Patent ID: 7820110

Claim:
An analytical instrument comprising: a pipetting device including a pipetting tip; an actuator for moving said pipetting device vertically, wherein said actuator moves said pipetting device between a parking position and a pipetting position; a device for catching drops mechanically attached to said pipetting device and being moveable to a position below the aspirating and/or dispensing opening of said pipette tip while said pipetting device is in said parking position; wherein said device for catching drops comprises: (i) a frame comprising a passive guidance element and (ii) a drop catcher container for movably attaching said device for catching drops to said pipetting device, said drop catcher container capable of receiving drops from said pipetting tip when the pipetting device is in said parking position and capable of exposing the opening of said pipetting device when said pipetting device is in said pipetting position; wherein said pipetting device comprises a spike attached to said pipetting device movably linking said pipetting device and said passive guidance element; and wherein the movement of said device for catching drops in and out of position below the pipetting tip is mechanically coupled to the vertical movement of said pipetting device.