Automated microplate filling device and method

Abstract

An automated machine for filling a plurality of microplates. The automated machine includes at least one input stacking chamber for stacking empty microplates, at least one output stacking chamber for stacking filled microplates, and a microplate filling assembly disposed between the at least one input stacking chamber and the at least one output stacking chamber. The microplate filling assembly has a walking beam indexer, a lid lifter for lifting the lid off each microplate to permit the microplate to be filled, and after filling to replace the lid, and a fill mechanism in communication with a media source and positioned to fill the empty microplates after their lids have been lifted off. An automatic control unit is programmed to cause the walking beam indexer to move empty microplates from the at least one input stacking chamber, to cause the lid lifter to lift the lid off each microplate, to cause the fill mechanism to inject media from the media source into wells in the microplates, to cause the lid lifter to replace the lid after the media is injected, and to cause the walking beam indexer to move the microplates to the at least one output stacking chamber. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there are ten input stacking chambers and ten output stacking chambers and they are mounted on an input carousel and output carousel, respectively.