Patent ID: 8591832

Claim:
A multi-channel wellplate filling system comprising: a repositionable wellplate platform for holding a multiwell plate; a motorized x-axis drive mechanism for repositioning a wellplate platform horizontally along an x-axis; a tubing set having multiple flexible tubes, having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is open to the environment; a peristaltic pump that pumps liquid or air through the flexible tubes in a forward direction and in a reverse direction; multiple pipette tip mounting shafts arranged in a linear array extending along a y-axis that is perpendicular to the x-axis, each pipette tip mounting shaft being in fluid communication with a second end of the respective flexible tube of the tubing set and being adapted to receive a disposable pipette tip; and a controller having a user interface and programmed to operate the multi-channel wellplate filling system in a pipetting mode to aspirate liquid into the disposable pipette tips mounted on the pipette tip mounting shafts and dispense liquid from the disposable pipette tips into wells in a multiwall plate on the repositionable wellplate platform, wherein when in the pipetting mode, the first ends of the multiple flexible tubes in the tube set are open to the environment, and when the controller is programmed in the pipetting mode the controller operates the peristaltic pump to pump air only from the first open ends through the flexible tubes in a reverse direction to create suction and aspirate liquid into the disposable pipette tips, and pumps in a forward direction to dispense selected amounts of liquid from the disposable pipette tips.