Patent ID: 7815858

Claim:
An automated sampling system comprising: a conveyor; a sample carrier located on the conveyor and comprising: a plurality of sample tube receiving areas for receiving and holding sample tubes; one or more sample tubes, each of the sample tubes being disposed in one of the sample tube receiving areas and held in a substantially vertical orientation by the sample carrier; and a sample tube blocking member movably positioned above the sample tube receiving areas and comprising a blocking wall that extends laterally over only a portion of each of the sample tubes, thereby limiting vertical movement of the sample tubes without obstructing access to the contents of the sample tubes by a robotic pipetting device; a drip shield in fixed positioned above the conveyor and comprising: a cover constructed and arranged to permit the conveyor to transport the sample carrier thereunder and to block vertical movement of the sample tube blocking member; one or more through-holes formed in the cover and arranged to be aligned with the one or more sample tubes as the sample carrier is indexed by the conveyor under the cover, each through-hole being sized to provide vertical passage by a fluid transfer device; and a robotic pipetting device operatively positioned with respect to the drip shield and comprising a fluid transfer device for accessing the contents of the one or more sample tubes.