Patent ID: 8021611

Claim:
An automated assay system, comprising: a processing station configured to analyze a reagent or sample within a set of capillaries; at least one microwell plate station; an actuator; a capillary gripper rotatably coupled to the actuator such that the capillary gripper rotates with respect to the actuator between a first position and a second position, the capillary gripper operable to accept and retain one or more capillaries and position the one or more capillaries at the processing station, the actuator configured to move the capillary gripper between the processing station and the at least one microwell plate station; and a vacuum manifold defining a chamber and a plurality of ports, the chamber interconnecting each of the plurality of ports, each port from the plurality of ports configured to receive a tip of a capillary from the one or more capillaries when the capillary gripper is in the first position, the tip of the capillary from the one or more capillaries being disposed within the chamber when the capillary gripper is in the first position, the tip of the capillary from the one or more capillaries being disposed outside the chamber when the capillary gripper is in the second position.