Stemcell Technologies Inc.

Leica Biosystems Melbourne Pty Limited

Adam Donath

Richard Alexander Grant

Andrew Mark Angus

Fred Harry Davis

Dirk Kurpershoek

Frank Samuhel

Krzysztof Zawadzki

Anthony Cecil White

A mixing vial is provided for an automated biological reaction apparatus typically used for staining tissue samples in Immuno-histological and in-situ hybridisation reactions. The mixing vial allows reagents placed on the apparatus to be mixed together to form additional or blended reagents. A reagent dispenser mounted on a robotic arm withdraws reagent from the reagent containers and deposits it into one of the mixing vials. Several reagents can be deposited into each vial. Mixing is undertaken by withdrawing the reagents in a vial and re-dispensing the reagent back into the vial. Mixing may take place between the operation of other tasks performed by the apparatus, and a scheduler is used to ensure blended reagent is provided before it is required in one of the processes undertaken on the apparatus. The apparatus is able to automatically identify which blended reagents are required and when they must be applied to provide an appropriate schedule that minimises time taken to stain samples.

Method and apparatus for fluid dispensation, preparation and dilution

A pipette nozzle is provided for use on a movable arm on an automated pipette machine. The pipette nozzle includes a body defining a passage therethrough. At least two seating surfaces are provided on the body, including a first seating surface and a second seating surface. The first seating surface is configured to receive and sealingly mate with a first size of pipette tip in a manner such that the first end of the passage is in fluid communication with the first size of pipette tip. The second seating surface is configured to receive and sealingly mate with a second size of pipette tip in a manner such that the first end of the passage is in fluid communication with the second size of pipette tip. The seating surfaces are frustoconical outer surfaces. The pipette nozzle may be further configured to sealingly mate with and removably receive a third pipette tip having a third diameter different from the first diameter and the second diameter. There is also provided an automated pipette machine which includes a tip ejector system and a moving carousel having a plurality of pipette receptacles.

Automated pipette machine

There is also provided an apparatus for use on an automated pipette machine for transmitting pressure changes produced by a pump on the machine to a pipette nozzle. The apparatus comprises a housing defining a chamber a first conduit and a second conduit. The first conduit extends into the chamber and has a first opening positioned in the chamber. The first conduit is fluidically connectible to the nozzle. The second conduit extends into the chamber and has a first opening positioned in the chamber. The second conduit is fluidically connectible to the pump. The first opening of the first conduit is positioned above the first opening of the second conduit. The chamber defines at least a selected volume between the height of the first opening of the first conduit and the height of the first opening of the second conduit.

A pipette nozzle is provided for use on a movable arm on an automated pipette machine. The pipette nozzle includes a body defining a passage therethrough and having at least two seating surfaces provided on the body. The first seating surface is configured to receive and sealingly mate with a first size of pipette tip in a manner such that the first end of the passage is in fluid communication with the first size of pipette tip. The second seating surface is configured to correspondingly receive, sealingly mate and provide passage first end fluid communication with a second size of pipette tip. There is also provided an automated pipette machine which includes a tip ejector system including an arm that is movable between a first position and a second position wherein in the first position the arm is positioned to engage the tip during movement of the nozzle along a selected path and to prevent movement of the tip along the selected path while permitting the nozzle to move along the selected path, so that the movement of the nozzle along the selected path causes the nozzle and the tip to disengage from each other, and wherein in the second position the arm is positioned to avoid engagement with the tip during movement of the nozzle.

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Richmond, Australia

Adam Donath