Patent ID: 7135146

Claim:
A universal liquid handling system to dispense fluids into the test sites of one or more sample carriers comprising: an automated primary liquid handling system including: a work area having a plurality of discrete work stations for performing lab work; a carrier alignment structure at one or more work stations configured to removably receive and secure one sample carrier therein; a frame assembly positioned about the work area; and a movable support system movably cooperating with the frame assembly to operationally access each discrete work station within the work area, said movable support system further including a sample carrier positioning mechanism containing a positioning head to grip, move, and position the one or more sample carriers to and from the respective work station, and into and out of engagement with the respective carrier alignment structure thereof, and a primary liquid dispensing device to selectively dispense discrete quantities of fluid, in the range of microliter to milliliter volumes, into the test sites of the one or more sample carriers secured in the respective alignment structure at the respective work station; and a removable, self-contained secondary liquid handling peripheral system adapted for retrofittedly placed and used within the work area of the primary liquid handling system at a selected one or more discrete work stations said liquid handling peripheral system containing a base formed and dimensioned to be placed within a footprint of the selected one or more discrete work stations, and including a support platform having respective carrier alignment structure to removably receive and secure a sample carrier therein provided by the sample carrier positioning mechanism said secondary liquid handling peripheral system being operationally independent of the primary liquid handling system and including a secondary liquid dispensing device having one or more non-contact dispense nozzles to selectively non-contact dispense discrete quantities of fluid, in the range nanoliter to microliter volumes, into the test sites of the sample carrier positioned therein, wherein a sample carrier is positioned on the support platform and is operationally accessible by both the primary liquid dispensing device and the secondary liquid dispensing device.