Patent ID: 7754148

Claim:
An instrument, comprising: an instrument enclosure configured to receive a plurality of cassettes, each cassette from the plurality of cassettes defining a first chamber and a second chamber, each cassette from the plurality of cassettes including a valve configured to transfer a magnetic particle between the first chamber and the second chamber; a magnetic particle transfer system disposed within the instrument enclosure, the magnetic particle transfer system including a plurality of valve key shafts and a first actuator assembly, the first actuator assembly configured to move each valve key shaft from the plurality of valve key shafts to actuate the valve of a corresponding cassette from the plurality of cassettes; a wash buffer pumping system disposed within the instrument enclosure, the wash buffer pumping system including a plurality of engagement plungers and a second actuator assembly, the second actuator assembly configured to move the plurality of engagement plungers between a first position, in which each engagement plunger from the plurality of engagement plungers is engaged with a first pump adjacent a surface of a corresponding cassette from the plurality of cassettes and in communication with the first chamber from the corresponding cassette from the plurality of cassettes, and a second position, in which each engagement plunger from the plurality of engagement plungers is engaged with a second pump adjacent the surface of the corresponding cassette from the plurality of cassettes and in communication with the second chamber from the corresponding cassette from the plurality of cassettes; and an instrument interface controller configured to control actuation of the magnetic particle transfer system and the wash buffer pumping system.