Patent ID: 7927876

Claim:
A sample holder system for an automated sample analyzer, comprising: at least a first well strip and a second well strip, wherein said first and second well strips are of identical configuration, and each well strip comprises a first end, a second end, a longitudinal axis extending from said first end to said second end, first and second side walls, each of said walls parallel to said longitudinal axis, a plurality of wells extending in a linear arrangement along said longitudinal axis, each of said wells capable of holding a fluid sample, a first engagement piece disposed on said first side wall and a second engagement piece disposed on said first side wall, another first engagement piece disposed on the second side wall and another second engagement piece disposed on said second side wall, wherein said first and second well strips are reversibly engageable with each other by horizontal sliding parallel to said longitudinal axis of said well strips such that, in one orientation, said first engagement piece of said first well strip cooperates with said another second engagement piece of said second well strip and said second engagement piece of said first well strip cooperates with said another first engagement piece of said second well strip to reversibly attach said first well strip with said second well strip to form said sample holder system, and, in a second orientation, said first engagement piece of said first well strip cooperates with said second engagement piece of said second well strip and said second engagement piece of said first well strip cooperates With said first engagement piece of said second well strip to reversibly attach said first well strip with said second well strip to form said sample holder system, wherein each first engagement piece and each another first engagement piece comprises a flange comprising a cantilevered arm having a fixed end and a free end, a first bend closest to said fixed end and a second bend closest to said free end, and wherein said flange is flexible at its fixed end, and each second engagement piece and each another second engagement piece comprises a slot and a slit.