette housing receiving the rod. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the one or more sipper tubes comprises or includes a plurality of sipper tubes that are coupled to the sipper coupling. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the sipper tubes move together. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the distal end of each of the sipper tubes comprises or has a first surface positioned at a first angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the corresponding sipper tube and a second surface positioned at a second angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the corresponding sipper tube. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the apparatus comprises or includes a horizontal linear guide coupling the cassette assembly and the carriage. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the one or more sample tubes comprise or include a plurality of sample tubes. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the sample tubes are independently movable relative to the housing. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the sample tubes are coupled together and comprise or have a flange that engages the biasing element. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the biasing element comprises foam. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the one or more sample tubes comprise or have a conical portion that tapers toward a recessed portion. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the method also comprises or includes piercing a liquid impermeable barrier covering a sample well received within the sample cartridge receptacle. 
     In accordance with another implementation, piercing the liquid impermeable barrier comprises or includes a sipper coupling of the sample sipper engaging a stop and a distal end of the sample sipper piercing the liquid impermeable barrier. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the method comprises or includes moving the sample sipper relative to a carriage of the sipper manifold assembly. 
     In accordance with another implementation, moving the sample sipper comprises or includes moving the sample sipper against a biasing force. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the biasing force is provided by one or more springs. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the biasing force is provided by foam. 
     In accordance with another implementation, at least one of 1) the second end of the reagent sipper manifold assembly has a lip that engages the sipper manifold assembly when the second end of the reagent sipper manifold assembly engages the sample sipper manifold assembly and moves the one or more sample sippers toward the sample cartridge receptacle or 2) the sample sipper manifold assembly has a lip that engages with the second end of the reagent sipper manifold assembly when the second end of the reagent sipper manifold assembly engages the sample sipper manifold assembly and moves the one or more sample sippers toward the sample cartridge receptacle. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the sipper manifold assembly comprises or includes a reagent sipper manifold assembly. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the first position and the second position are a first distance apart and the first sensor and the second sensor are a second distance apart. The first distance is greater than the second distance. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the first distance is about 74 millimeters. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the second sensor sensing the aperture comprises or includes the second sensor being in an open state. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the processor identifying the sipper manifold assembly being in the second position comprises or includes the second sensor sequentially being in a closed state and then being in an open state. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the second sensor being in the open state comprises or includes the second sensor sensing the aperture. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the apparatus comprises or includes a flag assembly comprising or including the first flag and the second flag. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the flag assembly comprises or includes a body from which the first flag and the second flag extend. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the apparatus comprises or includes a sensor assembly comprising or including a sensor board, the first sensor, and the second sensor. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the apparatus comprises or includes a lead screw assembly coupled to the base and to the carriage. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the threshold distance is approximately 2.75 millimeters. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the carriage carries a first flag and a second flag defining an aperture. 
     In accordance with another implementation, determining the sipper manifold assembly is in the second position based on the second sensor sequentially being in the closed state and then being in the open state comprises or includes the second sensor sequentially sensing the second flag and the aperture. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the aperture comprises or includes a through hole. 
     In accordance with another implementation, the aperture comprises or includes a cut-out. 
     It should be appreciated that all combinations of the foregoing concepts and additional concepts discussed in greater detail below (provided such concepts are not mutually inconsistent) are contemplated as being part of the subject matter disclosed herein and/or may be combined to achieve the particular benefits of a particular aspect. In particular, all combinations of claimed subject matter appearing at the end of this disclosure are contemplated as being part of the subject matter disclosed herein. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    illustrates a schematic diagram of an implementation of a system in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure. 
         FIG.  2    is an isometric view of an example sample sipper manifold assembly that can be used to implement the sample sipper manifold assembly of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  3    shows an expanded isometric view of the sipper manifold assembly of  FIG.  2    including the cassette assembly. 
         FIG.  4    shows example manifold assemblies that can be used to implement the system of  FIG.  1    in a first and/or raised position. 
         FIG.  5    shows the reagent sipper manifold assembly of  FIG.  4    and the carriage of  FIG.  4    in a second and/or foil-piercing position. 
         FIG.  6    shows the reagent sipper manifold assembly of  FIG.  4    and the carriage of  FIG.  4    in a third and/or lowered position. 
         FIG.  7    is a detailed cross-sectional view of the distal ends of the sipper tubes of the sample sipper manifold assembly of  FIG.  2    and the sample wells of the sample cartridge of  FIGS.  4 - 6   . 
         FIG.  8    is an isometric view of another cassette assembly that can be used with the sample sipper manifold assembly of  FIGS.  1  and/or  2   . 
         FIG.  9    is an isometric view of an example sample cartridge that can be used to implement the sample cartridge of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  10    is an isometric view of example sample tubes that can be use with the sample cartridge of  FIG.  9   . 
         FIG.  11    illustrates a flow chart for a method of using the system of  FIG.  1   , the sample sipper manifold assembly of  FIGS.  1  and  2   , and the reagent sipper manifold assembly of  FIGS.  1  and  4    or any of the other implementations disclosed herein. 
         FIG.  12    is an side view of an example sipper manifold assembly that can be used to implement the reagent sipper manifold assembly of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  13    is an side view of the sipper manifold assembly of  FIG.  12    in the second position. 
         FIG.  14    is a side view of an alternative flag assembly that can be used to implement the flag assembly of  FIG.  12   . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Although the following text discloses a detailed description of implementations of methods, apparatuses and/or articles of manufacture, it should be understood that the legal scope of the property right is defined by the words of the claims set forth at the end of this patent. Accordingly, the following detailed description is to be construed as examples only and does not describe every possible implementation, as describing every possible implementation would be impractical, if not impossible. Numerous alternative implementations could be implemented, using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent. It is envisioned that such alternative implementations would still fall within the scope of the claims. 
     The implementations disclosed herein relate to sipper manifold assemblies that reduce dead volume of samples within sample tubes (e.g., library tubes) and reduce the likelihood that tips/distal ends of the sipper tubes are damaged. The dead volume may be reduced to about 10 microliters (μL) for example. The tips of the sipper tubes are used to puncture a liquid impermeable barrier such as foil that covers sample wells of a sample cartridge and, as such, reduces damage to the tips of the sipper tubes and increases the useful life of the sipper tubes. 
     Reduction of dead volume in a sample tube can be useful as the volume of a sample provided by a source may be limited and/or several samples may be pooled into a sample volume with unique identifiers. In some situations where a larger dead volume is permitted, some portions of a limited samples may not be extracted or a limited amount may be extracted from the sample tube and/or some samples of a pooled sample volume may not be extracted or a limited amount may be extracted from the sample tube. Reduction of the dead volume may be accomplished through the implementations described herein to achieve better extraction of limited sample amounts. Moreover, if dead volume is reduced, a greater number of samples may be pooled together as the likelihood of extraction of limited amounts can be reduced. Further still, reduction of dead volume can reduce the volume of reagents used for on-board sample preparation, thereby also reducing the size, volume, and/or cost for an instrument and/or for sequencing samples. 
     The sipper manifold assemblies in some implementations disclosed herein have a cassette assembly including a cassette housing, sipper tubes, and sipper couplings moveably coupled within the cassette housing and to which the sipper tubes are coupled. The cassette assembly also includes one or more biasing elements such as springs or foam positioned between the sipper couplings and the cassette housing that allow the sipper couplings and the associated sipper tubes to move relative to the cassette housing. The sipper couplings and sipper tubes may be independently moveable or movable together (e.g., ganged). The movable coupling between the sipper couplings/sipper tubes and the cassette housing advantageously allows a distal end of the sipper tubes to have a low-force interaction with the sample well that deters the sipper tubes from being damaged. 
     The distal end of each of the sipper tubes has a first surface positioned at a first angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the corresponding sipper and a second surface defining an opening of the sipper tube positioned at a second angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the corresponding sipper. The second angle is greater than the first angle. The first surface can thus engage a corresponding surface of the sample well while the second surface remains at least partially spaced from the surface of the sample well, thereby allowing the opening to remain unobstructed. The sample tubes may also include a conical portion and a recessed portion (e.g., a dimple) that further deters the distal ends of the sipper tubes from being damaged and/or reduces dead volume. 
       FIG.  1    illustrates a schematic diagram of an implementation of a system  100  in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure. The system  100  can be used to perform an analysis on one or more samples of interest. The sample may include one or more DNA clusters that have been linearized to form a single stranded DNA (sstDNA). The system  100  has a reagent reservoir receptacle  102  that receives a reagent reservoir  104 , a sample cartridge receptacle  106  that receives a sample cartridge  108 , and a flow cell receptacle  110  that receives a flow cell cartridge assembly  112  in the implementation shown. The system  100  also includes a reagent sipper manifold assembly  114  having one or more reagent sippers  115 , an actuator  116 , a sample sipper manifold assembly  118  having one or more sample sippers  119 , and a pump manifold assembly  120 . The system  100  also includes a sample loading manifold assembly  121 , a drive assembly  122 , a controller  124 , an imaging system  126 , and a waste reservoir  128 . The controller  124  is electrically and/or communicatively coupled to the reagent sipper manifold assembly  114 , the actuator  116 , the sample sipper manifold assembly  118 , the pump manifold assembly  120 , the sample loading manifold assembly  121 , the drive assembly  122 , the controller  124 , and the imaging system  126  and is adapted to cause the reagent sipper manifold assembly  114 , the actuator  116 , the sample sipper manifold assembly  118 , the pump manifold assembly  120 , the sample loading manifold assembly  121 , the drive assembly  122 , the controller  124 , and the imaging system  126  to perform various functions as disclosed herein. 
     The reagent sipper manifold assembly  114  has a first end  130  to which the actuator  116  is coupled to move the reagent sipper manifold assembly  114  relative to the reagent reservoirs  104  and a second end  132 . The actuator  116  moves the reagent sipper manifold assembly  114  in operation toward the reagent reservoir receptacle  102  causing the second end  132  of the reagent sipper manifold assembly  114  to engage the sample sipper manifold assembly  118  and move the sample sippers  119  toward the sample cartridge receptacle  106 . The actuator  116  may be a linear actuator. The reagent reservoir receptacle  102  also has a surface  133  formed as a platform  134  that is engageable by the sample sipper manifold assembly  118  when the sample sippers  119  draw fluid from the sample cartridge  108 . 
     A biasing element  135  shown as a spring  136  in the implementation shown couples the reagent sipper manifold assembly  114  and the sample sipper manifold assembly  118  and is used to urge the sample sippers  115  away from the sample cartridge receptacle  106  when the reagent sipper manifold assembly  114  moves away from the reagent reservoir receptacle  102 . The biasing element  135  may be referred to a return spring. The manifold assemblies  114 ,  118  may, however, be coupled in different ways. 
     The second end  132  of the reagent sipper manifold assembly  114  has a lip  138  and the sample sipper manifold assembly  118  has a lip  140 . The lips  138 ,  140  engage when the reagent sipper manifold assembly  114  engages the sample sipper manifold assembly  118  and moves the sample sippers  119  toward the sample cartridge receptacle  106 . The biasing element  135  is shown being coupled to and between the lips  138 ,  140 . The biasing element  135  may, however, be coupled to the manifold assemblies  114 ,  118  in different locations. In some implementations, only one of the second end  132  of the reagent sipper manifold assembly  114  has a lip  138  or the sample sipper manifold assembly  118  has a lip  140 . For instance, the lip  138  may engage with a surface of the sample sipper manifold assembly  118  to move the sample sippers  119  toward the sample cartridge receptacle  106  when the reagent sipper manifold assembly  114  is moved. In another implementation, the lip  140  may engage with a surface of the reagent sipper manifold assembly  114  to move the sample sippers  119  toward the sample cartridge receptacle  106  when the reagent sipper manifold assembly  114  is moved. 
     The sample cartridge  108  carries one or more samples of interest (e.g., an analyte) in samples wells  142  and is receivable in the sample cartridge receptacle  106 . The sample sippers  119  are used to draw the samples from the sample wells  142  and the sample is delivered to a flow cell  144  of the flow cell cartridge assembly  112  by sample fluidic lines  146 . The sample wells  142  may be referred to as sample reservoirs. One of the sample fluidic lines  146  is coupled to each sample sipper  119  and the sample fluidic lines  146  are fluidically coupled to the flow cell  144  by, for example, the sample loading manifold assembly  121 . The sample cartridge  108  also includes prime wells  148  and one or more wash wells  150  that may contain a wash buffer and/or a cleaning solution such as bleach. 
     The sample loading manifold assembly  121  includes one or more sample valves  152  and the pump manifold assembly  120  includes one or more pumps  154 , one or more pump valves  156 , and a cache  158 . One or more of the valves  152 ,  156  may be implemented by a rotary valve, a pinch valve, a flat valve, a solenoid valve, a check valve, a piezo valve, and/or a three-way valve. Other types of fluid control devices may prove suitable. One or more of the pumps  154  may be implemented by a syringe pump, a peristaltic pump, and/or a diaphragm pump. Other types of fluid transfer devices may prove suitable. The cache  158  may be a serpentine cache and may be adapted to receive a volume of about 4 milliliters (mL). The cache  158  may temporarily store one or more reaction components during, for example, bypass manipulations of the system  100  of  FIG.  1   . While the cache  158  is shown being included in the pump manifold assembly  120 , the cache  158  may be located in a different location. The cache  158  may be included in the reagent sipper manifold assembly  114  or in another location. 
     The sample sipper manifold assembly  118  in operation draws one or more samples from the sample wells  142  and the sample loading manifold assembly  121  and the pump manifold assembly  120  flow the one or more samples of interest from the sample cartridge  108  through a fluidic line  160  toward the flow cell cartridge assembly  112 . The flow cell cartridge assembly  112  includes the flow cell  144  having a plurality of channels (e.g., two channels, four channels, eight channels). The flow cell  144 , however, may have a single channel or the flow cell  144  may be omitted and/or replaced with another detection device. The sample loading manifold assembly  121  may be adapted to individually load/address each channel of the flow cell  144  with a sample of interest automatically using the system  100  of  FIG.  1   . 
     The sample cartridge  108  and the sample loading manifold assembly  118  are positioned downstream of the flow cell cartridge assembly  112 . The sample loading manifold assembly  121  may thus load a sample of interest into the flow cell  144  from the rear of the flow cell  144 . Loading a sample of interest from the rear of the flow cell  144  may be referred to as “back loading” and may reduce contamination. The sample loading manifold assembly  121  is coupled between the flow cell cartridge assembly  112  and the pump manifold assembly  120 . 
     The pumps  154  draw the hybridization buffer through the flow cell  144  to prime the system  100  with, for example, the hybridization buffer and/or to remove air from the system  100  and the sample sipper manifold assembly  118  dispenses the hybridization buffer into the prime wells  148  once the system  100  is primed. The sample of interest is thereafter drawn from the sample cartridge  108  using the sample sippers  119  and the sample valves  152 , the pump valves  156 , and/or the pumps  154  selectively actuate to urge the sample of interest toward the pump manifold assembly  120 . The sample cartridge  108  is shown including the sample wells  142  that are selectively fluidically accessible via the corresponding sample sippers  119 . Each sample can thus be selectively isolated from other samples using the corresponding sample sippers  119  and the corresponding sample valves  152 . 
     A sample valve  152  for the corresponding sample of interest can be opened or released to fluidically connect the sample well  142  to an instrument fluidics system to draw the sample of interest from one of the sample wells  142 . A corresponding pump  154  of the pump manifold assembly  120  can be actuated to draw the sample of interest from the sample well  142  and into a fluidic line, such as a fluidic line of the pump manifold assembly  120  and/or another fluidic line. A corresponding pump valve  156  can be opened, closed, and/or moved from a first position to a second position to fluidically couple the corresponding pump  154  to the fluidic line for the corresponding sample well  142 . The pump valve  156  can be selectively isolated from other pumps  154  and/or pump valves  156  and a sample of interest can be temporarily stored in a line volume between a pump valve  156  and/or a sample valve  152  and a corresponding pump  154  in some implementations. 
     The sample valves  152 , the pump valves  156 , and/or the pumps  154  may be selectively actuated to urge the sample of interest toward the flow cell cartridge assembly  112  and into the respective channels of the flow cell  144  to individually flow the sample of interest toward a corresponding channel or channels of the flow cell  144  and away from the pump manifold assembly  120 . After the sample of interest is aspirated into a line volume for instance, the sample valve  152  can be closed, thereby fluidically disconnecting the sample wells  142  from the line volume. The sample valve  152  may be moved from a first position to a second position in some instances to fluidically couple the corresponding pump  154  to the corresponding channel or channels via the sample loading manifold assembly  121 . The pump  154  can then push the sample of interest into the corresponding channel or channel of the flow cell  144 . A corresponding pump valve  156  may be opened, closed, and/or moved from a second position to a first position in some implementations to fluidically couple the corresponding pump  154  to the corresponding channel or channels. Each channel of the plurality of channels of the flow cell  144  receives the sample of interest in some implementations and one or more of the channels may selectively receive the sample of interest and others of the channels may not receive the sample of interest. The channels of the flow cell  144  that may not be receive the sample of interest may receive a wash buffer instead, for example. 
     The drive assembly  122  interfaces with the reagent sipper manifold assembly  114  and the pump manifold assembly  120  to flow one or more reagents that interact with the sample at the flow cell  144  through the flow cell cartridge assembly  112 . In an implementation, a reversible terminator with an identifiable label is attached to the reagent to allow a single nucleotide to be incorporated by the sstDNA per cycle. In some such implementations, one or more of the nucleotides has a unique fluorescent label that emits a color when excited. The color (or absence thereof) is used to detect the corresponding nucleotide. The imaging system  126  is adapted to excite one or more of the identifiable labels (e.g., a fluorescent label) and thereafter obtain image data for the identifiable labels in the implementation shown. The labels may be excited by incident light and/or a laser and the image data may include one or more colors emitted by the respective labels in response to the excitation. The image data (e.g., detection data) may be analyzed by the system  100 . The imaging system  126  may be a fluorescence spectrophotometer including an objective lens and/or a solid-state imaging device. The solid-state imaging device may include a charge coupled device (CCD) and/or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS). 
     The drive assembly  122  interfaces with the reagent sipper manifold assembly  114  and the pump manifold assembly  120  in some implementations after the image data is obtained to flow another reaction component (e.g., a reagent) through the flow cell  144  that is thereafter received by the waste reservoir  128  via a primary waste fluidic line  162  and/or otherwise exhausted by the system  100 . Some reaction components perform a flushing operation that chemically cleaves the fluorescent label and the reversible terminator from the sstDNA. The sstDNA is then ready for another cycle. The sample sippers  119  are cleaned between runs of the system  100  in some implementations by dipping the sample sippers  119  in the wash wells  150  containing a cleaning solution such as bleach or a wash buffer. The cleaning solution is removable by dipping the sample sippers  119  in the prime wells  148  containing the hybridization buffer. Other approaches of cleaning the sample sippers  119  may be suitable however. 
     The primary waste fluidic line  162  is coupled between the pump manifold assembly  120  and the waste reservoir  128 . The pumps  154  and/or the pump valves  156  of the pump manifold assembly  120  selectively flow the reaction components from the flow cell cartridge assembly  112 , through the fluidic line  160  and the sample loading manifold assembly  118  to the primary waste fluidic line  162 . 
     The flow cell cartridge assembly  112  is receivable in the flow cell receptacle  110  and is couplable with a flow cell interface  164 . The flow cell receptacle  110  may, however, be excluded and the flow cell cartridge assembly  112  may be directly coupled to the flow cell interface  164 . 
     The flow cell cartridge assembly  112  is coupled to a central valve  166  via the flow cell interface  164 . An auxiliary waste fluidic line  168  is coupled to the central valve  166  and to the waste reservoir  128 . The auxiliary waste fluidic line  168  in some implementations is adapted to receive any excess fluid of a sample of interest from the flow cell cartridge assembly  112 , via the central valve  166 , and to flow the excess fluid of the sample of interest to the waste reservoir  128  when back loading the sample of interest into the flow cell  144 , as described herein. That is, the sample of interest may be loaded from the rear of the flow cell  144  and any excess fluid for the sample of interest may exit from the front of the flow cell  144 . Different samples can be separately loaded to corresponding channels of the flow cell  144  by back loading samples of interest into the flow cell  144  and a single manifold can couple the front of the flow cell  144  to the central valve  166  to direct excess fluid of each sample of interest to the auxiliary waste fluidic line  168  and reduce the likelihood of contamination of samples between channels of the flow cell  144 . The single manifold can be used for delivering common reagents from the front of the flow cell  144  (e.g., upstream) to each channel of the flow cell  144  and common reagents may exit the flow cell  144  from the rear of the flow cell  144  (e.g., downstream). Put another way, the sample of interest and the reagents may flow in opposite directions through the channels of the flow cell  144 . 
     The reagent sipper manifold assembly  114  in the implementation shown includes a shared line valve  170  and a bypass valve  172 . The shared line valve  170  may be referred to as a reagent selector valve. The central valve  166  and the valves  170 ,  172  of the reagent sipper manifold assembly  114  may be selectively actuated to control the flow of fluid through fluidic lines  174 ,  176 ,  178 . One or more of the valves  166 ,  170 ,  172  may be implemented by a rotary valve, a pinch valve, a flat valve, a solenoid valve, a check valve, a piezo valve, etc. Other fluid control devices may prove suitable. 
     The reagent sipper manifold assembly  114  may be coupled to a corresponding number of the reagents reservoirs  104  via the reagent sippers  115 . The reagent reservoirs  104  may contain fluid (e.g., reagent and/or another reaction component). The reagent sipper manifold assembly  114  includes a plurality of ports, where each port of the reagent sipper manifold assembly  114  may receive one of the reagent sippers  115 . The reagent sippers  115  may be referred to as fluidic lines. 
     The shared line valve  170  of the reagent sipper manifold assembly  114  is coupled to the central valve  166  via the shared reagent fluidic line  174  in the implementation shown. Different reagents may flow through the shared reagent fluidic line  174  at different times. The pump manifold assembly  120  may draw wash buffer through the shared reagent fluidic line  174 , the central valve  166 , and the flow cell cartridge assembly  112  when performing a flushing operation before changing between one reagent and another. The shared reagent fluidic line  174  may thus be involved in the flushing operation. While one shared reagent fluidic line  174  is shown, any number of shared fluidic lines may be included in the system  100 . 
     The bypass valve  172  of the reagent sipper manifold assembly  114  is coupled to the central valve  166  via the dedicated reagent fluidic lines  176 ,  178 . The central valve  166  may have one or more dedicated ports that correspond to the dedicated reagent fluidic lines  176 ,  178  and each of the dedicated reagent fluidic lines  176 ,  178  may be associated with a single reagent. The fluids that may flow through the dedicated reagent fluidic lines  176 ,  178  may be used during sequencing operations and may include a cleave reagent, an incorporation reagent, a scan reagent, a cleave wash, and/or a wash buffer. The reagent sipper manifold assembly  114  may thus draw wash buffer through the central valve  166  and/or the flow cell cartridge assembly  112  when performing a flushing operation before changing between one reagent and another in association with the bypass valve  172 . The dedicated reagent fluidic lines  176 ,  178  themselves, however, may not be flushed because only a single reagent may flow through each of the dedicated reagent fluidic lines  176 ,  178 . The approach of including dedicated reagent fluidic lines  176 ,  178  may be advantageous when the system  100  uses reagents that may have adverse reactions with other reagents. Moreover, reducing a number of fluidic lines or length of the fluidic lines that are flushed when changing between different reagents reduces reagent consumption and flush volume and may decrease cycle times of the system  100 . While two dedicated reagent fluidic lines  176 ,  178  are shown, any number of dedicated fluidic lines may be included in the system  100 . 
     The bypass valve  172  is also coupled to the cache  158  of the pump manifold assembly  120  via a bypass fluidic line  180 . One or more reagent priming operations, hydration operations, mixing operations, and/or transfer operations may be performed using the bypass fluidic line  180 . The priming operations, the hydration operations, the mixing operations, and/or the transfer operations may be performed independent of the flow cell cartridge assembly  112 . The operations using the bypass fluidic line  145  may thus occur during, for example, incubation of one or more samples of interest within the flow cell cartridge assembly  112 . That is, the shared line valve  170  can be utilized independently of the bypass valve  172  such that the bypass valve  172  can utilize the bypass fluidic line  180  and/or the cache  158  to perform one or more operations while the shared line valve  170  and/or the central valve  166  simultaneously, substantially simultaneously, or offset synchronously perform other operations. Performing multiple operations using the system  100  at once may reduce run time. The bypass valve  172  and the bypass fluidic line  180  can be used to flow hybridization buffer through the pump manifold assembly  120  to the sample loading manifold assembly  121  and allow the hybridization buffer to follow the sample of interest through the flow cell  144 . The order of fluid flowing through the flow cell  144  may thus be: 1) hybridization buffer from the priming operation; 2) the sample drawn from the sample wells  142  via the sample sippers  121 ; and 3) the hybridization buffer accessed via the bypass valve  172  and the bypass fluidic valve  180 . 
     Referring now to the drive assembly  122 , in the implementation shown, the drive assembly  122  includes a pump drive assembly  182  and a valve drive assembly  184 . The pump drive assembly  182  may be adapted to interface with the one or more pumps  154  to pump fluid through the flow cell  144  and/or to load one or more samples of interest into the flow cell cartridge assembly  112 . The valve drive assembly  184  may be adapted to interface with one or more of the valves  152 ,  156 ,  166 ,  170 ,  172  to control the position of the corresponding valves  152 ,  156 ,  166 ,  170 ,  172 . In an implementation, the shared line valve  170  and/or the bypass valve  172  are implemented by rotary valves having a first position that blocks flow to the flow cell  144  and a second position that allows flow from the reagent reservoir  104  to the flow cell  144 . However, either of the valves  170 ,  172  may be positioned in any number of positions to flow any one or more of a first reagent, a buffer reagent, a second reagent, etc. to the flow cell cartridge assembly  112 . The bypass valve  172  may be rotated as an example between a first position allowing fluid flow from one or more of the reagent reservoirs  104 , through the bypass valve  172 , and to the central valve  166  and a second position allowing fluid flow from one or more of the reagent reservoirs  104 , through the bypass valve  172 , and into the bypass fluidic line  180 . Other arrangements may prove suitable. The bypass valve  172  may be positionable to allow fluid flow from the bypass fluidic line  180 , through the bypass valve  172 , and to a mixing reservoir of the reagent reservoirs  104  for example. 
     Referring to the controller  124 , in the implementation shown, the controller  124  includes a user interface  185 , a communication interface  186 , one or more processors  188 , and a memory  190  storing instructions executable by the one or more processors  188  to perform various functions including the disclosed implementations. The user interface  185 , the communication interface  186 , and the memory  190  are electrically and/or communicatively coupled to the one or more processors  188 . 
     In an implementation, the user interface  185  is adapted to receive input from a user and to provide information to the user associated with the operation of the system  100  and/or an analysis taking place. The user interface  185  may include a touch screen, a display, a keyboard, a speaker(s), a mouse, a track ball, and/or a voice recognition system. The touch screen and/or the display may display a graphical user interface (GUI). 
     In an implementation, the communication interface  186  is adapted to enable communication between the system  100  and a remote system(s) (e.g., computers) via a network(s). The network(s) may include the Internet, an intranet, a local-area network (LAN), a wide-area network (WAN), a coaxial-cable network, a wireless network, a wired network, a satellite network, a digital subscriber line (DSL) network, a cellular network, a Bluetooth connection, a near field communication (NFC) connection, etc. Some of the communications provided to the remote system may be associated with analysis results, imaging data, etc. generated or otherwise obtained by the system  100 . Some of the communications provided to the system  100  may be associated with a fluidics analysis operation, patient records and/or a protocol(s) to be executed by the system  100 . 
     The one or more processors  188  and/or the system  100  may include one or more of a processor-based system(s) or a microprocessor-based system(s). In some implementations, the one or more processors  188  and/or the system  100  includes one or more of a programmable processor, a programmable controller, a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a graphics processing unit (GPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), a reduced-instruction set computer (RISC), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a field programmable logic device (FPLD), a logic circuit and/or another logic-based device executing various functions including the ones described herein. 
     The memory  190  can include one or more of a semiconductor memory, a magnetically readable memory, an optical memory, a hard disk drive (HDD), an optical storage drive, a solid-state storage device, a solid-state drive (SSD), a flash memory, a read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a random-access memory (RAM), a non-volatile RAM (NVRAM) memory, a compact disc (CD), a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a Blu-ray disk, a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) system, a cache, and/or any other storage device or storage disk in which information is stored for any duration (e.g., permanently, temporarily, for extended periods of time, for buffering, for caching). 
       FIG.  2    is an isometric view of an example sample sipper manifold assembly  200  that can be used to implement the sample sipper manifold assembly  118  of  FIG.  1   . The sipper manifold assembly  200  in the implementation shown has a base  202 , a carriage  204  having a first side  206  and a second side  208 , and a vertical guide  209  that couples the base  202  and the first side  206  of the carriage  204 . The vertical guide  209  is shown being a pair of guide rails  210  coupled to the base  202  and a pair of guide blocks  212  coupled to the carriage  204 . The guide rails  210  and the guide blocks  212  are coupled and guide movement of the carriage  204  in directions generally indicate by arrow  214 . In some implementations, a single guide rail  210  can be provided. The base  202  includes a stop  216  that is engaged by a top surface  218  of the carriage  204  to limit movement of the carriage  204  and retain the coupling between the guide rails  210  and the guide blocks  212 . 
     The sample sipper manifold assembly  200  also includes a guide  220 , a horizontal guide  222  coupling the base  202  and the guide  220 , and a cassette assembly  233  carrying the sample sippers  119  and coupled to the carriage  204 . The guide  220  can be referred to as a guide plate and defines apertures  224  through which the sample sippers  119  pass. An interaction between the sample sippers  119  and the guide  220  reduces an effective length of the sample sippers  119  and a likelihood that the sample sippers  119  buckle and/or bend. 
     The horizontal guide  222  includes linear rails  226  carried by the guide  220  and grooves  228  defined by sides  230 ,  232  of the base  202  that receive the linear rails  226 . A coupling between the linear rails  226  and the grooves  228  guides movement of the guide  220  in directions generally indicated by arrow  234 . The sample sipper manifold assembly  200  may include one or more sensors  235  that are used to determine a y-position and/or a z-position of the carriage  204 . 
     The sample sipper manifold assembly  200  also includes a lead screw assembly  236  that is coupled to the base  202  and the guide  220  and is used to move the guide  220  in the directions generally indicated by the arrow  234 . The lead screw assembly  236  includes a lead screw  238  carried by the base  202  and a lead nut  240  carried by the guide  220 . The lead screw assembly  223  also includes a motor  242  that is used to drive the lead screw  238  and move the guide  220 . While the sample sipper manifold assembly  200  is mentioned having the lead screw assembly  236  to move the guide  220  relative to the base  202 , the sample sipper manifold assembly  200  can include a different type of actuator. 
       FIG.  3    shows an expanded isometric view of the sipper manifold assembly  200  of  FIG.  2    including the cassette assembly  233 . The cassette assembly  233  in the implementation shown includes a cassette housing  246 , the sample sippers  119  including sipper couplings  248  and sipper tubes  249 , and biasing elements  250 . The sipper tubes  249  each have a proximal end  252  and a distal end  254 , where the proximal end  252  is coupled to a corresponding sipper coupling  248  and each of the distal ends  254  has a tip  256  that is used to puncture a liquid impermeable barrier that covers one or more of the wells  142 ,  148 ,  150  of the sample cartridge  108 . The biasing elements  250  are shown as coil springs  258  that bias the sipper couplings  248  in a direction generally indicated by arrow  260  and allow relative movement between the sample sippers  119  and the cassette housing  246 . The movable coupling between the sample sippers  119  and the cassette housing  244  advantageously allows the distal ends  254  of the sipper tubes  249  to have a low-force interaction with the wells  142 ,  148 ,  150  of the sample cartridge  108  that deters the sample sippers  119  from being damaged. The low-force interaction also allows the tips  256  to remain relatively sharp for puncturing the liquid impermeable barriers even after repeated uses by the system  100 . 
     Referring still the cassette assembly  233 , the cassette housing  246  defines a cassette cavity  262  and the sipper couplings  248  are disposed within the cassette cavity  262 . Each of the sipper couplings  248  is biased by a corresponding spring  258  that is positioned within the cassette cavity  262 . The sipper couplings  248  each have a spring seat  264  and the springs  258  are positioned between the spring seats  264  and a surface  266  of the cassette housing  246 . The sample sippers  119  are independently movable as a result, thereby accommodating for height differences between the wells  142 ,  148 ,  150  of the sample cartridge  108  and/or manufacturing tolerances for example. The sample sippers  119  can accommodate a height variation of about +/−3 millimeters or a different height. 
     By providing independent moveability of the sample sippers  119 , the cassette assembly  233  can permit each sample sipper  119  to independently reduce the dead volume to a minimum for each corresponding sample tube into which the sample sipper  119  is inserted. Such independent reduction can be useful in implementations where sample tubes may have variable depths, either purposefully or through manufacturing tolerance differences. As noted above, reduction of dead volume to minimal volumes can be useful to achieve better extraction of limited sample amounts, increase the number of samples that may be pooled together, and/or reduce the volume of reagents used for on-board sample preparation, thereby also reducing the size, volume, and/or cost for an instrument and/or for sequencing samples. 
     The cassette assembly  233  also has a guide plate  268  that is coupled to the cassette housing  246  by fasteners  270  that pass through the guide plate  268  and are received within corresponding apertures  272  of the cassette housing  246 . The guide plate  268  defines slots  274  and each sipper coupling  248  has a protrusion  276  that is movable within the corresponding slot  274 . An opposing side  277  of the cassette assembly  233  may include an additional guide plate having slots and the sipper couplings  248  may have additional protrusions  286  receivable within those slots. The sipper couplings  248  each may have two opposing protrusions  275  (see, for example,  FIGS.  4 - 6   ) and the cassette assembly  233  may have opposing slots. 
     The protrusion  276  interacts with surfaces of the guide plate  268  defining the slots  274  to linearly guide the sample sippers  119  in the direction generally indicated arrow  260 . The slots  274  also have opposing stops  278 ,  280  that are engageable by the protrusion to limit travel of the sample sippers  119 . The protrusions  276  move toward and engage the upper stops  278  when the sipper tubes  249  engage the liquid impermeable barrier covering the wells  142 ,  148 ,  150 , thereby allowing the sipper tubes  249  to deliver a threshold amount of force to the liquid impermeable barrier to puncture the liquid impermeable barrier. While the slots  274  and the protrusions  276  are stadium shaped, the slots  274  and/or the protrusions  276  may be different shapes. 
       FIGS.  4 ,  5 , and  6    are cross-sectional views of the sample sipper manifold assembly  200  of  FIG.  2    and a portion of an example implementation of a reagent sipper manifold assembly  300  in different positions. The reagent sipper manifold assembly  300  of  FIGS.  4 - 6    can be used to implement the reagent sipper manifold assembly  114  of  FIG.  1   . 
       FIG.  4    shows the manifold assemblies  200 ,  300  in a first and/or raised position and shows the lips  138 ,  140  spaced from one another. The sample sipper manifold assembly  200  has a vertical guide  302  that couples the guide  220  and the cassette assembly  233 . The vertical guide  302  includes a rod  304  and an aperture  306  that receives the rod  304  in the implementation shown. The rod  304  may be referred to as a vertical rod. The rod  304  is coupled to the guide  220  and extends from the guide  220  toward the cassette assembly  233  and the cassette housing  246  defines the aperture  306 . The rod  304  and surfaces of the cassette housing  246  defining the aperture  306  interact to guide movement of the carriage  204  in directions generally indicated by arrow  307 . The sample sipper manifold assembly  200  also has a horizontal linear guide  308  coupling the cassette assembly  233  and the carriage  204  includes a rod  310  and an aperture  312 . The rod  310  extends between the first side  206  and the second side  208  of the carriage  204  and the cassette housing  246  defines the aperture  312 . The rod  310  and surfaces of the cassette housing  246  defining the aperture  312  interact to guide movement of the cassette assembly  233  in a directions generally indicated by arrows  314 . 
       FIG.  5    shows the reagent sipper manifold assembly  300  and the carriage  204  in a second and/or foil-piercing position and the base  202  engaging the platform  134 . The lips  138 ,  140  are shown engaging one another, the protrusion(s)  276  is shown engaging the stop(s)  278  of the slot  274 , and the distal end  254  of the sipper tube  249  is shown positioned to pierce a liquid impermeable barrier  316  covering the sample well  142 . 
       FIG.  6    shows the reagent sipper manifold assembly  300  and the carriage  204  in a third and/or lowered position. The distal end  254  of the sipper tube  249  is shown engaging a bottom surface  318  of the sample well  142  and the biasing elements  250  are shown slightly compressed deterring the sample sipper  119  from being deflected and/or damaged. 
       FIG.  7    is a detailed cross-sectional view of the distal ends  254  of the sipper tubes  249  of the sample sipper manifold assembly  200  of  FIG.  2    and the sample wells  142  of the sample cartridge  108  of  FIGS.  4 - 6   . The sipper tubes  249  each have an opening  320  at the distal end  254  and the tip  256 . The tip  256  is formed by a first surface  322  positioned at a first angle relative to a longitudinal axis  324  of the sipper tube  249  and a second surface  326  positioned at a second angle relative to the longitudinal axis  295  in the implementation shown. The surfaces  322 ,  326  may be referred to as facets. The opening  320  is defined by the second surface  326 . The first angle is shown about 30° and the second angle is shown about 50°. The surfaces  322 ,  326  may be disposed at different angles including the same angle. 
     The difference between the first and second angles off-sets the tip  256  from the longitudinal axis  295  and allows the opening  320  to be spaced from the tip  256 . The first surface  322  engages the bottom surface  318  of the sample well  142  allowing the opening  320  to less likely engage to the bottom surface  318  of the sample well  142  and become occluded and/or obstructed as a result. As a sipper tube  249  may be used to repeatedly puncture seals of sample tubes  249 , deformation of the tip  256  via impingement or impacts with a bottom of a sample tube  249  may reduce the effectiveness of the sipper tube  249  to pierce and/or extract samples of future sample tubes  249 . Thus, reducing the likelihood of the tip  256  from impinging or impacting with the bottom of a sample well  142  can increase the longevity and usefulness of the sipper tube  249  for future uses. The first surface  322  and the bottom surface  318  of the sample well  142  have corresponding tapers in the implementation shown, the second surface  326  does not flushly engage the bottom surface  318 , and the tip  256  extends past the opening  320 . The bottom surface  318  of the sample wells  142  has a conical portion  328  and a recessed portion  330  where the conical portion  328  tapers toward the recessed portion  330  to further reduce an amount of dead volume present within the sample wells  142 . While the distal ends  254  are mentioned having the two surfaces  322 ,  326 , the distal ends  254  may have three facets or another number of facets. 
       FIG.  8    is an isometric view of another example cassette assembly  400  that can be used with the sample sipper manifold assembly  200  of  FIGS.  1  and/or  2   . The cassette assembly  400  in the implementation shown includes a cassette housing  402 , a sipper coupling  404  movably coupled to the cassette housing  402 , and the sipper tubes  249  that are coupled to the sipper coupling  404 . Movement of the single sipper coupling  404  thus moves the sipper tubes  249  together. 
     The proximal ends  252  of the sipper tubes  249  threadably engage the sipper coupling  404  and linear guides  406  guide the movement of the sipper coupling  404  relative to the cassette housing  402 . The liner guide  406  includes a pair of rods  408 , a pair of apertures  410  that receive the rods  408 , and a pair of biasing elements  412  shown as coil springs  414  that bias the sipper coupling  404 . The rods  408  are coupled to and between opposing portions  416 ,  418  of the cassette housing  402  and the sipper coupling  404  defines the apertures  410 . 
       FIG.  9    is an isometric view of an example sample cartridge  450  that can be used to implement the sample cartridge  108  of  FIG.  1   . The sample cartridge  450  shown includes a housing  452 , sample tubes  454  movably coupled to the housing  452 , and a biasing element  456  shown as foam  458  that biases the one or more sample tubes  454 . The movable coupling between the sample tubes  454  and the housing  452  advantageously allows the sample sippers  119  to have a low-force interaction with the sample tubes  454 . The sample tubes  454  are shown having a flange  460  that engages against the foam  458  and being separate from one another allowing the sample tubes  454  to independently move relative to the housing  452 . The sample tubes  454 , however, may be coupled together such that the samples tubes  454  move together. The samples tubes  454  may be implemented with the independently moveable sample sippers  119  and/or sample tubes  249  of  FIGS.  2 - 7    or with the grouped sipper tubes  249  of  FIG.  8    such that the compliance of the biasing element  456  advantageously allows the sample sippers  119  and/or sample tubes  249  to further reduce the low-force interaction with the sample tubes  454 . 
     The housing  452  is a clam shell arrangement having a first portion  462  and a second portion  464  that define aligning apertures  466  that the sample tubes  454  pass through. The foam  458  and the flanges  460  are positioned between the portions  462 ,  464 . While the sample cartridge  450  is shown including foam  458  as the biasing element  456 , a different biasing element such as springs may be used. 
       FIG.  10    is an isometric view of example sample tubes  454  that can be use with the sample cartridge  450  of  FIG.  9   . The sample tubes  454  are coupled to a perimeter flange  468  by frangibles  470  that allow relative movement between the sample tubes  454  and the perimeter flange  468 . The frangibles  470  thus act as a biasing element. The frangibles  470  can be broken to allow the sample tubes  454  to be separated from one another. The sample tubes  454  of  FIG.  10    have ends  472 ,  474 ,  476 ,  478  having conical portions  480 ,  482 ,  484 ,  486  with different angles and with and without the recessed portion  330 . The angles may include, for example, 40°, 46°, 50°, etc. Other angles, however, may prove suitable. 
       FIG.  11    illustrates a flowchart for methods of using the system  100  of  FIG.  1   , the sample sipper manifold assembly  118 ,  200  of  FIGS.  1  and  2   , and the reagent sipper manifold assembly  114 ,  300  of  FIGS.  1  and  4    or any of the other implementations disclosed herein. In the flow chart of  FIG.  11   , the blocks surrounded by solid lines may be included in an implementation of a process  500  while the blocks surrounded in dashed lines may be optional in the implementation of the process. Regardless of the way the border of the blocks are presented in  FIG.  11   , however, the order of execution of the blocks may be changed, and/or some of the blocks described may be changed, eliminated, combined and/or subdivided into multiple blocks. 
     The process  500  of  FIG.  11    begins with the reagent sipper manifold assembly  114 ,  300  moving toward the reagent reservoir receptacle  102  (Block  502 ). The reagent sipper manifold assembly  114 ,  300  has the first end  130  and the second end  132  and includes one or more reagent sippers  115 . Responsive to moving the reagent sipper manifold assembly  114 ,  300  toward the reagent reservoir receptacle  102 , the second end  132  of the reagent sipper manifold assembly  114 ,  300  and the sample sipper manifold assembly having the sample sipper  119  engage (Block  504 ) and the sample sipper  119  moves toward the sample cartridge receptacle  106  (Block  506 ). The process  500  also includes piercing the liquid impermeable barrier  316  covering the sample well  142  received within the sample cartridge receptacle  106  (Block  508 ). The liquid impermeable barrier  316  is pierced in some implementations based on the sipper coupling  248 ,  404  engaging a stop  278  and the distal end  254  of the sample sipper  119  piercing the liquid impermeable barrier  316 . The sample sipper  119  can move relative to the carriage  204  of the sipper manifold assembly  200  (Block  508 ) by moving the sample sipper  119  against a biasing force provided by one or more springs  136  and/or by foam  458 . 
       FIG.  12    is an side view of an example sipper manifold assembly  600  that can be used to implement the reagent sipper manifold assembly  114  of  FIG.  1   . The sipper manifold assembly  600  may be referred to as a reagent sipper manifold assembly. The sipper manifold assembly  600  includes a base  602 , a carriage  604 , and a vertical guide  606  coupling the base  602  and the carriage  604 . The base  602  carries a first sensor  608  and a second sensor  610  that is vertically spaced from the first sensor  608 . The carriage  604  carries a sipper  611  and a first flag  612  and a second flag  613  defining an aperture  614 . The aperture  614  is shown as a cut-out in the implementation shown. The aperture  614  may alternatively be a through hole  702  (see,  FIG.  14   ) or be another configuration. 
     The processor  188  identifies the sipper manifold assembly  600  being in a first position (shown in  FIG.  12   ) in operation based on the first sensor  608  sensing the first flag  612  and not sensing the aperture  614  and identifies the sipper manifold assembly  600  being in a second position (shown in  FIG.  13   ) based on the second sensor  610  sequentially sensing the second flag  613  and then the aperture  614 . The first position is a raised position of the sipper manifold assembly  600  and the second position is a lowered position of the sipper manifold assembly  600 . 
     The first position and the second position are shown being a first distance  615  apart and the first sensor  608  and the second sensor  610  are shown being a second distance apart  616 . The first distance  615  is greater than the second distance  616  and the first distance  615  may be about 74 millimeters in some implementations. 
     The processor  188  identifies the sipper manifold assembly  600  being in the second position in some implementations based on the second sensor  610  sequentially sensing the second flag  613  and then sensing the aperture  614 . The second sensor  610  sensing the second flag  613  includes the second sensor  610  being in a closed state and the second sensor  610  sensing the aperture  614  includes the second sensor  610  being in an open state. The processor  188  identifying the sipper manifold assembly  600  being in the second position thus includes the second sensor  610  sequentially being in a closed state and then the second sensor  610  being in an open state. 
     The processor  188  may cause the carriage  604  to move a threshold distance in a direction generally indicated by arrow  618  after the second sensor  610  senses one of the first flag  612  or the second flag  613  or when the second sensor  610  is in a closed state, for example. The processor  188  determines the state of the second sensor  610  after the carriage  604  is moved the threshold distance. The threshold distance may be approximately 2.75 mm or another distance. The aperture  614  of the second flag  613  is aligned with the second sensor  610  when the second sensor  610  is in an open state after the sipper manifold assembly  600  moves the threshold distance and the first flag  612  is aligned with the second sensor  610  when the second sensor  610  is in a closed state after the sipper manifold assembly  600  moves the threshold distance. The processor  188  may not cause further movement of the carriage  604  in the direction generally indicated by arrow  618  when the aperture  614  is aligned with the second senor  610 . 
     The sipper manifold assembly  600  includes a flag assembly  619  including the first flag  612  and the second flag  613 . The flag assembly  619  is carried by the carriage  604  and includes a body  620  from which the first flag  612  and the second flag  613  extend. The sipper assembly  600  also includes a sensor assembly  622  and a lead screw assembly  624 . The sensor assembly  622  includes a sensor board  626 , the first sensor  608 , and the second sensor  610 . The sensor assembly  622  is carried by the base  602 . The lead screw assembly  624  is coupled to the base  602  and to the carriage  604  and is used to move the carriage  604  relative to the base  602 . The processor  188  may control movement of the sipper  611  using the flags  612 ,  612  and the sensors  608 ,  610  to reduce the likelihood that the sipper  611  contacts a bottom of a well of the reagent reservoir  104  containing reagent, for example. The sipper  611  engaging the bottom of the well may blunt and reduce the useful life of the sipper  611 . 
       FIG.  13    is an side view of the sipper manifold assembly  600  of  FIG.  12    in the second position. 
       FIG.  14    is a side view of an alternative flag assembly  700  that can be used to implement the flag assembly  619  of  FIG.  12   . The flag assembly  700  is similar to the flag assembly  619  of  FIG.  12    but the aperture  614  is shown as a through hole  702  instead of being shown as a cut-out. 
     An apparatus, comprising: a reagent reservoir receptacle to receive a reagent reservoir; a sample cartridge receptacle to receive a sample cartridge; a reagent sipper manifold assembly having a first end and a second end and including one or more reagent sippers; an actuator coupled to the first end of the reagent manifold assembly to move reagent manifold assembly relative to the reagent reservoir; and a sample sipper manifold assembly having one or more sample sippers. Responsive to the actuator moving the reagent sipper manifold assembly toward the reagent reservoir receptacle, the second end of the reagent sipper manifold assembly engages the sample sipper manifold assembly and moves the one or more sample sippers toward the sample cartridge receptacle. 
     The apparatus of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, further comprising a biasing element coupling the reagent sipper manifold assembly and the sample sipper manifold assembly. 
     The apparatus of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, the biasing element is a spring. 
     The apparatus of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, the second end of the reagent sipper manifold assembly has a lip and the sample sipper manifold assembly has a lip that engage when the second end of the reagent sipper manifold assembly engages the sample sipper manifold assembly and moves the one or more sample sippers toward the sample cartridge receptacle. 
     The apparatus of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, further comprising a flow cell receptacle to receive a flow cell and a sample fluidic line coupled to each sample sipper and fluidically coupled to the flow cell. 
     The apparatus of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, wherein the reagent reservoir receptacle has a surface that is engageable by the sample sipper manifold assembly. 
     The apparatus of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, further comprising a platform having the surface. 
     The apparatus of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, wherein the sample sipper manifold assembly comprises: a base; a carriage having a first side and a second side, the second side including the lip and being operatively coupled to the second end of the reagent sipper manifold assembly; and a vertical guide coupling the base and the first side of the carriage. 
     The apparatus of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, further comprising a guide coupled to the base and defining one or more apertures corresponding to the one or more sample sippers and through which the one or more sippers pass. 
     The apparatus of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, further comprising a horizontal guide coupling the base and the guide. 
     The apparatus of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, further comprising a lead screw assembly coupled to the base and to the guide. 
     The apparatus of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, wherein the lead screw assembly comprises a lead screw carried by the base and a lead nut carried by the guide. 
     The apparatus of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, further comprising a cassette assembly carrying the one or more sample sippers and coupled to the carriage. 
     An apparatus, comprising: a cassette assembly of a sipper manifold assembly, comprising: a cassette housing; one or more sipper tubes having a proximal end and a distal end; one or more sipper couplings to which the proximal end of the sipper tubes are coupled and that is movably coupled to the cassette housing; one or more biasing elements to bias the one or more sipper couplings. The one or more biasing elements allow relative movement between the sipper tubes and the cassette housing. 
     The apparatus of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, wherein the cassette housing defining a cassette cavity and the one or more sipper couplings are disposed within the cassette cavity. 
     The apparatus of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, wherein the one or more sipper tubes comprises a plurality of sipper tubes and the one or more sipper couplings comprises a plurality of sipper couplings. 
     The apparatus of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, wherein each sipper coupling has a corresponding biasing element. 
     The apparatus of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, wherein each sipper coupling comprises a spring seat and the one or more biasing elements comprise one or more springs positioned between each spring seat and the cassette housing. 
     The apparatus of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, wherein the sipper couplings and corresponding sipper tubes are independently movable. 
     The apparatus of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, further comprising a guide plate coupled to the cassette housing and defining one or more slots, and wherein each sipper coupling has a protrusion movable within the corresponding slot. 
     The apparatus of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, wherein each slot has opposing stops engageable by the corresponding protrusion. 
     The apparatus of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, wherein the sample sipper manifold assembly further comprises: a base; a carriage carrying the cassette assembly; and a vertical guide coupling the base and the first side of the carriage. 
     The apparatus of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, further comprising a guide coupled to the base and defining one or more apertures corresponding to the one or more sample sippers and through which the one or more sippers pass. 
     The apparatus of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, further comprising a horizontal guide coupling the base and the guide. 
     The apparatus of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, further comprising a vertical guide coupling the guide and the cassette assembly. 
     The apparatus of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, wherein the vertical guide comprises a rod coupled to the guide and an aperture of the cassette housing receiving the rod. 
     The apparatus of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, wherein the one or more sipper tubes comprises a plurality of sipper tubes that are coupled to the sipper coupling. 
     The apparatus of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, wherein the sipper tubes move together. 
     The apparatus of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, where the distal end of each of the sipper tubes has a first surface positioned at a first angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the corresponding sipper and a second surface positioned at a second angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the corresponding sipper. 
     The apparatus of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, further comprising a horizontal linear guide coupling the cassette assembly and the carriage. 
     An apparatus, comprising: a sample cartridge comprises: a housing; one or more sample tubes movably coupled to the housing; and a biasing element that biases the one or more sample tubes. 
     The apparatus of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, wherein the one or more sample tubes comprise a plurality of sample tubes. 
     The apparatus of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, wherein the sample tubes are independently movable relative to the housing. 
     The apparatus of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, wherein the sample tubes are coupled together and have a flange that engages the biasing element. 
     The apparatus of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, wherein the biasing element comprises foam. 
     The apparatus of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, wherein the one or more sample tubes have a conical portion that tapers toward a recessed portion. 
     A method, comprising: moving a reagent sipper manifold assembly toward a reagent reservoir receptacle, the reagent sipper manifold assembly having a first end and a second end and including one or more reagent sippers; responsive to the moving the reagent sipper manifold assembly toward the reagent reservoir receptacle, engaging the second end of the reagent sipper manifold assembly and a sample sipper manifold assembly having a sample sipper; and moving the sample sipper toward a sample cartridge receptacle. 
     The method of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, further comprising piercing a liquid impermeable barrier covering a sample well received within the sample cartridge receptacle. 
     The method of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, wherein piercing the liquid impermeable barrier comprises a sipper coupling of the sample sipper engaging a stop and a distal end of the sample sipper piercing the liquid impermeable barrier. 
     The method of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, further comprising moving the sample sipper relative to a carriage of the sipper manifold assembly. 
     The method of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, wherein moving the sample sipper comprising moving the sample sipper against a biasing force. 
     The method of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, wherein the biasing force is provided by one or more springs. 
     The method of any one or more of the preceding examples and/or any one or more of the examples disclosed below, wherein the biasing force is provided by foam. 
     The foregoing description is provided to enable a person skilled in the art to practice the various configurations described herein. While the subject technology has been particularly described with reference to the various figures and configurations, it should be understood that these are for illustration purposes only and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the subject technology. 
     As used herein, an element or step recited in the singular and proceeded with the word “a” or “an” should be understood as not excluding plural of said elements or steps, unless such exclusion is explicitly stated. Furthermore, references to “one implementation” are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional implementations that also incorporate the recited features. Moreover, unless explicitly stated to the contrary, implementations “comprising,” “including,” or “having” an element or a plurality of elements having a particular property may include additional elements whether or not they have that property. Moreover, the terms “comprising,” including,” having,” or the like are interchangeably used herein. 
     The terms “substantially,” “approximately,” and “about” used throughout this Specification are used to describe and account for small fluctuations, such as due to variations in processing. For example, they can refer to less than or equal to ±5%, such as less than or equal to ±2%, such as less than or equal to ±1%, such as less than or equal to ±0.5%, such as less than or equal to ±0.2%, such as less than or equal to ±0.1%, such as less than or equal to ±0.05%. 
     There may be many other ways to implement the subject technology. Various functions and elements described herein may be partitioned differently from those shown without departing from the scope of the subject technology. Various modifications to these implementations may be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and generic principles defined herein may be applied to other implementations. Thus, many changes and modifications may be made to the subject technology, by one having ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the scope of the subject technology. For instance, different numbers of a given module or unit may be employed, a different type or types of a given module or unit may be employed, a given module or unit may be added, or a given module or unit may be omitted. 
     Underlined and/or italicized headings and subheadings are used for convenience only, do not limit the subject technology, and are not referred to in connection with the interpretation of the description of the subject technology. All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the various implementations described throughout this disclosure that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and intended to be encompassed by the subject technology. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether such disclosure is explicitly recited in the above description. 
     It should be appreciated that all combinations of the foregoing concepts and additional concepts discussed in greater detail below (provided such concepts are not mutually inconsistent) are contemplated as being part of the subject matter disclosed herein. In particular, all combinations of claimed subject matter appearing at the end of this disclosure are contemplated as being part of the subject matter disclosed herein.