Modules for liquid handling applications

Abstract

To provide modules.SOLUTION: According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a module for liquid handling operations, the module comprising a housing element with a width, a height and a depth, where the housing element comprises: a back face; and a front face comprising two portions, where the first portion of the front face protrudes outwardly from the front face, and where the first portion of the front face has a width which is less than a width of the back face.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1A

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] A pipette is a handheld or automated medium delivery device used to deliver precisely defined volumes of liquid from one container to another. Liquid is aspirated into and delivered from a disposable tip attached to the bottom end of the pipette. The present disclosure relates to modules configured with beneficial dimensions to operate effectively on common laboratory consumables such as microwell plates.

[0002] In a laboratory or similar scientific or industrial environment, it is beneficial to have automated devices such as pipettes, for example for routine or very precise tasks. The automated pipette may be a multi-channel unit or may achieve similar performance with multiple single-channel modules, which may be arranged in different configurations.

[0003] The present disclosure relates to modules that can be used in liquid handling operations. Such modules can include pipetting mechanisms to facilitate liquid handling operations. The configuration of modules and devices described herein allows multiple modules to be arranged in a manner that improves the speed and flexibility of the liquid handling system as a whole.

[0004] The invention is defined by the features of the independent claims. Some particular embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a housing element having a width, a height, and a depth, the housing element including a back surface and a front surface having two portions, a first portion of the front surface protruding outwardly from the front surface, the first portion of the front surface having a width that is less than a width of the back surface; A liquid handling module is provided comprising:

[0006] In one embodiment of the first aspect, the width of the back surface is no greater than 18 millimeters, the width of the first portion is no greater than 9 millimeters, and the overall width of the module does not exceed 18 millimeters.

[0007] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a liquid handling device comprising at least one first module of the first aspect and at least one second module of the first aspect, wherein the first and second modules are arranged in a paired interlocked arrangement, wherein in the paired interlocked arrangement, the first portion of the front surface of the first module and the second portion of the front surface of the second module are opposed to, adjacent to and / or in contact with each other. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1A] 1 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary device 100 capable of supporting at least a portion of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 1B] 1 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary device 100 capable of supporting at least a portion of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 1C] 1 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary device 100 capable of supporting at least a portion of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 1D] 1 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary device 100 capable of supporting at least a portion of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2A] 1 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary housing 101 capable of supporting at least a portion of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2B] 1 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary housing 101 capable of supporting at least a portion of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2C] 1 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary housing 101 capable of supporting at least a portion of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2D]1 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary housing 101 capable of supporting at least a portion of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3A] 3 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary device 301 and an exemplary device 302 capable of supporting at least a portion of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3B] 3 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary device 301 and an exemplary device 302 capable of supporting at least a portion of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4A] 1 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary device 110 capable of supporting at least a portion of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4B] 1 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary device 110 capable of supporting at least a portion of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5A] 1 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary device 120 and bushing 125 capable of supporting at least a portion of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5B] 1 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary device 120 and bushing 125 capable of supporting at least a portion of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5C] 1 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary device 120 and bushing 125 capable of supporting at least a portion of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6A] 2 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary device 200 capable of supporting at least a portion of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6B] 2 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary device 200 capable of supporting at least a portion of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6C] 2 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary device 200 capable of supporting at least a portion of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6D] 2 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary device 200 capable of supporting at least a portion of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7A]2 shows schematic diagrams illustrating example devices 220, 230 and 240, respectively, capable of supporting at least some embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 7B] 2 shows schematic diagrams illustrating example devices 220, 230 and 240, respectively, capable of supporting at least some embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 7C] 2 shows schematic diagrams illustrating example devices 220, 230 and 240, respectively, capable of supporting at least some embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 8A] 7 shows a schematic diagram of an example apparatus 700 capable of supporting at least some of the embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 8B] 7 shows a schematic diagram of an example apparatus 700 capable of supporting at least some of the embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 9A] 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of an exemplary device 190 capable of supporting at least some of the embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 9B] 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of an exemplary device 190 capable of supporting at least some of the embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 9C] 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of an exemplary device 190 capable of supporting at least some of the embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 10A] 1 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary device 191 capable of supporting at least some of the embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 10B] 1 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary device 191 capable of supporting at least some of the embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 10C] 1 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary device 191 capable of supporting at least some of the embodiments of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] The present disclosure provides modules (which may also be referred to as modular units) for automated liquid handling operations. The shapes and dimensions of the modules are configured to allow multiple modules to be placed side-by-side in close proximity, allowing efficient liquid handling, for example when using microwell plates. Furthermore, at least some of the modules of the present disclosure are configured to provide optimal inter-tool distance between the modules. The modules, which may be automated modules, may include pipetting mechanisms or other laboratory equipment. Various types of modules are provided to perform liquid handling tasks.

[0010] Further, different types of module fixture bases are provided herein, said bases allowing flexible use of said modules, for example with at least one liquid handling device.

[0011] In the context of this disclosure, the term "pipette" is intended to refer to medium delivery and handling devices, such as micropipettes, used, for example, in chemical, biological, and medical applications. Such pipettes can utilize, for example, air displacement, positive displacement, or volumetric techniques.

[0012] The term tip (also called disposable tip) refers to a tool that is roughly conical in shape, open at a wide end, and designed to be attached to a pipette. Tips are used in pipettes to facilitate liquid handling operations. Tips are usually made of plastic (e.g., polypropylene), but may be made of other materials. When plastic is used as the tip material, it may contain carbon powder or other additives. Tip volumes vary, ranging, for example, from 10 microliters to 10 milliliters. However, in the context of the present disclosure, volumes larger or smaller than the above volumes may also be used.

[0013] In the context of this disclosure, reference is made to liquid handling processes, processes, operations, and the like. This is intended to refer to laboratory processes involving liquids, including, but not limited to, dispensing, transferring, detecting, increasing and / or decreasing, emitting, and volume of liquids in and out of containers such as microwell plates, bottles, dishes, etc.

[0014] The material of the parts, particularly the parts of the module and / or module fixing base, may be, for example, aluminum, iron, titanium, copper, steel, alloy steel, bearing steel, stainless steel, or any combination or alloy thereof. An exemplary material suitable for use in the context of the present disclosure is 6082-T6 aluminum, which may be anodized. Such materials are suitable for laboratory use and have a good strength-to-weight ratio. Furthermore, plastic may be used as the material of the parts. In at least some exemplary embodiments, the module and / or module fixing base may include non-metallic parts. For example, glass-filled plastic, carbon-filled plastic, or a robust plastic such as polyetheretherketone (PEEK) may be used. The advantage of not using metal is that it reduces the possibility of metal contamination in the laboratory.

[0015] In typical laboratory applications, laboratory supplies such as laboratory consumables are used. Laboratory consumables may include, for example, pipette tip packages, disposable pipette tip packages, microwell plates, bottle racks, test tube racks, any other laboratory equipment, or any package or collective arrangement of the aforementioned. In the embodiments presented in this disclosure, the size determination of the liquid handling system or laboratory device as well as the size determination of the object may preferably be performed according to the following standard: ANSI SLAS 1-2004 (previously recognized as ANSI / SBS 1-2004), but may be of other dimensions or shapes. The shape or footprint of the object may be rectangular, square, circular, oval, round, annular, T-shaped, X-shaped, or other geometric shapes.

[0016] In typical laboratory applications, at least one microtiter plate (also known as a microplate or microwell plate or multiwell) is used. As known in the art, typical plate sizes are 6, 12, 24, 48, 96, 384 or 1536 wells, with typical well sizes ranging from 10 nanoliters to 50 milliliters. A 384-well plate consists of 16 rows and 24 columns of wells, with a standard well-to-well distance of 4.5 millimeters. Similarly, a 96-well plate consists of 8 rows and 12 columns of wells, with a standard well-to-well distance of 9 millimeters. An exemplary microplate footprint is 127.76 millimeters by 85.47 millimeters.

[0017] The module may include a housing element 101 (sometimes simply referred to as a housing). The housing element comprises an interior and an exterior, where the exterior includes a number of surfaces. The housing element 101 has a beneficial shape, when viewed from above, such that a cross section of the element resembles a rectangle with a missing corner. In other words, the cross section appears similar to a rectangle with a protrusion extending from one side. In at least some embodiments, the width of the protrusion is smaller than the width of the rectangle, and one side of the protrusion is aligned with one side of the rectangle. The shape may be modified, such as by rounding the corners of the rectangle. The shape of the housing is shown in the attached figures, in particular in Figures 2C and 2D, where a cross section can be seen. The missing corners of the cross section may beneficially be sized to correspond to corresponding protrusions of other module housings, so that the modules may be arranged in interlocking pairs. Interlocking pairs are also known as interlocked pairs or interlocked paired configurations, and are further described below.

[0018] The modules of the present disclosure are configured to be attached to a variety of devices suitable for liquid handling. Exemplary liquid handling devices may be at least one of a manipulator, an XYZ gantry type robot, and an articulated robot arm. The attachment may be via any suitable attachment means, for example.

[0019] The housing element 101 may comprise one or more attachment means, such as a port (e.g., stud port 107 or stud port 109). The port may include at least one cavity. The port may comprise a locking means. The stud port 107 and the stud port 109 may be used to attach a stud to the housing. The stud is attached to the device, for example, via a modular fixing base, so that the housing is attached to the device. The stud inserted into the port may be attached to the housing via any of the following methods (e.g., the following locking means): friction, a push fit arrangement, magnetic force, mechanical fixing such as screwing or snapping into place, spring centering (wherein the attachment element is coupled to a spring in a configuration that limits the movement of the stud), or a bushing. For example, a push fit arrangement may include a bushing, such as bushing 125, configured to receive a stud, where the bushing is configured such that a frictional attachment is achieved when the stud is inserted into the bushing. The connection between the stud and the port may allow the housing to rotate about the stud. a port having a spring-loaded mounting element configured such that the mounting element does not impede the initial insertion of the stud, but after insertion the mounting element is forced into a position where the spring holds the stud in a desired position; may include.

[0020] The studs may be so-called long studs, for example having a length of 1 cm to 50 cm. The studs may also be so-called short studs, for example having a length of 0.5 cm to 5 cm. The studs may have a groove near one or both ends of the stud to facilitate the fixing (in other words the attachment) of the stud to the housing or to another element. Such a groove may for example provide a receptacle for the end of a screw. A suitable stud diameter is 3 mm to 20 mm, in particular 4 mm to 8 mm, for example 5 mm.

[0021] The port of the housing element 101 may additionally or alternatively be used to attach at least one pin, such as an alignment pin, to the housing. The alignment pin may be attached to the housing and configured to couple with a device. The alignment pin may be configured such that the housing element is rotatably fixed with respect to a stud attached to the device when the pin and the stud are coupled to the device. Although the housing may be rotatably fixed to the stud, rotation of the housing with respect to the stud is prevented since the housing cannot rotate around two separate points (stud and pin) on the same plane at the same time. In this way, a secure attachment can be created using at least one alignment pin and another fixing element (e.g., a stud) to attach the housing element to another device. Such an arrangement may be beneficial at least because the housing is rigidly attached to the stud and rotationally locked. Furthermore, this type of attachment allows the housing to be easily removed without tools, for example by moving the housing downwards off the stud. This is useful in liquid handling applications using robots, where the robot can replace the module by detaching the module from the stud, thereby retracting the stud from the housing and / or alignment pins from a fixed base, using appropriate fixtures to hold the module in place while the robot moves.

[0022] The alignment pin and the stud may be connected to the same side of the housing element, in particular, for example, the upper side. For example, the alignment pin may be fixedly attached to the top surface of the module. The alignment pin may be configured to connect to a port and / or socket of a device. The socket may have a cavity and may optionally include a mounting element and / or a spring. When the alignment pin is in the cavity of the socket, a mounting element of the socket may be in a groove of the pin. The mounting element may be connected to the spring such that it is configured to move into the groove when the pin is inserted into the cavity and to move out of the groove when the pin is pulled. The diameter of the alignment pin may be, for example, 4 mm at the base and 3 mm at the narrowest part of the groove. The alignment pin may have an hourglass-like shape. An example of an alignment pin is shown in FIG. 5A (pin 126).

[0023] The modules disclosed herein may include tooling (also called tools). This is intended to refer to a device that is at least partially within or connected to the housing and enables the module to perform a desired function. In other words, it refers to a part of a device that is used for operation by the module. A module may include multiple tools. For example, in a pipetting module, the tool is a pipetting mandrel, and in a sensing module, the sensor is the tool. When referring to inter-tool distance, the distance is from the center of the first tool to the center of the second tool, unless otherwise stated. The inter-tool distance between pipetting modules is particularly important because it is beneficial for the inter-tool distance to correspond to the well-to-well distance of a microwell plate format. The modules disclosed herein may also be said to be automated, where the control of the pipetting mechanism or other tools is at least partially performed by a controller, such as control electronics.

[0024] The modules disclosed herein may include a pipetting mechanism. The pipetting mechanism may include at least one of the following: a motor (e.g., an electric motor), an optional transmission, at least one lead screw, at least one linear guide, at least one slide assembly and locking hook, at least one cylinder and piston configured together to displace liquid, an ejector assembly including a locking tab, an ejector spring, control electronics, a tip mandrel, an ejector sleeve, a mandrel guide, and a tip cone (also called a nose cone). The pipetting mechanism may be actuated by piston-driven fluid displacement, e.g., piston-driven air displacement. At least one piston is connected to an electric motor and configured such that fluid is displaced when the piston is moved within a cylinder. The cylinder is connected to the tip mandrel, e.g., by a fluid line, such that fluid displacement occurs at least partially within the tip mandrel. The modules disclosed herein may be configured to dispense multiple times from a single aspiration, e.g., dispense 5 times of 100 microliters from an aspiration of 500 microliters. Such configuration can be handled by the control electronics of the module.

[0025] The pipetting mechanism may be within the module housing 101, or a portion of the mechanism may be outside the housing 101, or may extend from within the housing 101 to outside the housing 101. For example, the tip mandrel and tip cone are at least partially outside the housing in at least some embodiments described herein. An ejector sleeve may protrude from the housing and house the tip mandrel. The top end of the ejector sleeve may contact an ejector assembly within the housing.

[0026] The modules disclosed herein may include control electronics that enable generating, receiving, transmitting, and / or implementing control and diagnostic information with respect to module tooling or mechanisms. The modules may communicate via at least any of the communication methods disclosed below in this disclosure, the communication may be from a controller to at least one module, between modules, or from a user device to at least one module. The modules may be connected to each other in a serial, parallel, tree, or other suitable network topology. For example, the modules may be connected to each other via at least one communication network. The communication methods and / or communication networks may include, for example, the following: CANBUS, WiFi, Bluetooth, or Ethernet. The fixed base may include at least one device configured to provide and / or access at least one communication network. The fixed base may also communicate to and from at least one communication network, for example, via a fixed base controller.

[0027] A useful configuration of a pair of modules, for example module 100, is the so-called paired interlocking arrangement. In such an arrangement, a first module and a second module are arranged such that the protruding portion of each module is in contact with or in close proximity to the non-protruding portion (adjacent to the protruding portion) of the other module. The front faces of the modules face each other and are parallel to each other. FIG. 6C shows an example of an arrangement, in which six pairs of modules are arranged in the paired interlocking arrangement. That is, referring to FIG. 2C, the edge 101a of the first module is in contact with or in close proximity to the edge 101b of the second module. Furthermore, the edge 101a of the second module is in contact with or in close proximity to the edge 101b of the first module. FIGS. 3A and 3B show an exemplary interlocking arrangement of module pairs. Each module of a module pair may be fixed to the same base element, such as a base body. Each module of a module pair may be fixed to a separate base element or to a movable part of a single base element. Such an arrangement has the beneficial effect of allowing the modules to be moved relative to one another during liquid handling operations.

[0028] With regard to the paired interlocking arrangement, such a configuration is beneficial at least because the tooling distance (tool-to-tool, center-to-center) of the pipette is shorter than the width of the module. This is shown, for example, in Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B, where the center points of the tools are aligned and the distance between the center points of adjacent tools is shorter than the width (maximum width) of one module. In other words, the modules of the present disclosure are configured to obtain an optimal tool-to-tool distance without reducing the width of the module. The optimal distance corresponds to the well-to-well distance (well spacing) of a micro-well plate. A module width corresponding to the well-to-well spacing of the entire module would require modules with a wide range of heights and / or component sizes would be so small that the performance of the module would be compromised.

[0029] 1A-1D are schematic diagrams of an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, showing a module 100. In FIG.

[0030] In Figure 1A there is shown an isometric view of a module 100. Module 100, which is a pipetting module, includes a housing 101. In Figure 1B there is shown a second isometric view of module 100.

[0031] In FIG. 1C, a side view of the module 100 is shown. The module 100 has a body height z and an overall height h, as shown, including the tip mandrel and any attached tips. The body height includes only the height of the housing 101. The overall height h may be, for example, between 60 mm and 200 mm, preferably between 80 mm and 120 mm, for example, 106 mm. The body height z may be between 50 mm and 180 mm, preferably between 60 mm and 90 mm, for example, 72 mm.

[0032] In FIG. 1D, a top view of the module 100 is shown. The module 100 has a depth y between 30 mm and 60 mm, for example 40 mm. Furthermore, the module has a width x, which can be between 5 mm and 20 mm, for example 9 mm or 18 mm, for example with a tolerance of plus / minus 1 mm, in particular plus / minus 0.3 mm. A beneficial value of x is 18 mm. This results in a distance between the pipette tips of about 9 mm, which corresponds to the inter-well spacing of a typical 96-well microplate, when the modules are arranged in a preferred interlocking arrangement as described herein. In such an embodiment, the total width of a pair of modules does not exceed 18 mm. Thus, four pairs of pipetting modules, a total of eight modules, correspond to eight rows of a 96-well plate. Alternatively, six pairs of modules can be used to correspond to twelve columns of a 96-well plate. In this case, there is no need to backtrack or use one pipette module for multiple rows or columns, as may occur with devices of different configurations. This is beneficial for the process speed.

[0033] The pipetting modules 100, 120, 301, 302 may be configured in a first exemplary configuration such that the maximum dispensing volume of liquid is between 60 microliters and 125 microliters. A suitable tip is a 10 microliter tip or a 60-125 microliter tip. For example, tips such as 60, 75, 100, 120 and / or 125 microliters may be used. The dispensing volume is adjustable. A suitable dispensing volume is between 0.2 microliters and 125 microliters, in particular 5 microliters, 10 microliters, 60 microliters, 120 microliters. For example, a 100 microliter tip or a 125 microliter tip may be used to dispense 10 microliters. For example, a 10 microliter tip may be used to dispense 10 microliters.

[0034] The module 100 may be configured in a second exemplary configuration such that the maximum dispensing volume of liquid is between 60 microliters and 1200 microliters, for example between 1000 microliters and 1200 microliters. A suitable tip is a 1000 microliter tip or a 300 microliter tip. The dispensing volume is adjustable. A suitable dispensing volume is between 4 microliters and 1200 microliters, in particular 5 microliters, 10 microliters, 15 microliters, 20 microliters, 300 microliters, 1000 microliters, 1200 microliters. For example, a 1000 microliter tip can be used to dispense 1000 microliters. For example, a 300 microliter tip can be used to dispense 300 microliters.

[0035] 2A-2D show schematic diagrams of an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. An exemplary module 100 is shown in the figures, and is shown without tooling for clarity. As shown in FIG. 2A, which is a side view of the module 100, the module 100 comprises a housing 101, which optionally has a heat dissipation groove 105. The heat dissipation groove is preferably provided in the back surface 104 of the module, but may optionally be provided on other surfaces as well. As further shown in FIG. 2B, which is an isometric view of the module 100, the module 100 has a back surface 104 and a front surface, the front surface having a first portion 102A and a second portion 102B.

[0036] The module 100 is advantageously formed such that the first portion 102A protrudes further from the module housing 101 than the second portion 102B. The protrusion formed at the face 102A is preferably integral with the remaining part of the housing 101, although it may alternatively be a separate removable part. The protrusion is preferably arranged such that one side of the protrusion is continuous or coplanar with a side of the housing 101. In other words, the protrusion is aligned with the side such that the side continues along the entire protrusion. The other side of the protrusion is a surface that separates the portions 102A and 102B. The dimensions of the housing 101 preferably follow the advantageous dimensions defined elsewhere in this disclosure. For example, the housing 100 may be configured such that the width of the first portion (102A) of the front face is less than or equal to half the width of the rear face (104), whereby a paired interlocking configuration is feasible.

[0037] As further shown in Fig. 2C, which is a top view of module 100, the protrusion formed by face 102A can also be defined as follows: the front face of housing 101 has cross-sectional edge 101a and cross-sectional edge 101b connected by edge 101c. Thus, the width of face 102A corresponds to the length of edge 101a, and the width of face 102B corresponds to the length of edge 101b. Edge 101c defines the extent or depth of the protrusion. Fig. 2C shows a face of the housing element that may be referred to as the top face.

[0038] With reference to the dimensions x and y given above in this disclosure, it can be seen that in an exemplary embodiment where the width of the module 100 is 18 millimeters, the length of the edges 101a and 101b is about 9 millimeters, and the length of the edge 101c is 10 millimeters. When two such modules are arranged in an interlocking configuration, such as that shown in FIG. 3A or FIG. 6C, the protrusions of the modules fit side by side in the x direction, so that the total depth (in the y direction) of the pair of modules is about 68 millimeters, which is less than twice the depth of the modules in the y direction. Such a configuration is beneficial because it reduces the space occupied by the pair of modules. Furthermore, in an exemplary embodiment, the length of the edge 101c can be 5 to 25 millimeters, preferably 18 to 15 millimeters. Such a change necessarily changes the overall depth of the pair of modules.

[0039] The housing 101 also comprises at least one port, which may be used for interfaces, power transfer, liquid transfer, data transfer, indicators, mechanical connectors, which for reasons of clarity have been omitted in at least some of the drawings presented herein.

[0040] 2C, port 107A may be a socket configured to receive a stud (e.g., a short or long stud as described above and / or stud 211 as described below). Port 108A may include a communication port. Port 109A may include a port configured to receive an alignment pin.

[0041] As further shown in FIG. 2D, which is a bottom view of module 100, module 100 may include port 109B similar to port 109A described above. Additionally, the module may include port 108B similar to port 108A. Port 107B may be a port for tooling (e.g., through which the tip mandrel extends from within the housing, e.g., through an ejector sleeve connected to port 107B). As shown in FIG. 2D, a tooling port (107B) is in the area of ​​the protrusion. In other words, the protrusion accommodates the tooling port of the module. FIG. 2D shows a face of a housing element that may be called a bottom face.

[0042] The housing 101, any of its surfaces, particularly the bottom and / or top surfaces of the housing 101, may be adapted to accommodate different functions within the housing. Such adaptation may include providing a required number of ports with appropriate dimensions.

[0043] 3A and 3B show schematic diagrams of a paired interlocking arrangement of modules 301 and 302. Modules 301 and 302 may be similar or identical to modules 100 or 110, for example.

[0044] 3A is a top view of module 301 and module 302. In FIG. 3A, it can be seen that the modules are arranged such that their tool center points lie on the same imaginary axis. In FIG. 3A, the imaginary axis is shown by a dotted line. As can be seen, the imaginary axis is essentially horizontal, and the tool center points are aligned such that they are perpendicular to the sides of the modules. In other words, when multiple pairs of modules are arranged side by side as in FIG. 3A, such an arrangement allows the tool center points of all the modules to be aligned along a single axis.

[0045] 3A, the combined width w of the paired modules is no greater than the width of a single module 301 or module 302. This is beneficial for at least the reasons described elsewhere in this disclosure.

[0046] FIG. 3B is a partial enlarged view of FIG. 3A, where the details of the tool center points can be seen. The inter-tool distance t is marked relative to the figure. As can be seen from this figure, there may be a small gap between modules 301 and 302, either vertically (with respect to this figure) or horizontally. Such a gap may be between 0.1 mm and 2 mm, for example less than 1 mm, in particular 0.3 mm, with a tolerance of plus / minus 0.1 mm. However, in some useful configurations, the modules contact each other in at least one or both of the horizontal and vertical dimensions. That is, with reference to FIG. 2D, at least one of the following may be true: face 101a of module 301 contacts face 101b of module 302, face 101b of module 301 contacts face 101a of module 302, and / or face 101c of module 301 and face 101c of module 302 contact each other.

[0047] 4A and 4B show schematic diagrams of an exemplary embodiment in which a sensor module 110 is provided utilizing a housing 101 with a modified bottom surface. The sensor module 110 is similar to the module 110, except that the bottom plate of the housing 101 is adapted to accommodate a sensing unit 111, as shown in the bottom view of FIG. 4A. As shown in FIG. 4B, the sensing unit 111 extends from within the housing. The sensing unit 111 includes a sensor unit, which is visible in the figure, and control electronics, which are not visible in the figure because they are within the housing 101. In a preferred embodiment, the sensing unit 111 may be an imaging unit and may include a lens.

[0048] Preferred sensors suitable for use with and / or within any of the modules disclosed herein, such as module 110, include sensors for at least one of photography, pressure sensing, thermal imaging, hyperspectral imaging, LIDAR sensing, capacitive sensing, inductive sensing, and / or ultrasonic sensing.

[0049] 5A, 5B, and 5C are isometric schematic views of a pipetting module 120 and a bushing 125. The pipette module 120 includes a housing 101, a mandrel 121, an ejector sleeve 122, and a pipette mechanism 123. A registration pin 126 is attached to the housing 101. Suitable dimensions and configurations of the registration pin 126 are any suitable dimensions and configurations, including those configurations and dimensions of registration pins disclosed elsewhere in this disclosure. The module 120 also includes a side cover, which is removed in FIG. 5A to show the mechanism 123. The mechanism 123 is disposed within the housing 101. The mechanism 123 may include any of the components described above with respect to the pipetting mechanism. As can be seen, the mandrel 121 extends from within the body 101. The mandrel 121 is movably disposed within the ejector sleeve 122, which is attached to the housing 101. A tip (not shown) may be attached to the mandrel 121 for liquid handling operations. Removal of the tip may be accomplished by retracting the mandrel 121 so that the tip contacts the ejector sleeve 122 and disengages from the mandrel. The side covers may be secured to the housing by any suitable fastening means, including those disclosed within this disclosure, in particular screws and / or magnets. Additionally, any of the surfaces of the housing 101, in particular the bottom and top surfaces, may be provided with a removable cover. Such a cover may form part or the entire surface. Such a cover is beneficial as different covers may provide different ports, allowing the housing to be adapted for different applications.

[0050] FIG. 5B shows the module 120 with the side cover in place. Additionally, FIG. 5B is a partial view of a stud mechanism 124 comprising a stud and a horizontal support element. The horizontal stud element extends horizontally and comprises a port. The port is not visible in the figure as it is located on the underside of the horizontal stud element. The port may be configured to receive an alignment pin, for example an alignment pin of the module 120. The stud of the stud mechanism may be configured to be inserted into the port of the module 120. When the alignment pin is inserted into the port of the horizontal stud element and the stud is inserted into the port of the module, a robust attachment is achieved as described above. The top end of the centering and friction mounting bushing 125 is shown in the port of the module in FIG. 5B (most of the bushing 125 is hidden by the module).

[0051] FIG. 5C shows an isometric schematic view of centering and friction mounting bushing 125. Bushing 125 includes a bushing cavity seen on the right side of the figure. Any of the modules disclosed herein may include bushing 125. A bushing such as bushing 125 may be disposed within housing 101, for example, in the upper side of the housing (see FIG. 5B). A bushing within a housing may be configured such that a stud can be inserted into the cavity of the bushing, for example, the bushing may be disposed concentrically with a port, such as stud port 107A. For example, referring to FIG. 5B, a bushing may be disposed within a housing such that a stud of stud mechanism 124 enters the cavity of the bushing. When the stud is inserted into the bushing cavity, the outer periphery of the stud contacts the wall of the bushing, thereby achieving a friction fit. The bushing may be disposed such that the bushing, the mandrel, and the stud are disposed concentrically, i.e., share the same center point when viewed from above. This has the advantage that the force from the stud is aligned with the center point of the tool (the center point of the mandrel). Furthermore, the bushing can be configured to act as a shock absorbing element between the housing and the stud. This can be achieved by the bushing extending into the housing such that the narrow part of the bushing (left side of the figure) contacts the interior of the housing and / or other components such as a spring. For example, if one end of the bushing contacts the stud and the other end contacts a spring located in and / or contacting the housing, the spring and / or the bushing will deflect when a force is applied through the stud. Suitable materials for the bushing are at least one of polyoxymethylene, polyethylene, and ABS.

[0052] 6A-6D show schematic diagrams of an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, in which a module fixing base 200 can be used to position and manipulate multiple modules 120. As shown in FIG.

[0053] As seen in FIG. 6A, the module fixing base 200 includes a body 201 , a module fixing base mounting portion 202 , an indicator 203 , and at least one stud mounting portion 211 .

[0054] The body 201 has a rigid structure capable of supporting the other components of the modular mounting base. Preferred materials include those previously described within this disclosure.

[0055] Mounting portion 202 is configured such that the modular fixturing base 200 can be attached to a manipulator, such as a pipette handling robot or an automated or computer-controlled multi-axis router. The mounting portion 202 may be mechanically simple, as illustrated in Figures 6A-6D. Alternatively, mounting portion 202 may be adapted to fit a handling device, such as to mate with end-of-arm tooling of an industrial robot.

[0056] Optional indicators 203 on the base 200 are used to communicate user interface information regarding the base 200 and the modules 100. The indicators 203 may include at least one of a status light, a video screen, and an LCD screen. The indicators 203 may be configured to display status lights (e.g., red, yellow, and / or green) for each connected module 100, may display text information such as "Module 6 Error," or may be configured to toggle between the aforementioned configurations. The indicators 203 may be present on only one side of the base 200 as shown, or may be present on two or more sides, including the top side of the base.

[0057] Stud attachment 211 is representative of a plurality of stud attachments including studs 211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216, 217, 218, 219, 220, 221, and 222. The stud(s) may have grooves usable to attach the module to a housing, as described elsewhere in this disclosure. The number of stud attachments may vary, as described elsewhere in this disclosure. The module fixation base may include attachment means for studs 211-222, such as at least one of a fixation port, a nut, and a bolt. For clarity, the attachment means have been omitted from the figures. The studs may be secured to the base via any suitable means for securing the studs, including those described elsewhere in this disclosure.

[0058] The configuration of the base 200 allows for several different configurations of the base. For example, the base may have a total of 1-200, in particular 6-36, e.g. 6, 12, 18, 24, 36, fixation ports for studs. The base may also include extra fixation ports compared to the number of modules. For example, the base may have 1-5 fixation ports per module. Having multiple fixation ports has the advantage that studs can be arranged for different module configurations and different numbers of modules.

[0059] In FIG. 6B, the base module 200 is viewed from below (away from the mounting portion 202). A number of studs 211 are shown similarly to FIG. 6A. In an exemplary embodiment, the base body 201 may have at least one cavity, such as a through hole. Such a cavity may be provided on any surface of the base body 201 and is useful for passing cables, such as power cables, liquid cables or communication cables, through the body 201. The at least one cavity is omitted in FIGS. 6A-6D for clarity. Additionally, the base body 201 may beneficially comprise channels formed in or attached to the body 201, such as pneumatic channels or liquid channels (e.g. for media used in liquid handling operations).

[0060] As seen in FIG. 6B, the base body 201 may include multiple ports, such as port 230. Port(s) 230 are configured to receive a housing-mounted alignment pin (such as alignment pin 126). The base may include a total of 1-200 fixed ports for alignment pins, specifically 6-36 ports, such as 6, 12, 18, 24, 36 ports. The base may include an equal number of ports for studs and ports for pins.

[0061] In FIG. 6C, the base 200 is viewed from below. A number of modules 120 are attached to the base. More specifically, six pairs of interlocked modules are attached to the base, for a total of 12 modules. The modules 120 are independent of each other, i.e., they can be individually attached and detached from the base. As can be seen, the modules 120 are arranged in a beneficial paired interlocking configuration. Each of the modules 120 is a pipette module and therefore has a pipette mandrel 121. Instead of / in addition to one or more pipetting modules, a sensor module, such as module 110, may also be used. In that case, a sensing unit 111 may be placed in place of the mandrel 121. Due to the use of the paired interlocking configuration, the mandrel 121 and / or the sensing unit 111 (module tool) of the module 100 are arranged in a row, similar to FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B. Additionally, the inter-tool distance is optimized for use with microwell plates, e.g., for 96 well plates, the inter-tool distance (center-to-center) can be approximately 9 millimeters, as discussed above.

[0062] In Fig. 6D, a perspective view of a base is shown with a number of modules 100 attached to said base. It can be seen that the modules are arranged in the figure to provide a compact package suitable for, for example, rapid robotic transport.

[0063] It should be noted that the interlocking configuration shown in Figures 3A, 3B and 6C is not essential in the use of the modules, but is very beneficial. In a situation where the width of the modules is 18 millimeters and a 96-well plate (with eight rows) is used, it is possible to mount eight modules side-by-side, corresponding to the rows of the well plate, with each module mounted separately (none of the modules have an interlocking pairing configuration with respect to each other). This has the effect of increasing the processing speed, since each module corresponds to one row. As a variation of such a situation, it is also possible to fix eight pipetting modules side-by-side to a fixed base, and to interlock one or more of the modules with a sensing module, such as an imaging module, so that the pipetting process can utilize sensing data during the process without the need for reconfiguration or additional tools.

[0064] 7A-7C are schematic diagrams of an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure showing base 220, base 230, and base 240 from below. The bases are similar to base 200 and are adapted to hold different numbers and / or arrangements of modules 120 and / or modules 110. In other words, base 220, base 230, and base 240 are configured to have an appropriate number of studs extending from the base body to accommodate a desired number of modules.

[0065] 8A and 8B show schematic diagrams of a tray-type module fixing base 700. The tray-type module fixing base holds at least one module 120 from below the module. In other words, the module 120 is placed on a tray-type module fixing base body 701. The tray-type module fixing base body 701 includes holes 710 in the form of through holes so that module tooling, such as mandrels 121 and / or sensors, e.g. optical devices, can pass through the base body. Thus, the tooling is available for liquid handling operations performed below the tray-type module fixing base 700.

[0066] The tray-type modular fixture base 700 may comprise an attachment means 702, as shown in Fig. 8A. The attachment 702 may be used to attach said modular fixture base to a manipulator, such as a robot, e.g. a liquid handling robot, or an automated or computer controlled multi-axis router. The attachment 702 may be mechanically simple, as exemplarily disclosed in Fig. 8A, or may be adapted to fit the handling device. For example, it may be suitable for coupling to the end tooling of an industrial robot arm.

[0067] FIG. 8B shows a top view of the tray-type module fastening base 700 without any modules present. Some details of the mounting portion 702 are omitted for clarity. As shown, the base body 701 is provided with a number of ports, e.g., fastening ports 711. The ports 711 are provided near the holes 710. The ports 711 may be configured to receive studs and / or alignment pins. The studs and / or pins may be fastened to the base body 701 by the stud fastening methods described above. The base may include extraneous fastening ports, which has the beneficial effect of allowing the studs to be repositioned for different module configurations and / or different numbers of modules.

[0068] Alternatively or additionally, the tray-type module fixing base 700 may have one or more recesses in the body 701 that are configured to hold the modules and / or studs and / or pins protruding from the modules. The recesses are not shown in FIG. 8B but are machined into the top surface of the body 701 to provide a reasonably tight fit when the modules are placed into their respective recesses.

[0069] An advantage of using the tray-type module fixing base 700 or the module fixing base 200 is that the entire base including the attached modules can be tilted or otherwise manipulated at once because the modules are rigidly attached to the base.

[0070] 9A-9C show schematic diagrams of an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, where module 190 is shown in isometric view, viewed from above, and mounted on a fixed base, respectively. Module 190 is an 8-channel pipetting module. Each channel may have its own cylinder or the channels may share a cylinder. Module 190 includes a pipetting mechanism, e.g., a mechanism similar to mechanism 123.

[0071] The module 190 has the footprint, or cross-sectional area, of a 2x2 module 120. In other words, the module 190 requires the same space as two interlocked pairs of modules 120 (four modules 120 total). The module 190 may be used with any suitable fixture, including a module fixing base. The module 190 includes a housing configured to be mounted similarly to the housing 101. The locations of components (e.g., alignment pins and / or stud ports) on the housing of the module 190 may correspond to the locations of said components on the housing 101. In other words, the housing of the module 190 may be configured such that the module 190 is mountable to a fixture instead of or in addition to a module with the housing 101. For example, two pairs of modules 120 may be replaced with the module 190. The module 190 may be used in combination with other modules without affecting the other modules or having to reconfigure the base fixture.

[0072] FIG. 9C shows a fixed base 260 similar to base 200 and the arranged modules from below. FIG. 9C is equivalent to FIG. 7A with ten pairs of interlocked modules 120 (20 modules 120 in total). In FIG. 9C, the first and last two pairs of modules 120 have been replaced with a module 190, as compared to FIG. 7A. Thus, as shown, for example, when using any of the module fixed bases described herein, two adjacent pairs of modules 120 can be replaced with one module 190.

[0073] The module 190 may be configured in a first exemplary configuration such that the module 190 includes a maximum dispensing volume of 60 microliters to 125 microliters of liquid per channel. A suitable tip is a 10 microliter tip or a 60-125 microliter tip. The dispensing volume is adjustable. Suitable dispensing volumes for each channel are 0.2 microliters to 120 microliters, in particular 5 microliters, 10 microliters, 60 microliters. For example, a 100 microliter tip or a 125 microliter tip can be used to dispense 100 microliters from each channel. For example, a 10 microliter tip can be used to dispense 10 microliters from each channel.

[0074] The module 190 may be configured in a second exemplary configuration such that the module 190 includes a maximum dispensing volume of liquid between 60 microliters and 1200 microliters per channel, for example between 1000 microliters and 1200 microliters. A suitable tip is a 1000 microliter tip or a 300 microliter tip. The dispensing volume is adjustable. Suitable dispensing volumes for each channel are between 4 microliters and 1200 microliters, in particular 5 microliters, 10 microliters, 15 microliters, 20 microliters, 300 microliters, 1000 microliters, 1200 microliters. For example, a 1000 microliter tip can be used to dispense 1000 microliters from each channel. For example, a 300 microliter tip can be used to dispense 300 microliters from each channel.

[0075] 10A-10C show schematic diagrams of an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, with module 191 shown in isometric view, viewed from above, and mounted on a fixed base, respectively. Module 191 is a single channel pipetting module. Module 191 may have a dispense volume of 1000 μl to 8000 μl, e.g., 5000 μl. Module 191 includes a pipetting mechanism, e.g., a mechanism similar to mechanism 123.

[0076] The module 191 has the footprint, or cross-sectional area, of a 1x2 module 120. In other words, the module 191 requires the same space as a pair of interlocked modules 120 (two modules 120 total). The module 191 may be used with any suitable fixture, including a module fixing base. The module 191 comprises a housing configured to be mounted similarly to the housing 101. The locations of the components (e.g., alignment pins and / or stud ports) on the housing of the module 191 may correspond to the locations of said components on the housing 101. In other words, the housing of the module 191 may be configured such that the module 191 is mountable to a fixture instead of or in addition to a module with the housing 101. For example, two pairs of modules 120 may be replaced with the module 191. The module 191 may be used in combination with other modules without affecting the other modules or reconfiguring the base fixture.

[0077] FIG. 10C shows a fixed base 280 similar to base 200 and the arranged modules from below. FIG. 10C is equivalent to FIG. 7A and includes ten pairs of interlocked modules 120 (a total of twenty modules 120). Compared to FIG. 7A, in FIG. 10C, the second and eighth pairs of modules 120 are replaced with modules 191. Furthermore, the last two pairs of modules 120 are replaced with modules 190. Thus, as shown by the figure, for example, when using any of the module fixed bases described herein, any interlocked pair of modules 120 can be replaced with a single module 191.

[0078] The module 191 may be configured in a first exemplary configuration such that the module 191 configures a maximum dispensing volume of liquid to be between 50 microliters and 5000 microliters, in particular between 1000 microliters and 5000 microliters. A suitable tip is a 1000 microliter tip or a 5000 microliter tip. The dispensing volume is adjustable. A suitable dispensing volume is between 50 microliters and 6000 microliters, in particular between 100 microliters, 200 microliters, 1000 microliters, 1200 microliters, 5000 microliters. For example, a 1000 microliter tip can be used to dispense 1000 microliters. For example, a 5000 microliter tip can be used to dispense 5000 microliters.

[0079] Some advantages and benefits of the presently disclosed embodiments are as follows: The modular structure allows the user to select the number of modules depending on the application. For example, the user can use 8 modules for an operation utilizing 96-well plates and 16 modules for an operation utilizing 384-well plates. As mentioned above, it is not necessary that all modules are in an interlocked pair configuration in all situations. Furthermore, various types of modules, e.g., modules 100, 110, 120, 190, 191, can be used interchangeably in connection with a common fixed base, e.g., bases 200, 260, 280, 700, as shown for example in FIG. 9C. The attachment means described herein, e.g., studs and / or alignment pins that allow the modules to be pulled away from the base, allow for rapid replacement of modules.

[0080] A further advantage is that at least some of the modules and bases disclosed herein can be used to provide a compact solution while maintaining high performance. When the module(s) and base are mounted on a handling device such as a manipulator, the compact size minimizes the effect of torque on the manipulator, thereby improving precision.

[0081] With regard to the control electronics (also known as controller), the control electronics that control the modules may be included in the module, in the fixed base, in the manipulator, or in an external computer. Furthermore, the fixed base may include a fixed base controller, which may be configured to control at least one of the fixed base and the module. The control electronics may include at least some of the following: a port, a wired communication interface, a wireless communication interface, a battery, and a processor. One type of controller may include at least one computing device, such as a user device, a server, a node, or a cloud computing device. The controller and / or computing device may include a processor, which may include, for example, a single-core processor or a multi-core processor, where a single-core processor includes one processing core and a multi-core processor includes multiple processing cores. The processor may include multiple processors. The processing core may include, for example, a Cortex-A8 processing core manufactured by ARM Holdings, or a Steamroller processing core manufactured by Advanced Micro Devices Corporation. The processor may include, for example, at least one Qualcomm Snapdragon and / or Intel Core processor. The processor may include at least one application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The processor may include at least one field programmable gate array (FPGA). The processor may be a means for performing method steps in a computing device. The processor may be configured to perform actions, at least in part, by computer instructions.

[0082] In the context of the present disclosure, it is understood that the controller may include multiple devices, e.g., modules, that work together. The devices may be interfaced through a network that is used to facilitate communication between the controller, modules (e.g., imaging module, pipette module, etc.), liquid handling devices, measurement devices, manipulators, motors, gantries, and other elements. Network technologies that can be used include, for example, CANBUS, wireless local area networks, RS-485, WLAN, Ethernet, Universal Serial Bus, USB, and / or global interoperability for microwave access, WiMAX, standards, and satellite communication methods, direct wiring such as electrical wires, etc. Alternatively or additionally, proprietary communication frameworks may be utilized. In some embodiments, separate networks may be used for one or more purposes, such as communication between modules, communication between the controller and modules, communication between the controller and manipulators, etc.

[0083] The controller and / or user device may be at least one of a personal computer, a server, a mobile phone, a smart phone, a tablet device, or any type of suitable electronic device.

[0084] This disclosure may also be utilized under the following provisions.

[0085] Clause 1. A module for liquid handling operations, the module comprising a housing element, the housing element having a protrusion on a front surface of the housing element, the protrusion having a width less than half the overall width of the housing element.

[0086] Clause 2. The module described in clause 1, wherein the housing element has a back surface and a front surface including two portions, and the protrusion is formed by a first portion of the front surface protruding outward from the front surface, and the first portion of the front surface has a width smaller than a width of the back surface.

[0087] Clause 3. A pair of liquid handling modules comprising a first module and a second module, the first module and the second module having a front surface having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion protruding outwardly from the front surface and having a width that is less than half the width of the front surface, the first module and the second module are configured to be arranged in an interlocking configuration by orienting the first portion of the first module facing the second portion of the second module and the second portion of the first module facing the first portion of the second module, and the front surface of the first module and the front surface of the second module are parallel to each other.

[0088] Clause 4. A liquid handling module comprising a housing, a pipetting mechanism and at least one pipette mandrel suitable for pipette tips, said housing comprising at least one port configured to receive a fixing stud, said module comprising 2 to 12 pipette mandrels, in particular 8 pipette mandrels.

[0089] Clause 5. A liquid handling module comprising a housing, a pipetting mechanism and at least one pipette mandrel suitable for pipette tips, said housing comprising at least one port configured to receive a fixing stud, said module configured to have an adjustable dispense volume between 100 microliters and 6000 microliters, for example 100 microliters, 200 microliters, 500 microliters, 1000 microliters, 1200 microliters, 5000 microliters, in particular 1000 microliters or 5000 microliters.

[0090] Clause 6. A liquid handling module comprising a housing, a pipetting mechanism and at least one pipette mandrel suitable for a pipette tip, said housing comprising at least one port configured to receive a fixing stud, said module configured to have an adjustable dispense volume between 4 microliters and 1200 microliters, for example 5 microliters, 10 microliters, 15 microliters, 20 microliters, 300 microliters, 1000 microliters, 1200 microliters, in particular 1000 microliters or 300 microliters.

[0091] Clause 7. The module of clause 6, wherein the housing includes a back surface and a front surface having two portions, a first portion of the front surface protruding outwardly from the front surface to form a protrusion, and the first portion of the front surface has a width that is smaller than a width of the back surface.

[0092] Clause 8. The module according to clause 6, wherein the module comprises 2 to 12 pipette mandrels, in particular 8 pipette mandrels.

[0093] It is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments of the invention are not limited to the particular structures, process steps, or materials disclosed herein, but extend to equivalents thereof as will be recognized by those skilled in the relevant arts. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is used only for the purpose of describing particular embodiments, and is not intended to be limiting.

[0094] Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, although the phrase "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" is used in various places throughout this specification, it does not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment. For example, when referring to a numerical value using terms such as about, substantially, etc., the exact numerical value is also disclosed.

[0095] In this specification, for convenience, a plurality of items, structural elements, components, and / or materials may be presented together in a list. However, these lists should be construed as independently identifying each member thereof as a separate and unique element. Thus, any individual member of such a list should not be construed as a de facto equivalent of other members in the same list merely based on being presented in the same group, unless otherwise indicated. Furthermore, various embodiments and examples of the invention may be referenced herein along with alternatives for the various components thereof. It is understood that such embodiments, examples, and alternatives should not be construed as de facto equivalents of each other, but should be considered as separate and independent manifestations of the invention.

[0096] Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In this description, numerous specific details are set forth, such as examples of lengths, widths, shapes, etc., to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations have not been shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.

[0097] While the foregoing examples are illustrative of the principles of the present invention in one or more particular applications, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many changes in the embodiment, use and details can be made without the exercise of the inventive faculty and without departing from the principles and concepts of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is not intended to be limited except as by the claims set forth below.

[0098] In this specification, the verbs "to comprise" and "to include" are used as open limitations that do not exclude or require the presence of unrecited features. Features recited in the dependent claims may be freely combined with one another unless otherwise stated. Furthermore, the use of "a" or "an", i.e., the singular, throughout this specification is to be understood as not excluding a plurality. [Industrial Applicability]

[0099] At least some embodiments of the present invention have industrial applicability, for example, in liquid handling applications in laboratory environments. [Explanation of symbols]

[0100] 100, 301, 302 Modules z Module housing height h Height of the module including mandrel and chip x Module width y Module depth t Tool Distance 101 Housing Elements 101a Width of housing protrusion 101b Housing width minus protrusion 101c Length of housing protrusion 102A Housing protrusion front 102B Housing front (remaining sides) 104 Housing back 105 Heat dissipation groove 107A Stud port 107B Tooling port (Mandrel exit port) 108A, 108B interface ports 109A, 109B Stud Port 110 Sensor Module 111 Sensing unit 120, 190, 191 Pipetting Module 121 Pipetting Mandrel 122 Ejector sleeve 123 Pipetting Mechanism 124 Stud mechanism 125 Bushing 126 Alignment pin 200, 220, 230, 240, 260, 280 Module Fixing Base 201 Module fixing base body 202 Module fixing base mounting part 203 Module fixing base indicator 211 Module fixing base stud 212~222 Module fixing base stud 225 module fixed base port 700 Tray type module fixing base 701 Tray type module fixing base body 702 Tray type module fixing base mounting part 710 Tray type module fixing base hole 711 Tray type module fixed base port

Claims

1. A module (100, 110, 120, 301, 302) for liquid handling operations, said module (100, 110, 120) comprising: A housing element (101) having a width, a height and a depth; Equipped with wherein said housing element (101) comprises a rear surface (104) and a front surface having a first portion (102A) and a second portion (102B); the first portion (102A) of the front surface projects outwardly from the front surface; A module (100, 110, 120, 301, 302), wherein the first portion (102A) of the front surface has a width that is smaller than a width of the back surface (104).

2. 2. The module (100, 110, 120, 301, 302) of claim 1, wherein the width of the first portion (102A) of the front surface is less than or equal to half the width of the back surface (104).

3. 3. The module (100, 110, 120, 301, 302) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the width of the rear surface (104) does not exceed 18 millimeters, the width of the first portion (102A) of the front surface does not exceed 9 millimeters, and the width of the module does not exceed 18 millimeters.

4. The module (100, 120, 301, 302) A pipetting mechanism (123) disposed within the housing element (101), the pipetting mechanism (123) comprising: at least one electric motor; at least one piston connected to the electric motor and configured to displace fluid when the piston is moved within a cylinder; At least one pipette mandrel (121), said pipette mandrel (121) extending at least partially outside said housing element (101); a pipetting mechanism (123) comprising:

4. A module (100, 120, 301, 302) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the pipette mandrel (121) extends through a port (107B), the port being within a protrusion formed on the front surface (102A).

5. The module (100, 120, 301, 302, 110) of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of a sensing unit (111), such as an imaging unit.

6. The housing element (101) has, on at least one of the top and bottom surfaces of the housing element (101), At least one cavity (107A, 107B, 108A, 108B, 109A, 109B), Further equipped with The at least one cavity (107A, 107B, 109A, 109B) locking means (125) configured to attach studs (211-222) inserted in said cavities (107A, 107B, 109A, 109B) to said housing element (101); 6. The module of claim 1 , comprising: a locking means, the locking means being preferably at least one of a bushing, a push-fit arrangement, or a spring centering arrangement.

7. The housing element (101) at least one alignment pin (126) attached to at least one of said top surface or said bottom surface; The module of claim 1 , further comprising:

8. The housing element comprises: at least one port for at least one of communication and power transmission; The module according to claim 1 , comprising:

9. The housing element comprises: a heat dissipation groove (105) formed on at least a portion of at least one face or surface; The module according to claim 1 , comprising:

10. 1. A liquid handling device comprising: At least one first module (100, 110, 120, 301, 302) according to any one of claims 1 to 9; At least one second module (100, 110, 120, 301, 302) according to any one of claims 1 to 9; Equipped with wherein said first module (100, 110, 120, 301, 302) and said second module (100, 110, 120, 301, 302) are arranged in a paired interlocking arrangement; A liquid handling device, wherein in the paired interlocking arrangement, the first portion (102A) of the front surface of the first module (100, 110, 120, 301, 302) and the second portion (102B) of the front surface of the second module (100, 110, 120, 301, 302) face, are adjacent to, and / or contact, each other.

11. 11. The liquid handling device of claim 10, wherein a combined width of the paired interlocking arrangements of the first module (100, 110, 120, 301, 302) and the second module (100, 110, 120, 301, 302) does not exceed 18 millimeters.

12. At least one of the first module (100, 110, 120, 301, 302) or the second module (100, 110, 120, 301, 302) A pipetting mechanism (123) disposed within the housing element (101), the pipetting mechanism (123) comprising: at least one electric motor; at least one piston connected to the electric motor and configured to displace fluid when the piston is moved within a cylinder; a pipetting mechanism (123), at least one pipette mandrel (121) connected to said cylinder, said pipette mandrel (121) extending at least partially outside said housing element (100); 12. A liquid handling device according to claim 10 or 11, comprising:

13. 13. A liquid handling device according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the device comprises a third module (191), the third module comprising a housing, a pipetting mechanism and at least one pipette mandrel suitable for a pipette tip, wherein the housing comprises at least one port configured to receive a fixing stud, and the third module is configured to have an adjustable dispense volume of 100 microliters to 6000 microliters, in particular 1000 microliters or 5000 microliters.

14. 14. A liquid handling device according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the device comprises an additional module (190), the additional module comprising a housing, a pipetting mechanism and at least one pipette mandrel suitable for pipette tips, wherein the housing comprises at least one port configured to receive a fixing stud, and the additional module comprises 2 to 12 pipette mandrels, in particular 8 pipette mandrels.

15. Liquid handling device according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the device comprises at least three pairs, preferably four pairs, in particular six pairs of modules (100, 110, 120).

16. 16. A liquid handling device according to any one of claims 10 to 15, wherein the device further comprises a module fixing base, wherein the modules are attached to the module fixing base via studs protruding from the module fixing base.

17. The device further comprises a tray-type module fixing base (700) having a body (701), and the modules (100, 110, 120, 301, 302) are one or more recesses in the body (701) that are shaped to hold the modules (100, 110, 120, 301, 302); and / or a pin protruding from a module (100, 110, 120, 301, 302) that connects to a port (711) on said body (701); 16. The liquid handling device according to claim 10, wherein the tray-type module is attached to the fixing base (700) via at least one of the following:

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