Patent ID: 8703071

Claim:
A syringe handling system comprising: a multi-axis auto-sampler including a syringe pick-up head on the auto-sampler moveable laterally and vertically in a work space; a plunger driver; a control of the auto-sampler that operates the plunger driver; and a syringe mounting apparatus on the syringe pick-up head that includes a coupling arrangement and a plunger connector carried by the plunger driver; wherein the coupling arrangement has a housing to receive a barrel of a syringe component, the housing mounted for being moved down onto and about the end of the barrel, and the coupling arrangement further having a mechanism configured to detachably engage the barrel and thereby interchangeably retain the syringe component as the housing is so moved; and wherein the plunger connector is receivable in a concentric cavity in said housing for operably detachably coupling the plunger driver to a plunger element carried in the barrel of the syringe component when the syringe component is interchangeably retained by said mechanism, which plunger connector is moveable onto the end of said plunger element until said plunger connector detachably engages the plunger element in a manner allowing said plunger driver to thereafter effect reciprocatory movement of the plunger element longitudinally of said barrel for drawing fluid into or expelling fluid from the syringe component.