Patent ID: 7763467

Claim:
An apparatus for preventing unwanted materials from being deposited into receptacles carried by an automated conveyor, the apparatus comprising: a first cover member including one or more slots, each slot extending from an end portion of the first cover member; and a second cover member attached to the first cover member and configured to be moveable with respect to the first cover member between a closed state and an open state, such that in the closed state, the second cover member is operatively positioned with respect to the first cover member so that the second cover member covers all but a portion of each slot, the uncovered portion of each slot defining an access hole for receiving a pipette tip therethrough to access receptacles positioned beneath the apparatus; and in the open state, the second cover member is operatively positioned with respect to the first cover member so that at least one of the slots is substantially uncovered, thereby permitting a pipette tip extending through the portion of the slot defining the corresponding access hole to be laterally conveyed relative to the first cover member and out of the slot.