Laboratory pipetting module comprising a special charging of the pipetting device of the laboratory pipetting module

Abstract

The invention relates to a laboratory module (56), comprising: a) a pipetting device (64) for aspirating and dispensing liquids; b) a set of different laboratory objects (158a, 158b, 158c), comprising a source vessel (158a), a target vessel (158c) and a pipette tip assembly (158b) having at least one pipette tip (184) as different laboratory objects (158a, 158b, 158c); and, c) a delivery transport device (96) which can be moved along a delivery transport path (98) for transporting laboratory objects (158a, 158b, 158c) at least into the working region (186) of the pipetting device (64), wherein the delivery transport device (96) is designed to transport a first sub-selection (157) comprising one or two different laboratory objects (158c), selected from the source vessel (158a), the target vessel (158c) and the pipette tip assembly (158b), from a transfer station (178) of the laboratory module (56) into the working region (186) of the pipetting device (64), and is further designed to transport a second sub-selection (158) comprising a laboratory object (158a, 158b) not contained in the first sub-selection (157), selected from the source vessel (158a), the target vessel (158c) and the pipette tip assembly (158b), from a supply station (182), which is different to the transfer station (178), into the working region (186) of the pipetting device (64).

Description

[0001] Pipetting laboratory module with special loading of the pipetting device of the pipetting laboratory module

[0002] Description

[0003] The present invention relates to a laboratory module for pipetting liquids. This laboratory module comprises: a) a pipetting device as a processing device for aspirating and dispensing liquids, b) a set of different laboratory items, wherein the set comprises a source vessel, a target vessel, and a pipette tip assembly as different laboratory items. The pipette tip assembly comprises at least one pipette tip. c) a delivery transport device movable along a delivery transport path for transporting laboratory items at least into the working area of ​​the pipetting device.

[0004] Such a laboratory module preferably serves as a building block for creating a laboratory setup, which can be easily and quickly assembled from a number of laboratory modules according to the desired or required functions. Due to the multiple laboratory functionalities required in such a laboratory setup, additional laboratory modules will also include either a pipetting device or another processing device with different functionality.

[0005] US 6739448 B1 discloses a transport device for transporting sample carriers between different processing stations in an at least partially automated laboratory system. Examples of sample carriers mentioned in US 6739448 B1 include microtiter plates and boxes with pipette tips. The laboratory system has several processing stations arranged at different positions, each with a station support surface to which the known transport device can deliver a transported sample carrier for processing by the processing station. The known transport device is movable along a transport path between the processing stations. US 6739448 B1 highlights as a special feature of the transport device described therein that it always engages a sample carrier only from its base.The sample carrier rests on a transport surface of the known transport device for transport by the transport device along the transport route and, after reaching a target processing station, is transferred to the station carrier surface of this target processing station.

[0006] The transport surface has a C-shaped surface with a free or recessed inner area surrounded by the C-shaped transport surface. The station support surface is essentially complementary to the transport surface and is limited in its surface area to the free inner area of ​​the complementary C-shaped transport surface. The station support surface can only be raised and lowered along a path orthogonal to the parallel extension planes of the transport surface and station support surface. The station support surface has no other degree of freedom of movement. By a lifting movement of the station support surface through the recessed inner area of ​​the complementary C-shaped transport surface past the transport surface, the sample carrier initially resting on the transport surface can be lifted from the transport surface by means of the station support surface and thus picked up.By lowering the station support surface past the C-shaped transport surface, the sample carrier, initially resting on the station support surface, can be placed onto the transport surface and thus transferred to it. If the described transfer processes between the transport surface and the station support surface are considered in a coordinate system that moves with the initially unloaded surface comprising the transport surface and the station support surface that receives the sample carrier, the sample carrier is stripped off the original supporting surface at the receiving surface during each transfer.

[0007] The C-shaped transport surface can be mounted on a frame of the transport device so that it can rotate about an axis of rotation orthogonal to its transport surface plane. Projections on the C-shaped transport surface define a surface area intended for the support of the sample carrier on the transport surface and prevent a sample carrier held on the transport surface from shifting parallel to the transport surface.

[0008] EP 0 990 906 A1 discloses an automatic laboratory analysis system with a transport device operating therein. The transport device known from EP 0 990 906 A1 is housed in a separate device housing and serves to transport components from one device of the laboratory analysis system to another device of the laboratory analysis system, with each of the devices being housed in its own device housing. The device housing is connected to one of the device housings and is aligned relative to the other device housing.

[0009] EP 0 990 906 A1 lists sample tubes, liquid containers and disposable pipette tips as possible transported components.

[0010] The known transport device comprises a receiving plate on which a component carrier can be picked up simply by placing it on the receiving plate. The receiving plate is provided with a magnetic foil to hold the component carrier frictionally to the receiving plate with a friction force increased by magnetic force beyond its weight. The receiving plate is movable in three mutually orthogonal spatial directions and can thus approach stationary loading mouths of the devices that are open on one side towards the transport device. The loading mouths are each formed by a C-shaped frame, which has an insertion aid in the area of ​​its mouth opening with a clear width that decreases towards the loading mouth.The component carriers are designed with a protruding shoulder at their upper end when used as intended, so that a component carrier threaded into the jaw opening can be held in place by gravity with its protruding shoulder in a form-fitting manner on the frame of the loading jaw. Thanks to the insertion aid on the jaw opening of the stationary loading jaw, the component carrier, which is only standing on the receiving plate, can be moved in the plane of the receiving plate when threaded into the stationary loading jaw. The magnetic force caused by the magnetic foil increases the friction between the component carrier and the receiving plate, but does not prevent relative movement between the component carrier and the receiving plate. This means that even if the component carrier is inaccurately positioned relative to the loading jaw on the receiving plate, it can be moved into the transfer position on the respective device, which is predetermined by the shape of the loading jaw.

[0011] By lowering the mounting plate after threading the component carrier into a loading jaw, the component carrier can be released from the mounting plate by overcoming the magnetic force initially acting between the component carrier and the mounting plate. The component carrier then remains on the stationary loading jaw, where the device of the laboratory analysis system assigned to the loading jaw can access the components in the component carrier.

[0012] When a component carrier is picked up from a loading mouth, the receiving plate moves from below against the base of the component carrier that is suspended in the frame of the loading mouth, lifts the component carrier so that its shoulder no longer touches the frame of the loading mouth, and moves the component carrier out of the loading mouth.

[0013] EP 3 450 985 A1 discloses a device for processing microtiter plates. The device draws microtiter plates horizontally into its body through a drawer. The drawer can be extended and retracted horizontally through a slot in the front of the device, orthogonal to the front of the device. The known device can be used, for example, as a patch clamp system for electrophysiology, as an absorption microplate reader, as a fluorescence microplate reader, as a luminescence microplate reader, as a cell imaging system, as a device for performing electroporation for transfection, as a device for level measurement in microtiter plates, and as a detection device ("reader") for microarrays in microtiter plates.

[0014] In front of the drawer there is a lift which can only move vertically parallel to the front of the device. The lift is a microtiter plate storage device in which the microtiter plates to be processed by the device are stored vertically one above the other. The drawer has a C-shaped frame through whose free interior a carrier plate of the lift can be moved vertically. The C-shaped frame is dimensioned such that a microtiter plate can be placed on it. The carrier plate of the lift is smaller than the base area of ​​a microtiter plate, so that a carrier plate loaded with a microtiter plate can move vertically downwards through the free interior of the C-shaped frame of the drawer and in doing so can scrape the microtiter plate it is carrying off the drawer.

[0015] In reverse motion, the carrier plate can lift a microtiter plate that is ready for transfer from the extended tray by moving vertically through the free interior space of the tray's C-shaped frame. The then empty tray can be retracted back into the device body, whereupon the lift can move the received microtiter plate vertically to a desired location.

[0016] The drawer can be movable within the device body in a further horizontal direction orthogonal to its horizontal extension and retraction movement as well as to the vertical direction of movement of the lift.

[0017] The device for processing microtiter plates known from EP 3 450 985 A1 can be used in conjunction with a pipetting device, wherein a gripping device is then provided to move a microtiter plate from the lift into the working area of ​​the pipetting device.

[0018] EP 0 856 736 A2 discloses an automatic analysis device with one or more pipetting devices for performing clinical analyses of sample fluids. The automatic analysis device comprises a conveyor belt for conveying sample carriers to analysis stations. A loading and unloading device is provided at each analysis station, which moves a sample carrier from the conveyor belt to the analysis station or vice versa. The analysis device also comprises sample carrier storage units as transport buffers, in which sample carriers selected for reanalysis despite having already been analyzed can be temporarily stored.

[0019] The known loading and unloading devices can include sliders that move a sample carrier from the conveyor belt to the analysis station or vice versa. A loading and unloading device is also provided on the sample carrier storage unit to move sample carriers from the conveyor belt to the sample carrier storage unit or from the sample carrier storage unit to the conveyor belt.

[0020] While sample carriers are moved horizontally along the conveyor belt, the sample carriers in the sample carrier storage are moved vertically to transfer a desired stored sample carrier from the sample carrier storage to the conveyor belt. The sample carriers are identified by barcode. At least one station of the analysis device is a barcode reader.

[0021] A conveyor system for transporting and storing microtiter plates is known from US Pat. No. 7,954,624 B2 and EP 2 022 736 A1. The conveyor system is used to transport microtiter plates into and out of the working area of ​​a dispensing device for dispensing liquids. The dispensing device has a dispensing head that is movable in three pairs of orthogonal spatial directions, which can approach microtiter plates arranged in a working plane and dispense liquid into them.

[0022] The system comprises grid-like storage stations, each of which can accommodate a microtiter plate. Above the storage stations is an opening device that can be moved in three pairs of orthogonal spatial directions to approach a storage station, grasp a cover of a microtiter plate arranged thereon, and lift it off the microtiter plate.

[0023] A storage station is equipped with a material-free interior area through which a transport device can move vertically to lift or place a microtiter plate arranged on the storage station. The storage station provides a support surface for depositing microtiter plates as a support surface divided into separate sub-support surfaces only in the corner areas of a microtiter plate, allowing the transport device to move between support surfaces arranged one behind the other in a row direction.

[0024] US 7954624 B2 and EP 2 022 736 A1 also disclose a column storage device comprising a plurality of storage columns arranged on a turntable, which are rotatable about a central lifting device. Microtiter plates are stacked vertically one above the other in a storage column and can be raised and lowered by the central lifting device. A pick-up device can take over the topmost microtiter plate of a storage column when the microtiter plate is at a predetermined transfer height. The storage column and pick-up device form a last-in, first-out storage device with respect to the respective storage column.

[0025] By rotating the turntable, a specific storage column from the plurality of storage columns arranged consecutively around the turntable's rotation axis can be brought into cooperative engagement with the lifting device as the active storage column. The lifting device can then gradually raise the microtiter plates arranged one above the other in the active storage column so that the topmost microtiter plate is at the transfer height level and can be picked up by the pick-up device.

[0026] It is an object of the present invention to further develop a laboratory module of the type mentioned above in such a way that its pipetting device can be equipped as effectively as possible for carrying out a pipetting task.The present invention achieves this object in a laboratory module of the type mentioned at the outset in that the delivery transport device is designed to transport a first subselection, comprising one or two different laboratory items from the source vessel, the target vessel and the pipetting tip arrangement from a transfer station of the laboratory module into the working area of ​​the pipetting device, and in that the delivery transport device is further designed to transport a second subselection, comprising a laboratory item not contained in the first subselection from the source vessel, the target vessel and the pipetting tip arrangement, from a supply station different from the transfer station into the working area of ​​the pipetting device.

[0027] Preferably, the first and second subselections are complementary subselections that add up to the set of different laboratory items.

[0028] The pipetting device or its work area is therefore supplied with laboratory items not only from the transfer station, but also from the supply station that is separate from the transfer station. Thus, the first sub-selection can be provided for transport to the pipetting device's work area at one station of the transfer station and the supply station, and the second sub-selection can be provided for transport to the pipetting device's work area at the other station.This allows sets of different laboratory items to be assembled and formed directly in the work area of ​​the pipetting device. This not only increases the flexibility of the pipetting device with regard to the pipetting tasks it can perform, but also significantly reduces the effort and time required to supply the pipetting device with a set of different laboratory items, the set comprising at least one source vessel, one target vessel, and a pipetting tip assembly. Thus, a set of laboratory items no longer needs to be preconfigured and entered into the laboratory module; instead, laboratory items can be provided at two locations in the laboratory module, so that the set of laboratory items used by the pipetting device is only configured when the laboratory items are transported into the work area.

[0029] In principle, it may be sufficient for the delivery / transport device to simply transport the laboratory items for a pipetting task to the working area of ​​the pipetting device. For hygiene reasons, the laboratory items can be disposed of directly at the pipetting device or in its working area after use, for example, in the case of the pipetting tip assembly. The same applies to the source vessel, which can be emptied after a pipetting task, thus eliminating the need to return the source vessel.

[0030] After a pipetting task has been performed, the target vessel can be transported out of the working area of ​​the pipetting device by another transport device. Preferably, however, the delivery transport device not only transports laboratory items into the working area of ​​the pipetting device, but also out of it again, so that the number of required transport devices can be kept to a minimum. This applies in principle to any possible laboratory item, but especially to the target vessel. One possible target vessel is a microtiter plate. Microtiter plates typically have a matrix-like arrangement of so-called "wells."

[0031] The source vessel of the set is preferably filled with a liquid to be pipetted by the pipetting device, so that the pipetting device can receive all process objects required to carry out its pipetting task through the delivery transport device.

[0032] In addition to the aforementioned laboratory items: target vessel, source vessel, and pipette tip assembly, the set of different laboratory items can comprise at least one further laboratory item which can be transported into the working area of ​​the pipetting device and preferably out of it again by means of the delivery / transport device, in particular from at least one of the transfer station and provision station, and / or from another transport device. The transfer station and the provision station are not only physically separate, but are preferably arranged spatially separate from one another, so that, in particular, the acceptance of a subselection from one of the stations does not affect the acceptance of another subselection from the other station, or affects it as little as possible. Collisions between subselections can thus be avoided.According to a preferred development, the transfer station and the provision station are therefore located or arranged at a distance from one another along the delivery transport route.

[0033] The transfer station and / or the provision station can in principle be manually loaded with the first and / or second sub-selections by an operator. However, for a higher degree of automation and thus to reduce the risk of human operating errors and to improve process hygiene, it is preferred that the transfer station comprise a feed-transport device, wherein the feed-transport device is designed to transport at least one sub-selection from the first and second sub-selections into a transfer area. In the transfer area, the feed-transport device and the delivery transport device are designed to transfer a transported sub-selection at least from the feed-transport device to the delivery transport device.Preferably, the feed transport device and the delivery transport device are configured in the transfer area for the bidirectional transfer of a sub-selection between the two transport devices. The feed transport device is preferably movable along a feed transport path.

[0034] The paths of the feed and / or delivery transport path are preferably defined by a respective linear motion guide device, such as a guide rail and / or a guide rod and / or a guide groove. Each of the linear motion guide devices ensures movement guidance of the feed and / or delivery receiving device in two opposite directions of movement along the respective transport path consisting of the feed and transport path and the delivery transport path. Preferably, the feed and receiving device is only movable in two opposite directions of movement along its feed and transport path.

[0035] The feed transport path and the delivery transport path preferably run along linearly independent directions and are particularly preferably orthogonal to each other.

[0036] The same applies mutatis mutandis to the supply station. Therefore, the laboratory module is preferably further developed such that the supply station comprises a conveyor device, wherein the conveyor device is designed to convey a subselection from the first and second subselections into a supply area. In the supply area, the conveyor device and the delivery transport device are designed to transfer a transported subselection at least from the conveyor device to the delivery transport device. Preferably, the conveyor device and the delivery transport device are designed for the bidirectional transfer of a subselection between them.

[0037] The conveying device is also preferably movable along a conveying transport path, wherein the conveying transport path also preferably runs in a direction that is different from at least one of the running directions, preferably from each of the running directions, of the delivery transport path and the feed transport path, and particularly preferably linearly independent of these running directions. Preferably, the transport paths of the conveying device, feed transport device, and delivery transport device run in pairs transversely to one another, even more preferably in pairs orthogonally to one another. Likewise, the feed transport path and the delivery transport path preferably run horizontally, while the conveying transport path preferably runs vertically.

[0038] In an advantageous further development, the laboratory module discussed here can be part of a laboratory arrangement as a laboratory work module, which, in addition to the laboratory work module discussed here, comprises a laboratory base module arranged beneath the laboratory work module and preferably supporting it. The conveying device can then be designed as a lift, which moves a sub-selection from the laboratory base module to the laboratory work module in the supply station and, if desired, back again. The lift is then preferably a stack storage device or has a stack storage device in which successive receiving structures for each receiving a sub-selection are arranged along the displacement direction of the stack storage device, i.e., preferably along a vertical displacement direction. The stack storage device is an example of a storage device.Since the laboratory equipment lift also transports the laboratory equipment it contains, the laboratory equipment lift is also the conveying device. The laboratory equipment lift as a conveying device can be part of the laboratory work module or part of the laboratory base module, or both part of the laboratory work module and part of the laboratory base module, between which it transports a laboratory equipment.

[0039] The laboratory base module can be accessible from the outside and can be loaded with sub-selections by a robot or an operator. The sub-selections loaded into the laboratory base module can then be lifted into the laboratory module by the conveyor device, where they can be picked up by the delivery transport device and transported further to the pipetting device. A laboratory base module can have a pull-out drawer or a pull-out insert to facilitate the work of operating personnel on the laboratory base module, for example, loading the laboratory base module, particularly its storage device, with laboratory items.

[0040] Although a transport path can in principle have a curved course, for simple but effective transport of a subselection in the laboratory module, at least one of the transport paths consisting of the feed, delivery, and conveyor transport path preferably runs in a straight line. Particularly preferably, two or even more preferably all three of the aforementioned transport paths run in a straight line. This facilitates the implementation of a transport drive and a motion control device on the feed and / or delivery transport device and / or the conveyor device. For each of the transport devices consisting of the feed and delivery transport devices, a transport drive can be selected depending on the length of the transport path. The transport drive can comprise a spindle drive. The transport drive can have a belt drive. Other types of transport drives are of course not excluded.

[0041] In principle, it can be envisaged that each transport device consisting of the feed transport device and the conveyor device can transport and provide any sub-selection, and actually provides it during operation. However, for reasons of simplified operational organization of the laboratory module, it is preferred if the feed transport device is designed to transport one sub-selection from the first and second sub-selection into the transfer area, and if the conveyor device is designed to convey the other sub-selection from the first and second sub-selection into the provision area.Then the same device consisting of the feed transport device and the conveyor device can always be loaded with the same sub-selection from the first and second sub-selection in order to provide the respective sub-selection in an area consisting of the transfer area and the provision area and to transport it from there by the delivery transport device into the working area of ​​the pipetting device.

[0042] Preferably, the delivery transport device comprises a delivery receiving arrangement for receiving a sub-selection for transport of the sub-selection by the delivery transport device.

[0043] For a transfer of a sub-selection transported by the feed transport device from the feed transport device to the delivery transport device, and preferably also in the reverse transfer direction, the feed transport device, as a device cooperating with the delivery transport device, preferably has a feed receiving device for receiving the sub-selection for transporting the sub-selection by the feed transport device.

[0044] The feed-receiving device is then a receiving device that cooperates with the delivery-receiving arrangement for transferring the sub-selection from the feed-receiving device to the delivery-receiving arrangement, and preferably also in the reverse direction. Additionally or alternatively, for the mutatis mutandis corresponding purpose of transferring a sub-selection from the conveyor device to the delivery-receiving arrangement, and preferably also in the reverse direction, the conveyor device, as a device cooperating with the delivery-transport device, can have a provision-receiving device for receiving the sub-selection for transporting the sub-selection by the conveyor device.

[0045] The provision receiving device is then a receiving device cooperating with the delivery receiving arrangement for the transfer of the subselection from the provision receiving device to the delivery receiving arrangement.

[0046] Preferably, for a particularly effective, gripper- and slider-free transfer of a subselection between the delivery-receiving arrangement and a receiving device cooperating with the delivery-receiving arrangement, at least one receiving component from the delivery-receiving arrangement and a receiving device cooperating with the delivery-receiving arrangement can be driven to a transfer movement.

[0047] Particularly preferably, the entire laboratory module is a cost-effectively manufactured laboratory module that does not require a gripper, in particular a gripper movable in three Cartesian spatial directions, to manipulate a laboratory object. Preferably, the laboratory module also does not have a slider to manipulate a laboratory object.

[0048] As an advantageous prerequisite for a preferentially stripping transfer of the transported sub-selection from one receiving component of the delivery receiving assembly and a receiving device cooperating with the delivery receiving assembly to another receiving component of the delivery receiving assembly and a receiving device cooperating with the delivery receiving assembly, the delivery receiving assembly and the receiving device cooperating with the delivery receiving assembly are physically different in such a way that the delivery receiving assembly and the receiving device cooperating with the delivery receiving assembly are movable past one another along a transfer relative movement path caused by a transfer movement of the at least one receiving component. In this case, the transfer movement preferably cancels a receiving engagement of the sub-selection with the receiving component delivering the sub-selection.Likewise preferably, the transfer movement establishes a receiving engagement of the sub-selection with the receiving component receiving the sub-selection.

[0049] The most secure possible support of the respective subselection both on the delivery-receiving arrangement and on the receiving device cooperating with the delivery-receiving arrangement can be achieved in that one receiving component from the delivery-receiving arrangement and the receiving device cooperating with the delivery-receiving arrangement has a receiving frame as an outer receiving component, which runs around a free inner region of the outer receiving component, wherein the other receiving component from the delivery-receiving arrangement and the receiving device cooperating with the delivery-receiving arrangement has a receiving carrier as an inner receiving component such that a relative movement of the inner receiving component along the transfer relative movement path past the outer receiving component is a relative movement of the receiving carrier through the inner region of the receiving frame.

[0050] In order to ensure a preferential, gripper- and slider-free stripping transfer of a transported sub-selection between the delivery-receiving arrangement and the receiving device cooperating with the delivery-receiving arrangement, a receiving engagement of the sub-selection comprises a support engagement with both the delivery-receiving arrangement and the receiving device cooperating with the delivery-receiving arrangement.

[0051] More precisely, the support engagement is preferably achieved by placing or setting down the laboratory object on the receiving device of the respective transport device. Likewise, the support engagement is preferably released by lifting the laboratory object from the receiving device of the respective transport device. However, this does not necessarily mean that the sub-selection is transported loosely and resting only on a receiving device with frictional engagement. While this is fundamentally possible, the frictional engagement between the sub-selection and the respective receiving device limits the maximum possible transport acceleration and deceleration of the receiving device.A transport arrangement with higher dynamics can be obtained if the delivery-receiving arrangement or the receiving device cooperating with the delivery-receiving arrangement, preferably both the delivery-receiving arrangement and the receiving device cooperating with the delivery-receiving arrangement, has or have at least one form-locking element, preferably a plurality of form-locking elements, such as projections and / or recesses, which limit a movement of a sub-selection received on the receiving device as intended for transport parallel to a contact surface of its support engagement in at least one direction, preferably in mutually opposite directions, particularly preferably in each direction along two mutually orthogonal displacement axes parallel to the contact surface.The sub-selector can then be accelerated from a standstill with high acceleration and decelerated from a moving position with equally high deceleration, without fear of displacement of the sub-selector relative to the support device supporting it. The contact surface of the support engagement is the area where the sub-selector touches the support device when in support engagement with a support device.

[0052] In order to be able to establish the above-described preferred support engagement between the sub-selection and the respective receiving device during transport of the sub-selection, it is sufficient for the delivery receiving device to have a delivery support surface arrangement for receiving the laboratory object by placing it on the delivery support surface arrangement, and for the feed receiving device to have a feed support surface arrangement for receiving the sub-selection by placing it on the second support surface arrangement. Clamping devices or other fixing devices for securing the sub-selection to a delivery receiving device against lifting are not necessary and are therefore preferably not present.To secure the position of the laboratory object on the respective receiving device, the support surface arrangement can be limited by the above-mentioned at least one form-locking element, such as one or more projections, which protrudes in a direction away from the support surface arrangement. This preferably applies to both the delivery and the feed support surface arrangement.

[0053] A transported laboratory object therefore preferably rests on the receiving device during its transport by a receiving device and can always be lifted off this receiving device during transport.

[0054] One or both support surface arrangements of the first and / or second support surface arrangement can be formed by a plurality of separate support surfaces arranged at a distance from one another. The support surfaces are rigidly connected to one another by at least one component or at least one component section of the respective receiving device, but do not have to form a continuous support surface. One or both support surface arrangements of the first and / or second support surface arrangement can be formed by a single continuous support surface.

[0055] It should be clarified at this point that the receiving device cooperating with the delivery receiving arrangement can be the feed receiving device and / or the provision receiving device.

[0056] The support frame preferably has a C-shaped configuration with a frame base, from which a frame leg projects at a distance from each other to the same side. To enlarge the support surface arrangement and the contact surface achievable thereon, according to a further development of the invention, the longitudinal end regions of the frame legs remote from the frame base can be angled toward the respective other frame leg.

[0057] In order to be able to transport a first sub-selection and a second sub-selection, which particularly preferably together form the set of different laboratory items as complementary sub-selections, simultaneously along the delivery transport path, the delivery-receiving arrangement according to a preferred development of the present invention can have two delivery-receiving devices, each designed to receive a sub-selection for transport by the delivery-transport device, which are movable together along the second transport path. Preferably, the two delivery-receiving devices of the delivery-receiving arrangement are only movable together along the second transport path.

[0058] For joint movement along the delivery transport route, the two delivery-receiving devices are preferably connected to a common delivery-transport base movable along the delivery transport route. The delivery-transport base can then interact with a transport drive and / or the delivery-transport base can be guided along the delivery transport route on a delivery movement guide device. Accelerating and decelerating forces can then act on the delivery-transport base in the same way, preferably directly, as forces that guide the movement of the delivery-receiving arrangement along the delivery transport route. This allows the delivery-receiving devices designed to receive at least one laboratory object to be relieved of such force applications.

[0059] To achieve the highest possible positioning accuracy, the delivery / transport base preferably has no additional translational degree of freedom in addition to the mobility along the delivery / transport path. It also preferably has no rotational degree of freedom. The delivery / receiving arrangement also preferably has no rotational degree of freedom.

[0060] The receiving device drivable for the transfer movement, which is preferably the delivery receiving arrangement or its at least one delivery receiving device, is preferably connected to a transfer base, particularly preferably rigidly connected, which in turn is guided on the transport base of this receiving device so that it can move relative to the latter. The transport base of the receiving device can then have a transfer movement drive and, if appropriate, a transfer movement guide device on which the transfer base is drivably guided. The transport movement of the transport base is then advantageously independent of a transfer movement of the associated receiving device. The transfer movement comprises a translational movement. Preferably, the transfer movement is only a translational movement.

[0061] A transport base and / or the transfer base can comprise at least one device consisting of a spindle nut, a slotted nut, a rolling element-guided guide carriage or a sliding surface-guided guide carriage or can be such a device, to name just a few examples.

[0062] A possible transfer motion drive may include a spindle drive, a piston-cylinder arrangement, a belt drive, and the like.

[0063] Since the delivery-receiving arrangement must be able to accept sub-selections from both the transfer station and the provision station, the delivery-receiving arrangement is preferably designed to carry out the transfer movement in order to keep the number of required drives and motion guides to a minimum, particularly preferably only the delivery-receiving arrangement. If the delivery-receiving arrangement has the first and second delivery-receiving devices, these are preferably jointly, particularly preferably only jointly, drivable for the transfer movement, which preferably runs transversely, particularly preferably orthogonally, to the course of the delivery-transport route.

[0064] In order to facilitate the organization of the operation of the laboratory module, it can be envisaged that a first of the two delivery receiving devices is designed to transfer one sub-selection from the feed receiving device to the first delivery receiving device, and that a second of the two delivery receiving devices is designed to transfer the other sub-selection from the provision receiving device to the second delivery receiving device.

[0065] In principle, the first and second delivery receiving devices can be designed identically. However, the first and second delivery receiving devices can be designed differently, for example, if only one of the two delivery receiving devices has a functional device described in more detail below.

[0066] Due to their preferred arrangement one behind the other along the delivery transport path, preferably only one of the first and second delivery receiving devices can cooperate with the supply receiving device for transferring a sub-selection. Likewise preferably, only the other of the first and second delivery receiving devices can cooperate with the provision receiving device for transferring a sub-selection.

[0067] According to the embodiments described above, the first and second delivery receiving devices can each be designed as an outer receiving device and each have a receiving frame that extends around a free inner region of the outer receiving device. Alternatively, the first and second delivery receiving devices can each be designed as an inner receiving device and have a receiving carrier. In order to use as many identical parts as possible in the laboratory module, the provision receiving device and the feed receiving device are each designed as an inner receiving device when the first and second delivery receiving devices are each designed as an outer receiving device.Alternatively, the provision receiving device and the feed receiving device are each designed as an outer receiving device if the first and second delivery receiving devices are each designed as an inner receiving device. Preferably, a relative movement of the inner receiving device along the transfer relative movement path past the outer receiving device is then a relative movement of the receiving carrier through the inner region of the receiving frame.

[0068] In principle, one of the first and second delivery receiving devices can also be configured as an outer receiving device, and the other of the first and second delivery receiving devices can be configured as an inner receiving device. One of the provision receiving devices and the supply receiving device can then also be configured as an outer receiving device, and the other of the first and second delivery receiving devices can be configured as an inner receiving device, depending on which delivery receiving device they cooperate with for transferring a laboratory object.However, for the best possible use of the installation space of the laboratory module, it is preferred that the delivery receiving devices moved together along the delivery transport route have approximately the same dimensions, which is why they are preferably designed as similar receiving devices consisting of an outer and inner receiving device.

[0069] The support carrier can also have a generally C-shaped or O-shaped configuration as described above, which, due to the interior space free of support carrier material, results in an advantageously low moving mass of the support carrier. To ensure that the support carrier fits through the free interior space of the support frame, it is designed with smaller external dimensions than the support frame.

[0070] Regardless of which receiving device is designed as a receiving carrier or which has the receiving carrier, the receiving carrier can have a solid plate to ensure secure engagement of a sub-selection with it. The solid plate can have a support surface arrangement for supporting a sub-selection or can contribute to the formation of the support surface arrangement. The support surface arrangement can have a single, continuous support surface or several separately arranged support surfaces onto which the sub-selection can be placed for transport.

[0071] In order to be able to act on the sub-selection in the desired manner even during the support engagement of the sub-selection with a receiving device consisting of a supply receiving device, a provision receiving device and a delivery receiving device, in particular the first and / or second delivery receiving device, and / or in order to be able to support the pipetting device in fulfilling its pipetting task, at least one receiving device, in particular the receiving frame and / or the receiving carrier, can have a thermal and / or electrical and / or magnetic functional device that acts on the transported sub-selection or interacts with the pipetting device of the laboratory module.

[0072] For example, the receiving frame and / or the receiving support, in particular the solid plate of the receiving support, can have at least one heating element, by means of which a sub-selection in contact with the receiving device can be heated or warmed. The solid plate can carry and, in particular, surround the at least one heating element as a heat-conducting plate and ensure the most even distribution possible of the heat emitted by the heating element within the solid plate. For this purpose, the solid plate can be made of metal or of a material with a thermal conductivity comparable to that of metal, in particular aluminum or copper.

[0073] Additionally or alternatively, the functional device can be designed as an electrical functional device in the form of a potential electrode with a predetermined electrical potential or can be electrically conductively connected or connectable by a switch in order to be able to form an electrical field together with another electrode arranged in the laboratory module, in which field the subselection is located when it is received on the receiving device having the potential electrode and is located in the sphere of influence of the further electrode.

[0074] Furthermore, or alternatively, the functional device can comprise an electromagnet or a plurality of permanent magnets movable relative to one another, so that a variable magnetic field can be generated by the functional device. Thus, the sub-selection, which is received on the receiving device comprising the functional device, can be specifically exposed to a magnetic field. This can be of interest if, for example, the sub-selection comprises or is a vessel, in particular the target vessel, and there are magnetic or magnetizable particles suspended in the vessel. Furthermore, the functional device can thus form a drive for a magnetic tube.Preferably, at least one delivery-receiving device of the delivery-receiving arrangement comprises a magnetic and / or electrical and / or thermal functional device, since this can carry a subselection directly until the execution of a pipetting process or even preferably during the pipetting process and thus can influence it magnetically and / or electrically and / or thermally until shortly before the pipetting process or even during the pipetting process.

[0075] The pipetting device has at least one pipetting channel extending along a channel axis. It can have a plurality of, preferably parallel, pipetting channels for parallel aspiration and dispensing of a liquid to be dosed.

[0076] Preferably, the at least one pipetting channel of the pipetting device is movable exclusively along the channel axis, so that it can be moved toward and away from a sub-selection located in the working area. Any desired movement of a sub-selection orthogonal to the channel axis of the at least one pipetting channel can be realized by the delivery-transport device. It is then sufficient if exact positioning is ensured only for the delivery-receiving arrangement. Sufficiently precise positioning of sub-selections relative to the delivery-receiving arrangement, in particular relative to the first and second delivery-receiving devices, can be ensured by the design of the delivery-receiving arrangement or to the first and second delivery-receiving devices, for example by the above-mentioned form-locking elements or the like.The correct relative position of the at least one pipetting channel axis to the delivery / transport path is ensured during assembly of the laboratory module. For smooth kinematic operation of the laboratory module, it is sufficient if the at least one pipetting channel can be precisely positioned along its channel axis and if the delivery / receiving arrangement can be precisely positioned along its delivery / transport path. Preferably, the delivery / receiving arrangement supports at least the target vessel during the pipetting process. So that both the first and the second delivery / receiving device can be moved along the delivery / transport path into the working area of ​​a pipetting device having at least one pipetting channel that can only be moved along its channel axis, the first and the second delivery / receiving device are preferably arranged one behind the other along the delivery / transport path.For the same reason, the first and second delivery receiving devices are arranged immovably relative to each other on the delivery transport device.

[0077] A pipetting device receiving device can also be provided on the pipetting device, to which the supply-receiving arrangement, in particular at least one of the two supply-receiving devices, can transfer a subselection transported by it and receive it again from there. The above statements regarding receiving devices also apply to the pipetting device receiving device. However, such a pipetting device receiving device is preferably not necessary; rather, the first and / or the second subselection, preferably the first and the second subselection, remain(s) on the supply-receiving arrangement while the pipetting device couples at least one pipetting tip of a subselection to the at least one pipetting channel and / or while the pipetting device aspirates liquid to be dosed from the source vessel and / or while the pipetting device dispenses aspirated liquid into the target vessel.This particularly preferably enables aliquoting operation, during which a target vessel with a plurality of receiving volumes arranged one behind the other along the delivery / transport path is moved beneath the at least one pipetting channel in step increments corresponding to the spacing between successively arranged receiving volumes. The at least one pipetting channel then dispenses a quantity of liquid as part of the previously aspirated quantity of liquid into the receiving volume each time a new receiving volume is stopped beneath the pipetting channel.

[0078] Tests have shown that the target vessel is advantageously transported independently of the pipette tip arrangement and the source vessel, since the target vessel, unlike the pipette tip arrangement and usually also the source vessel, is subjected to further sensitive laboratory procedures, such as incubation and / or analysis methods, after the pipetting process. Therefore, the first sub-selection preferably comprises the target vessel and the second sub-selection comprises the source vessel and the pipette tip arrangement. The second sub-selection can comprise a carrier which removably contains the pipette tip arrangement and also carries the source vessel with the liquid to be dispensed. The pipette tip arrangement is preferably received in the carrier in such a way that its longitudinal end which can be coupled to a coupling longitudinal end of the at least one pipette channel faces the coupling longitudinal end of the pipette channel, ready for coupling, and is accessible.

[0079] The pipetting tip arrangement can comprise at least one electrically conductive pipetting tip. This at least one electrically conductive pipetting tip can form the aforementioned additional electrode of the laboratory module. If the delivery / receiving device supporting the target vessel during a pipetting process has an electrode as a functional device that interacts with the electrically conductive pipetting tip to form an electric field, the electric field formed between the conductive pipetting tip received on the pipetting channel and the functional device of the delivery / receiving device, designed as an electrode, can be used extremely advantageously for the capacitive detection of a liquid surface in the source vessel, in particular a microtiter plate, arranged in the electric field.

[0080] The laboratory module can have at least one storage and storage device for temporarily storing a laboratory object, said storage device cooperating with the delivery and transport device for transferring a laboratory object, preferably by stripping it off. To keep the number of different components low, a receiving device of the storage and storage device can be designed like the feed and receiving device and / or like a provision and receiving device mentioned below. The storage and storage device can have an above-mentioned functional device, such as a heater and / or a magnetic field source and / or an electrode, optionally in conjunction with a solid plate described above, in order to be able to heat a laboratory object received thereon and to expose it to a magnetic field and / or an electric field and / or to be able to stir the contents of the laboratory object with a magnetic stirrer.

[0081] The laboratory module preferably has a module frame that accommodates and / or surrounds the laboratory module. The module frame is preferably designed as a framework, for example as a cuboid frame with particularly good connection capabilities on all sides, in order to be able to arrange several laboratory modules in a row next to and / or behind and / or above one another and to connect them to one another. The delivery transport device is preferably located entirely within the installation space of the laboratory module. Due to preferred developments explained below, the feed transport device is preferably located at least partially within the installation space of the laboratory module.

[0082] The module frame can have exactly one laboratory module, although this is not preferred. Preferably, a module frame is designed to accommodate more than one laboratory module, particularly preferably to accommodate at least three laboratory modules, which are arranged successively on or in the module frame along the feed transport path. If the module frame accommodates more than one laboratory module, which is preferred, the feed transport device is also preferably completely accommodated on or in the module frame, with the feed transport path then preferably extending past the laboratory modules accommodated in the module frame. The laboratory modules accommodated on or in a common module frame usually have different processing devices in order to be able to provide different functions. At least one of the processing devices is then a pipetting device.

[0083] The laboratory module described above is characterized by extremely high positioning accuracy of transported laboratory objects while requiring little equipment. One advantage of the laboratory module, as the name suggests, is that several laboratory modules, usually with different task or functional orientations, can be modularly configured to form a larger unit. The present invention therefore also relates to a laboratory arrangement which, as laboratory work modules, comprises at least one laboratory module as described and further developed above, and at least one further laboratory module as fundamentally described and further developed above, with the proviso that instead of the pipetting device, the at least one further laboratory module is a processing device other than a pipetting device with functionality other than pipetting.The description given above for the laboratory module therefore applies to the at least one further laboratory module, with the proviso that the pipetting device is generally to be replaced by a processing device that processes a laboratory object delivered to it by the delivery-transport device. A laboratory object delivered to the further laboratory module by the delivery-transport device can be one of the above-mentioned subselections or the above-mentioned set of laboratory objects, or just a single laboratory object, such as a sample container, a sensor, a test specimen, and the like. The at least two laboratory work modules, comprising the at least one laboratory module and the at least one further laboratory module, preferably follow one another in the laboratory arrangement along the direction of the feed-transport path.A particular increase in efficiency can be achieved with this laboratory arrangement in that the at least two laboratory modules have a common feed transport device and each have at least one, preferably exactly one, delivery transport device and each have a transfer area.

[0084] The feed transport device thus reaches the at least two laboratory work modules of the laboratory arrangement and can thus transport a subselection or generally a laboratory object from one laboratory work module of the laboratory arrangement to another laboratory work module of the same laboratory arrangement. Each laboratory work module, however, preferably has its own delivery transport device, which moves the laboratory object fed by the feed transport device into the respective laboratory work module and back again. According to the above definition of a laboratory work module, each laboratory work module has a processing device. The processing device is supplied with laboratory objects by the delivery transport device, while the feed transport device feeds laboratory objects to and from the individual laboratory work modules of the laboratory arrangement.Preferably, the processing device is supplied with laboratory items only by the delivery transport device, while no processing device is located as a transport destination along the feed transport path.

[0085] To perform laboratory tasks on a processing object, such as a metrological analysis of a processing object and / or a mixture of a pourable processing object of a defined composition and / or a separation of a defined quantity of a pourable processing object and the like, the laboratory module comprises a processing device different from the transport devices for carrying out the laboratory processing process. The processing object can be a solid or a liquid. In the present preferred use of the laboratory module for analytical and / or productive biological and / or chemical, in particular biochemical, and / or pharmaceutical processing processes, the processing object is generally a liquid, although suspensions and emulsions are also considered liquids within the scope of the present application.Processing of the processing object in the processing device usually takes place in a single laboratory object in or on which the processing object is accommodated, such as in or on a single microtiter plate.

[0086] Another possible processing device is a reading device for identifying laboratory items based on identification codes carried by the items, such as barcodes, and / or for capturing data provided by the transported laboratory items, for example, via RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) or NFC (Near Field Communication) technology, to name just two possible examples. Furthermore, a laboratory work module can include an incubator or a cleaning device for cleaning laboratory items, especially microtiter plates.

[0087] In contrast to the object being processed, laboratory items are functional solids, such as containers, especially sample containers and microtiter plates, and pipette tips, that enable or support laboratory processing of the object being processed without themselves being structurally or quantitatively altered by the laboratory processing. If laboratory items are subject to metrological recording in the laboratory module, they are usually used as an unavoidable collateral measurement object alongside the object being processed as the actual measurement object and / or to compensate and correct the measurement result obtained on the object being processed.

[0088] Likewise, it is preferable for the laboratory work modules, or even only the laboratory work modules, to have a processing device, while the basic laboratory modules do not. A basic laboratory module can have at least one storage device as already mentioned above for storing laboratory items for use in the laboratory work modules. A basic laboratory module can additionally have a preparation device that prepares a laboratory item for use in a laboratory work module. One possible preparation device is a cleaning device for cleaning laboratory items, in particular containers, especially microtiter plates, in preparation for their further use.

[0089] The laboratory work modules, in particular the base plates supporting their components, preferably have uniform base dimensions in each of two mutually orthogonal base spatial directions. Uniform dimensions are dimensions that differ by no more than 7.5%, preferably no more than 5%, relative to the larger dimension along one and the same spatial direction. The laboratory work modules, in particular the base plates supporting their components, preferably have the same dimensions in each individual base spatial direction.

[0090] In the operational state of the laboratory arrangement, floor area spatial directions are horizontal spatial directions.

[0091] The laboratory work modules preferably have a work module frame and are mounted on or in it. The work module frame is preferably designed as a framework, for example as a cuboid frame with particularly good connection options on all sides, so that passages exist between adjacent laboratory work modules, which enables the feed and transport device to move across all laboratory work modules. A common enclosure as a covering outer skin is therefore preferably provided not for each laboratory work module, but only for the modularly configured laboratory arrangement as a whole.

[0092] A work module frame preferably accommodates more than one laboratory work module, particularly preferably three laboratory work modules, which are arranged successively on or in the module frame along the feed transport path.

[0093] The laboratory arrangement does not have to be limited to a single arrangement level of modules. The laboratory arrangement can additionally comprise at least one laboratory base module, with a laboratory work module arranged above a laboratory base module of the at least one laboratory base module, forming a module tier. This means that preferably all laboratory base modules are located in one arrangement level, a base module level, and that all laboratory work modules are located in a different, second arrangement level, a work module level. As already described, the arrangement level of the laboratory base modules is preferably located below the arrangement level of the laboratory work modules.

[0094] Preferably, at least a plurality of laboratory work modules, particularly preferably all laboratory work modules, are supported by laboratory base modules. Preferably, a laboratory base module has the same footprint as a laboratory work module or an integer multiple thereof, so that a laboratory base module can support exactly one laboratory work module or a plurality of laboratory work modules.

[0095] The arrangement of the laboratory work modules in an arrangement plane ensures that all laboratory work modules can be formed with a, preferably essentially flat, transport arrangement consisting of the feed transport device and a number of delivery transport devices preferably corresponding to the number of laboratory work modules, with both the feed transport path and all delivery transport paths preferably running horizontally. Preferably, a majority of the delivery transport paths, particularly preferably all delivery transport paths, of a laboratory arrangement are parallel to one another.

[0096] The laboratory base modules can be accessible to laboratory personnel, for example, to arrange laboratory items intended for use by the processing devices in the laboratory work modules. To ensure this accessibility, preferably only the work module level has a transport arrangement as described above, but not the base module level. Individual base modules can have a transport device movable in the depth direction and / or in the height direction of a body of the laboratory arrangement, for example, to load and unload a cleaning device with laboratory items, in particular microtiter plates. Preferably, the base modules do not have a transport device whose transport path runs along a sequential direction in which laboratory base modules are arranged one after the other, so as not to hinder the preferred pull-out ability of individual laboratory base modules from a body of the laboratory arrangement.

[0097] The laboratory base modules can have a base module frame. The base module frame is preferably designed as a framework, for example, as a cuboid frame with particularly good connection capabilities on all sides. Passages can then exist between adjacent laboratory base modules and to laboratory work modules arranged above them. A laboratory base module and a laboratory work module arranged above it, in particular a laboratory work module supported by the laboratory base module, can use at least one common frame component, which is part of both the work module frame and the base module frame.

[0098] The base module frame preferably accommodates more than one laboratory base module, particularly preferably three laboratory base modules, which are arranged consecutively in the base module frame parallel to the feed transport path.

[0099] For reasons of easier production and assembly, the working module frame and the base module frame are preferably constructed with at least the same base area dimensions, preferably also with the same height dimensions, and particularly preferably even with the same structure.

[0100] The base module frame can also be the work module frame. Preferably, laboratory base modules are then arranged in the combined base and work module frame, and laboratory work modules are arranged on top of it. Even with such an arrangement, the laboratory base modules arranged in the base and work module frame support the laboratory work modules arranged on top of it.

[0101] In order to be able to transfer laboratory items from a laboratory base module to a laboratory work module located above it, at least one module of the module rack preferably has a laboratory item lift, by means of which at least one laboratory item or a sub-selection can be moved between the upper laboratory work module and the lower laboratory base module. The laboratory item lift can comprise or be an above-mentioned supply station of the laboratory module, from which the delivery transport device picks up the supplied laboratory item or the supplied sub-selection and to which it returns it if necessary.

[0102] A laboratory work module and / or a laboratory base module and / or the laboratory arrangement as a whole can have at least one control device that controls the operation of the laboratory work module and / or the laboratory base module and / or the laboratory arrangement. The at least one control device can, for example, control the transport of laboratory objects and the operation of at least one processing device. The control device can have at least one integrated circuit and at least one data memory. An operating program for execution by the at least one integrated circuit can be stored in the data memory.The data memory can store operating data which is recorded during operation of the laboratory work module and / or the laboratory base module and / or the laboratory arrangement by sensors in the laboratory work module and / or the laboratory base module and / or the laboratory arrangement, for example by position sensors for recording the position of a receiving device and / or a transport base along its transport route and / or by temperature sensors and / or by proximity sensors for recording the presence of a component at a predetermined location.

[0103] The laboratory setup discussed above can be used to conduct so-called ELISA tests (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays). Preferably, the complete ELISA test runs fully automatically in the laboratory setup. The test fluids and laboratory equipment required for the ELISA test must be loaded into the laboratory setup, specifically into at least one basic laboratory module, as well as a supply of microtiter plates and target vessels.

[0104] The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It shows:

[0105] Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a laboratory arrangement with a laboratory module according to the invention,

[0106] Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the laboratory arrangement of Fig. 1 without enclosure,

[0107] Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a base and work module frame of the laboratory arrangement of Fig. 1 ,

[0108] Fig. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a first transport device of the laboratory arrangement of Fig. 1,

[0109] Fig. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a laboratory work module according to the invention of the laboratory arrangement of Fig. 1,

[0110] Fig. 6 is a schematic perspective view of a second receiving device of the second transport device of the laboratory work module of Fig. 5, Fig. 7 is a schematic perspective view of the second transport device of the laboratory work module of Fig. 5,

[0111] Fig. 8 is a schematic perspective view of a laboratory base module of the laboratory arrangement of Fig. 1 ,

[0112] Fig. 9 is a schematic perspective view of an empty stack memory of the laboratory base module of Fig. 8,

[0113] Fig. 10 is a schematic perspective view of a loaded stack memory of the laboratory base module of Fig. 8,

[0114] Fig. 11 is a schematic perspective view of a base module level of a laboratory arrangement according to the invention with base modules pulled out of the base and work module frame,

[0115] Fig. 12 is a schematic perspective view of a transfer area of ​​the laboratory arrangement of Fig. 1 before a transfer of a laboratory object from the first to the second transport device,

[0116] Fig. 13 is a schematic perspective view of the transfer area of ​​the laboratory arrangement of Fig. 1 after a transfer of a laboratory object from the first to the second transport device,

[0117] Fig. 14 is a schematic perspective view of a laboratory work module according to the invention with pipetting device of the laboratory arrangement of Fig. 1, and

[0118] Fig. 15 is a schematic perspective view of a working area of ​​the pipetting device of a laboratory work module according to the invention of the laboratory arrangement of Fig. 1. The figures are not to scale, but represent proportions qualitatively correctly.

[0119] The figures are not to scale, but represent proportions qualitatively correctly.

[0120] In Figure 1, a laboratory arrangement is generally designated by 10. The laboratory arrangement 10 has an outer skin 12, which surrounds the devices and components arranged in the interior 14 of the laboratory arrangement 10 and shields them from the external environment U. Processes in the interior 14 of the laboratory arrangement 10 can be observed through a front window 16 and a side window 18.

[0121] The side window 18 has a passage 20 for manually or robotically transporting a laboratory object from the external environment U into the interior 14 of the laboratory arrangement 10. Instead of the side window 18, the passage can be formed in the front window 16 or in any wall of the outer skin 12. The passage 20 can be closed by a flap (not shown in Figure 1) or it can be open throughout.

[0122] A status light 22 on the top side of the outer skin 12 indicates one or more operating states of the laboratory arrangement 10 by means of light signals.

[0123] Figure 1 shows a Cartesian coordinate system to facilitate the explanation of the laboratory setup 10 and its components, as well as to facilitate orientation, with the spatial directions x, y, and z. The Cartesian coordinate system is maintained throughout all figures.

[0124] The x-direction runs horizontally along the front side 12a of the outer skin 12 in the width direction of the laboratory arrangement 10. The y-direction also runs horizontally along the side surfaces 12b of the outer skin 12 in the depth direction of the laboratory arrangement 10. The z-direction runs vertically both along the front side 12a and along the side surfaces 12b of the outer skin 12 in the height direction of the laboratory arrangement 10. The x-direction and the y-direction are base area spatial directions in the sense of the description introduction.

[0125] On the front side 12a of the outer skin 12, slide-in fronts 26, 28, and 30 are provided in the lower extension area of ​​the outer skin 12 or the laboratory arrangement 10, which can be unlocked by switches 24. The slide-in fronts 26, 28, and 30, which are locked during operation, can be individually unlocked by actuating the switches 24. Base modules connected to the slide-in fronts 26, 28, and 30, which are explained further below, can then be pulled out of the body 32 of the laboratory arrangement 10 defined by the outer skin 12 in the opposite direction to the y-direction and pushed back into the body 32 in the y-direction. Manual inlets 34 facilitate the extraction of the base modules from the body 32.

[0126] Figure 2 shows the laboratory arrangement 10 without the outer skin 12. It can be seen that the laboratory arrangement 10 is a laboratory module tier 36 with a lower base module level 38 and a work module level 40 arranged above it. In the base module level 38 there are, for example, three laboratory base modules 42a, 42b and 42c, of which the middle and right laboratory base modules 42b and 42c respectively each have stack storage and of which the left laboratory base module 42a has a cleaning device 44.

[0127] The laboratory base modules 42a, 42b, and 42c are mounted side by side along the x-direction in a base and work module frame 46, which is constructed in a truss-like manner from vertical struts 48, horizontal cross struts 50 connecting the vertical struts 48, and horizontal longitudinal struts 52 connecting the cross struts 50. Parallel plates 54 are arranged laterally on the outermost compartments in the x-direction. The base module frame 46 is shown in isolation in Figure 3.

[0128] The base and work module frame 46 not only supports the three laboratory base modules 42a, 42b and 42c shown as examples, but also laboratory work modules 56a, 56b and 56c arranged in the work module level 40, which, like the laboratory base modules 42a, 42b and 42c below, are arranged side by side on the base and work module frame 46 along the x-direction.

[0129] The left laboratory work module 56a comprises an incubator 58 as a processing device 60, and a gripper 62. The middle laboratory work module 56b comprises a pipetting device 64 arranged on a bridge support 63 as a processing device 60. The right laboratory work module 56c comprises a barcode reader 66 as a processing device 60.

[0130] On the front side of the base or work module frame 46, above the upper cross strut 50, a first transport device 68 is arranged, which is explained in more detail in connection with Figure 4. The first transport device 68 is a feed transport device 68, whose first transport path 70, which runs parallel to the x-direction and is also a feed transport path 70, leads past all three laboratory work modules 56a, 56b, and 56c, so that the first transport device 68 can transport a laboratory object to each individual laboratory work module 56a, 56b, and 56c of the work module level 40.

[0131] The incubator 58 is loaded and unloaded with laboratory items, in the present case with microtiter plates, by the gripper 62, wherein the gripper 62 removes laboratory items from the first receiving device 72 of the first transport device 68 and places them on a loading frame 74 that can be extended from and retracted into the incubator 58, or removes laboratory items from the loading frame 74 and places them on the first receiving device 70.

[0132] The middle and left laboratory work modules 56b and 56c each have a second transport device 76, which is explained in detail below.

[0133] In Figure 4, the first transport device 68 is shown in isolation.

[0134] A first transport device carrier 78, which supports the other components of the first transport device 68, can be attached to a front upper cross member 50 of the base and work module frame 46. The first transport device carrier 78 carries on its upper side a guide rail 80 running parallel to the x-direction, which guides a first transport base 82 of the first transport device 68 along the first transport path 70. The guide rail 80 defines the first transport path 70.

[0135] The transport base 82 is guided on the guide rail 80 by means of rolling elements.

[0136] The first transport base 82 is further clamped to a rotating belt 84 of a first transport drive 86 of the first transport device 68 in the form of a belt drive. An electric motor 88 of the first transport drive 86 drives the belt 84 in one of two opposite directions of rotation, depending on the drive direction of the electric motor 88, and thus moves the first transport base 82 and, with it, the first receiving device 72, which is rigidly connected to the first transport base 82, along the first transport path 70.

[0137] The first receiving device 72 comprises, as an outer receiving device, a receiving frame with a base 72a, with legs 72b projecting therefrom at each longitudinal end of the base 72a, and with leg ends 72c angled toward one another at each longitudinal end of a leg 72b remote from the base 72a. An inner region 73 of the outer first receiving device 72, designed as a receiving frame, is free of material of the first receiving device 72.

[0138] On the sections of the base 72a, the legs 72b, and the leg ends 72c facing the interior, a support surface 75a, 75b, and 75c is formed (the support surfaces 75b and 75c are present twice, but are only visible once in Figure 4 due to the chosen perspective). The individual support surfaces 75a, 75b, and 75c form a first support surface arrangement 77 lying in a common plane, on which a storage surface of a laboratory object can rest in contact.The more solid and in particular thicker sections 79a, 79b and 79c of the base 72a, the legs 72b and the leg ends 72c, which are located radially outside the support surfaces 75a, 75b and 75c with respect to the material-free inner region 73, as the components of the first support device designed as a support frame, form form-locking elements which prevent a relative displacement of a laboratory object placed on the first support surface arrangement 77 in two spatial directions that are orthogonal to one another and parallel to the first support surface arrangement 77 and thus hold a laboratory object placed on the first support surface arrangement 77 in the plane of the support surface arrangement 77.

[0139] Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the laboratory work module 56b with the pipetting device 64 as the processing device 60 in isolation.

[0140] The laboratory work module 56b in Figure 5 has a base plate 90, which can be connected to the struts 50 and 52 on the top side of the base and work module frame 46 and thus fixed to the frame. The base plate 90 can be designed differently for different laboratory work modules, such as the laboratory work modules 56a, 56b, and 56c, depending on the requirements of the processing device 60 to be arranged thereon or on it and, if applicable, other functional devices. However, the base plates 90 of the laboratory work modules 56a, 56b, and 56c have essentially the same dimensions in the x-direction and also essentially the same dimensions in the y-direction.

[0141] The bridge support 63 is fixed to the base plate 90, spanning the base plate 90 in the width direction, i.e., in the x-direction. A cross member 63a of the bridge support 63 carries the pipetting device 64 with a plurality of pipetting channels 92, eight in the illustrated example, arranged side by side in the x-direction. The pipetting channels 92 extend along respective channel axes K, which run parallel to the z-direction. For the sake of clarity, only one of the eight parallel channel axes K is shown in Figure 5. In the preferred embodiment shown, the pipetting channels 92 are only movable together and only along the channel axis K, so that the pipetting channels 92 can only be brought closer to and removed from the base plate 90 at the location of their arrangement.This simple kinematics of the pipetting device 64 enables a very simple construction of the pipetting device 64 with only one movement guide for all pipetting channels 92, which can be carried out very precisely with little effort due to the single degree of freedom of movement along the channel axis K.

[0142] In the illustrated embodiment, the pipetting device 64 has its own control device 94, which controls the operation of the pipetting device 64. The control device 94 can operate as a slave control device 94 in cooperation with a higher-level master control device of the laboratory arrangement 10.

[0143] On the longitudinal side of the base plate 90 facing away from the viewer in Figure 5, a second transport device 96 is attached. This second transport device is a delivery transport device 96 that delivers laboratory items to the pipetting device 64 for carrying out pipetting processes. The second transport device 96 is movable along a second transport path 98 or delivery transport path 98. The second or delivery transport path 98 is defined by the path of a guide rail 100 of the second transport device 96. The first and second transport devices 68 and 96 together form a transport arrangement 99 (see Figures 12 and 13).

[0144] The second transport device 96 has a second receiving device 102, which is a receiving arrangement 104 with a first delivery receiving device 104a and a second delivery receiving device 104b. Analogous to the first transport device 68, the second receiving device 102 is movably guided on the guide rail 100 along the second transport path 98 via a second transport base 106, which is roller-based in the example shown, and is coupled to a belt 108 of a belt drive 110, which can be driven by an electric motor 112 in two opposite directions of rotation for movement while entraining the second transport base 106 and the second receiving device 102. The electric motor 112 and the belt drive 110 form a second transport drive 114.

[0145] The second receiving device 102 can be raised and lowered in the z-direction from the position shown in Figure 5 to carry out a transfer movement, which will be explained in more detail below. For this purpose, the second transport base 106 has a transfer drive 116 comprising an electric motor drive 118, a vertically extending guide rail 120 that can be displaced together with the second transport base 106 along the second transport path 98, and a belt 122 of a transfer belt drive 124 that can be driven in opposite directions of rotation by the electric motor drive 118. A transfer base 123 (see Figures 6, 7, 12, and 13) is guided on the guide rail 120, preferably with rolling element bearings, and is coupled to the belt 122 for joint movement. The second receiving device 102 is directly coupled to the transfer base 123 for joint movement.

[0146] On the longitudinal side of the base plate 90 facing the viewer of Figure 5, closer to the longitudinal end of the base plate 90 having the electric motor 112, two essentially identical vertical guides 126 of a respective vertical laboratory object lift 128 are fixed to the base plate 90. The vertical guides 126 pass through an opening 130 through which the respective laboratory object lift 128 can vertically transport laboratory objects as a conveying device from the base module level 38 to the work module level 40.

[0147] In Figure 6, the second receiving device 102 or receiving arrangement 104 with the second transport base 106 and the transfer drive 116 is shown in isolation.

[0148] The first delivery-receiving device 104a has a support surface arrangement 132, which in the illustrated embodiment is formed by four separate support surfaces 134a, 134b, 134c, and 134d. The four support surfaces 134a, 134b, 134c, and 134d are located in the corner regions of the overall surface of the first delivery-receiving device 104a. The support surface arrangement 132 of the first delivery-receiving device 104a is dimensioned such that it can be moved through the interior region 73 of the first receiving device 72 in a direction of movement orthogonal to both the support surface arrangement 77 and the support surface arrangement 132 in opposite directions. Such an orthogonal movement path corresponds to the transfer path or transfer relative movement path TRB running along the z-axis.

[0149] The first delivery receiving device 104a also has a solid plate 135 located radially inward of the four separate support surfaces 134a, 134b, 134c, and 134d. This plate may be rectangular and, as shown in the preferred embodiment, may have rounded corners.

[0150] In the corner areas outside the support surface arrangement 132, projections 136 are arranged orthogonally to the support surface arrangement 132, which secure a laboratory object resting on the support surface arrangement 132 against displacement orthogonal to the transfer relative movement path TRW or parallel to the support surface arrangement 132. For this purpose, two projections 136 are arranged in each corner area so that the two projections 136 can rest against a common component edge of a laboratory object with, in this case, a rectangular base area, such as a microtiter plate.

[0151] The solid receiving plate 135 of the first delivery receiving device 104a can have a functional device 138, such as a heating device, a device for generating a magnetic field, or the receiving plate can be configured as an electrode for generating an electric field. In this way, a laboratory object resting on the first delivery receiving device 104a can be heated or tempered, can be exposed to a magnetic field, for example, to accelerate magnetic or soft-magnetic particles in the laboratory object toward the solid receiving plate 135, to operate a magnetic stirrer in the laboratory object, or to perform detection in an electric field, such as capacitive detection of a liquid surface (CLLD = Capacitive Liquid Level Detection).In contrast to the first delivery receiving device 104a, the second delivery receiving device 104b is not provided with a solid receiving plate 135, but, like the first receiving device 72, is designed as a receiving frame with a free interior. As with the first receiving device 72, which is also designed as a C-shaped receiving frame, the support surface arrangement 140 of the second delivery receiving device 104b is also formed by separate and spaced-apart support surfaces 142a, 142b, 142c, and 142d. However, unlike the first receiving device 72, these support surfaces are not located along the edges of a rectangular base area of ​​the laboratory object to be received, but rather in its corner regions.

[0152] In principle, however, the first delivery receiving device 104a can also have a C-shaped receiving frame under the solid receiving plate 135 with a similar or identical base area to that of the C-shaped receiving frame of the second delivery receiving device 104b.

[0153] The receiving frame of the second delivery receiving device 104b also has a base 144a, from whose longitudinal end regions parallel legs 144b protrude in the same direction. In contrast to the receiving frame of the first delivery receiving device 72, the longitudinal end regions of the legs 144b are not angled toward one another. Like the first delivery receiving device 104a, the second delivery receiving device 104b is an internal receiving device. Due to its external dimensions, the second delivery receiving device 104b is also generally movable through the interior region 73 of the receiving device 72, assuming that the second delivery receiving device 104b can reach the receiving device 72. In fact, the second delivery receiving device 104b is movable through the interior region 173 of the provision receiving device 172 (see Fig. 9), explained further below.

[0154] Also in each corner region of the support surface arrangement 140 of the second delivery-receiving device 104b, in the same way as on the first delivery-receiving device 104a, two projections 136 projecting orthogonally to the support surface arrangement 140 are provided in order to secure a laboratory object resting on the support surface arrangement 140 against displacement parallel to the support surface arrangement 140.

[0155] In the illustrated embodiment, the first delivery-receiving device 104a is connected via an extension arm 146 to the transfer base 123, which is guided along the guide rail 120 and driven by the belt 122, and is thus offset in the depth direction along the y-axis with respect to the guide rail 120. The second delivery-receiving device 104b, on the other hand, is located directly at the depth coordinate (y-coordinate) of the guide rail 120.

[0156] Figure 7 shows a perspective view of the second transport device 96 with its second transport device carrier 148, which can be attached to a longitudinal strut 52 and, if desired, also to a transverse strut 50 of the base and work module frame 46 or to the base plate 90 of the laboratory work module 56b. However, the second transport drive 114 is not shown in Figure 6.

[0157] The movement guidance of the second transport base 106 may differ slightly in Figures 5 and 7 in details that are not important here.

[0158] Figure 8 shows a perspective view of the middle laboratory base module 42b, which in Figure 2 is inserted in the base and work module frame 46 under the laboratory work module 56b with the pipetting device 64.

[0159] The laboratory base module 42b has its own module frame 150, which is installed and secured in the base and work module frame 46. The module frame 150, as the base module frame 150 in the narrower sense for a single laboratory base module 42b or 42c, is also constructed in a truss-like manner using struts.

[0160] The drawer front 28 is the front side of a drawer 152, which can be pulled out of the module frame 150 along the y-axis. Also installed in the module frame 150 are two laboratory object lifts 128, whose push plates 154 can be seen on the top side of the laboratory base module 42b. The push plates 154 are movable parallel to the z-direction by a corresponding conveyor drive and can move stack storage devices arranged in the drawer 152, along with their contents, in and against the z-direction.

[0161] In Figures 9 and 10, a stack storage 156 is shown in perspective, wherein the stack storage in Figure 9 is empty and wherein the stack storage 156 in Figure 10 is populated with a subselection 158 of laboratory items. In this case, the subselection 158 is a second subselection 158 comprising a source container 158a and a pipette tip assembly 158b as laboratory items.

[0162] Figure 11 shows how the stack storage units 156 of Figures 9 and 10 can be suspended in side walls 153 of the drawers 152 so that they can then be moved by a laboratory item lift 128 through the opening 130 in the base plate 90 into the workspace of an overlying laboratory work module 56b or another laboratory work module 56. If the specific design of a laboratory work module as a laboratory work module 56a, 56b, or 56c is not important below, the laboratory work module is designated "56" without any lowercase letters.

[0163] The stack storage 156 extends predominantly in the z-direction, parallel to which it is displaced along a displacement path V by the laboratory object lift 128 during operation of the laboratory arrangement 10.

[0164] The stack storage unit 156 has a base 159, which is provided with a central opening to save weight. At the opposite upper longitudinal end, the stack storage unit 156 has a closed, circumferential stabilizing structure 160 with a carrying handle 162 extending through the stabilizing structure 160. An operator can grasp the carrying handle 162 to carry, manipulate, and set down the stack storage unit 156. A stack storage enclosure 164 incompletely encloses the stack storage unit 156 in the circumferential direction around the displacement path V. This enables the second delivery receiving device to engage the stack storage unit 156. On the side of the stack storage unit 156 facing away from the viewer of Figures 9 and 10, a vertical guide rail 166 is arranged, which extends over at least 70% of the height of the stack storage unit 156.During operation, the vertical guide rail 166 cooperates with the vertical guides 126 on the laboratory work module 56b to guide the vertical lifting and lowering movement by the laboratory object lift 128. Using a pin that protrudes orthogonally from the vertical guide rail 166, i.e., in the illustrated embodiment, opposite to the x-direction, which is not shown in the figures, the stack storage 156 can be suspended in a vertical groove 168 of a suspension device 170 arranged on the inside of the side wall 153 of the insert 152 (see Figure 11). Thus, the stack storage 156 can be provided in a laboratory base module 42b or 42c or in any other laboratory base module 42 until it is finally used by a laboratory work module 56 arranged above it, such as the laboratory work module 56b.If the specific design of a basic laboratory module as basic laboratory module 56a, 56b or 56c is not relevant below, the basic laboratory module is designated with "42" without lowercase letters.

[0165] In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in Figures 9 and 10, four receiving structures 171 are arranged consecutively along a stacking axis S, which corresponds to the displacement path V. The receiving structures 171 serve to receive the second sub-selection 158 for reception by the second delivery receiving device 104b of the second transport device 96 in the laboratory work module 56b.

[0166] The identically designed receiving structures 171 have a receiving frame, the shape of which corresponds to the first receiving device 72. This receiving frame is a provision receiving device 172 designed as a receiving frame. The provision receiving device 172, like the first receiving device 72, is an external receiving device. It can cooperate with the supply receiving devices 104a and 104b, preferably with the second supply receiving device 104b, for transferring the provided subselection 158 between the stack memory 156 and the supply receiving device, just as the first receiving device 72 does. What is stated in the present description regarding the interaction between one of the first supply receiving devices 104a and the first receiving device 72 also applies, mutatis mutandis, to a description of the interaction between the second supply receiving device 104b and a provision receiving device 172.Likewise, the description of the first receiving device 72 also applies as a description of the provision receiving device 172.

[0167] In contrast to the first receiving device 72, the provision receiving device 172 has, in its interior region 173, a solid plate 174 projecting from the base 172a of the receiving frame of the provision receiving device 172. Legs corresponding to the legs 72b of the first receiving device 72 are designated analogously by 172b on the provision receiving device 172. The same applies to the leg ends 172c, which are angled toward one another, in relation to the previously explained leg ends 72c.

[0168] For the sake of clarity, not all receiving structures 171 are provided with further reference symbols in detail.

[0169] In Figure 11, inserts 152 are shown pulled out from a base and work module frame 46 counter to the y-direction. The base and work module frame 46 of Figure 11 comprises, for example, more than three laboratory base modules 42, which is readily possible within the scope of the present invention. The laboratory base modules shown in Figure 11 correspond in design to the laboratory base module 42b.

[0170] Operating personnel can therefore pull inserts 152 out of the body 32 from the front 12a of a laboratory arrangement 10, for example to load the inserts 152 by hanging stack storage units 156 in suspension devices 170 on side walls 153 of the inserts 152, and to remove any used sub-selections 158 from the inserts 152. In Figure 11, the frontmost stack storage unit 156 shows how it can be moved along the z-direction, i.e. along a displacement path V not shown in Figure 11, via the push plates 154 (see Fig. 8) which are displaceable in the height direction, i.e. in the z-direction, starting from its hanging position into the laboratory work module 56 located above.

[0171] In Figures 12 and 13, the transfer of a microtiter plate 158c as a laboratory item is a first sub-selection 157 from a set of laboratory items comprising the microtiter plate 158c as a target vessel, the source vessel 158a and the pipetting tip assembly 158b, which is required for performing a pipetting task by the pipetting device 64.

[0172] In the earlier state of Figure 12, the microtiter plate 158c is in contact with the first receiving device 72, which has moved the microtiter plate 158c into a transfer area 176 along the first transport path 70. In the transfer area 176, a transfer of the microtiter plate 158c from the first receiving device 72 to the first delivery receiving device 104a, or vice versa, is possible. When the first receiving device 72 is in the position associated with the transfer area 176 along the first transport path 70, the first receiving device 72 forms a transfer station 178 for a transfer of the microtiter plate 158c from the first receiving device 72 to the first delivery receiving device 104a.

[0173] The second transport device 96 has been moved along its second transport path 98 into a position in which the first delivery receiving device 104a, which cooperates with the first receiving device 72 for transferring the microtiter plate 158c, is located below the inner region 73 of the first receiving device 72 covered by the microtiter plate 158c, such that a movement of the first delivery receiving device 104a allows it to be moved through the inner region 73 along the transfer relative movement path TRB in the vertical direction, carrying the microtiter plate 158c along with it. During this movement, the microtiter plate 158c, which rests only on the first support surface arrangement 77, is lifted off the latter. The support engagement of the microtiter plate 158c with the first receiving device 72 is thus released.At the same time, a support engagement of the microtiter plate 158c with the support surface arrangement 132 of the first delivery receiving device 104a is established.

[0174] Figure 12 shows a situation before a transfer of the microtiter plate 158c from the first receiving device 72 to the first delivery receiving device 104a, in which the second receiving device 102 with the receiving arrangement 104 comprising the first and second delivery receiving devices 104a and 104b is in the fully lowered position along the transfer relative movement path TRB.

[0175] Figure 13 shows the transfer area 176 with a receiving arrangement 104 completely raised along the transfer relative movement path TRB, wherein the first delivery receiving device 104a completely traverses the inner area 73 of the first receiving device 72 in the vertical direction along the transfer relative movement path TRB and in the process has lifted the microtiter plate 158c from the first receiving device 72 while establishing a support engagement with the first delivery receiving device 104a as described above.

[0176] The vertical position of the first receiving device 72 is unchanged in Figures 12 and 13, since a movement along the first transport path 70 is the only degree of freedom of movement of the first receiving device 72 or the first transport device 68.

[0177] A transfer of the microtiter plate 158c from the first delivery / receiving device 104a to the first receiving device 72 proceeds in the reverse movement sequence, i.e., the first delivery / receiving device 104a, with the microtiter plate 158c resting thereon, is moved over the first receiving device 72 provided in the transfer area 176 and then lowered along the transfer relative movement path TRB through the inner area 73, wherein the microtiter plate 158c remains in contact with the first support surface arrangement 77, establishing a support engagement. This type of transfer of a microtiter plate 158c between the first delivery / receiving device 104a and the first receiving device 72 is referred to in the present application as a stripping transfer, regardless of the transfer direction.

[0178] After the receiving arrangement 104 has been moved out of the extension area of ​​the first receiving device 72 along the second transport path 98, it is lowered along the transfer relative movement path TRB.

[0179] In principle, a transfer of the second sub-selection 158 with the source container 158a and the pipette tip assembly 158b as the laboratory items of the second sub-selection 158 mutatis mutandis between the second delivery receiving device 104b and the provision receiving device 172 proceeds in the same way as the transfer of the first sub-selection 157 or the microtiter plate 158c between the first delivery receiving device 104a and the first receiving device 72.

[0180] The receiving arrangement 104 or the first delivery receiving device 104a can be lowered along the transfer relative movement path TRB relative to the first receiving device 72 to such an extent that the first delivery receiving device 104a, with the microtiter plate 158c resting thereon, can be moved along the second transport path 98 below the first receiving device 72 provided in the transfer area 176. This ensures that the first receiving device 72 can be moved along the first transport path 70 regardless of whether the first delivery receiving device 104a is loaded and regardless of its position along its second transport path 98. Furthermore, a microtiter plate 158c resting in engagement with the first delivery receiving device 104a can be moved as desired along the second transport path 98.

[0181] As indicated in Figures 14 and 15, the pipetting device 64 pipettes from its pipetting channels 92 into the microtiter plate 158c as the source container, while the latter rests on the first delivery receiving device 104a. As a result, mobility of the pipetting channels 92 only along their pipetting channels K, which in the illustrated embodiment run parallel to the z-direction, is sufficient as the sole degree of freedom of movement of the pipetting channels 92. As a result, the pipetting device 64 can be constructed significantly simpler and more cost-effectively while maintaining the same positioning accuracy of its pipetting channels 92.

[0182] In Figure 14, a second sub-selection 158 with a plurality of source containers 158a and a plurality of pipette tip assemblies 158b is received on the second delivery receiving device 104b and is in supporting engagement therewith. The second sub-selection 158 received on the second delivery receiving device 104b was previously picked up by the now empty supply receiving device 172 of the stack storage 156 raised along its displacement path V parallel to the z-direction, i.e., transferred from the supply receiving device 172 to the second delivery receiving device 104b by a transfer movement of the second delivery receiving device 104b.

[0183] In the example shown, the empty provision receiving device 172 is the third provision receiving device 172 from the top in the stack storage 156. In Figure 14, this is located in a provision area 180, in which a transfer of the second sub-selection 158 from the delivering provision receiving device 172 to the receiving second delivery receiving device 104b is possible. The stack storage 156, together with the laboratory article lift 128, forms a provision station 182, in which a desired second sub-selection 158 can be provided in the stack storage 156 for transfer from the stack storage 156 to the receiving arrangement 104.

[0184] Due to the uniform design of the first receiving device 72 and the supply receiving device 172, and due to the uniform design of the installation surfaces of the sub-selections 157 and 158, the first transport device 68 can also transport second sub-selections 158 in a transferable manner, and the stack storage 156 can convey first sub-selections 157 in a transferable manner. By using the second receiving device 102 with the receiving arrangement 104 comprising the two supply receiving devices 104a and 104b, a set of laboratory items required to perform a pipetting task, consisting of the source container 158a with the dosing liquid to be pipetted held therein, the pipetting tip arrangement 158b, each with eight disposable pipetting tips 184, and the microtiter plate 158c as the source container, can only be configured in the work area 186 of the pipetting device 64.

[0185] A pipetting process in the working area 186 of the pipetting device 64 of the laboratory work module 56b is shown in Figure 15.

[0186] The pipetting tip arrangement 158b is provided with eight disposable pipetting tips 184 arranged side by side parallel to the x-direction such that the disposable pipetting tips 184 can be coupled to the eight pipetting channels 92, which are also arranged side by side parallel to the x-direction. For this purpose, a coupling longitudinal end 184a is provided pointing toward the longitudinal end of the pipetting channel 92.

[0187] Therefore, the second sub-selection 158 is first moved into the working area 186 of the pipetting device 64 so that the pipetting device 64 can couple the disposable pipetting tips 184 of a pipetting tip arrangement 158b to the pipetting channels 92. Subsequently, a source container 158a is moved below the dispensing openings of the coupled disposable pipetting tips 184 so that the pipetting device 64 can aspirate dispensing liquid from the source container 158a.

[0188] The microtiter plate 158c is then moved beneath the disposable pipette tips 184 received on the pipette channels 92, so that the pipetting device 64 can dispense dosing liquid aspirated into the disposable pipette tips 184 into individual wells 188 of the microtiter plate 158c. The wells 188 are arranged in a matrix-like manner in the microtiter plate 158c in a known manner, in the example shown in an 8 x 12 matrix. Therefore, dosing liquid can be dispensed simultaneously, row by row, into one of the twelve well rows of eight wells 188 each. After use, the disposable pipette tips 184 can be returned to their delivery receptacle and decoupled from the pipette channels 92. Alternatively, disposable pipetting tips 184 can be ejected from the pipetting channels into a waste container after use through the opening 130 or through another opening in the base plate 90.The waste container can be provided in a laboratory base module 42b located below the laboratory work module 56b. The second transport device 96 can be moved one row spacing between two dispensings, so that a subsequent dispensing can be performed into a new row of eight wells 188.

[0189] After the pipetting task has been performed, the microtiter plate 158c, now filled with dosing liquid, can be transported by the second transport device 96 by means of the first delivery-receiving device 104a and by the first transport device 68 into a further laboratory work module 56b, for example into a laboratory work module 56a with an incubator 58.

Claims

Claims 1 . Laboratory module (56), comprising a) a pipetting device (64) for aspirating and dispensing liquids, b) a set of different laboratory items (158a, 158b, 158c), comprising a source vessel (158a), a target vessel (158c), and a pipetting tip arrangement (158b) with at least one pipetting tip (184) as different laboratory items (158a, 158b, 158c), and c) a delivery transport device (96) movable along a delivery transport path (98) for transporting laboratory items (158a, 158b, 158c) at least into the working area (186) of the pipetting device (64), wherein the delivery transport device (96) is designed to remove a first subselection (157) comprising one or two different laboratory items (158c) from the source vessel (158a), to transport the target vessel (158c) and the pipetting tip arrangement (158b) from a transfer station (178) of the laboratory module (56) into the working area (186) of the pipetting device (64),and is further configured to transport a second sub-selection (158), comprising a laboratory article (158a, 158b) not contained in the first sub-selection (157) from the source vessel (158a), the target vessel (158c) and the pipetting tip arrangement (158b), from a supply station (182) different from the transfer station (178) into the working area (186) of the pipetting device (64).

2. Laboratory module (56) according to claim 1, characterized in that the transfer station (178) and the provision station (182) are located at a distance from one another along the delivery transport route (98).

3. Laboratory module (56) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the transfer station (178) comprises a feed transport device (68), wherein the feed transport device (68) is is designed to transport a sub-selection (157) from the first and the second sub-selection (157, 158) into a transfer area (178) in which the feed transport device (68) and the delivery transport device (96) are designed to transfer a transported sub-selection (157) at least from the feed transport device (68) to the delivery transport device (96).

4. Laboratory module (56) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the provision station (182) comprises a conveyor device (128), wherein the conveyor device (128) is designed to convey a sub-selection (158) from the first and the second sub-selection (157, 158) into a provision area (180) in which the conveyor device (128) and the delivery transport device (96) are designed to transfer a transported sub-selection (158) at least from the conveyor device (128) to the delivery transport device (96).

5. Laboratory module (56) according to claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the feed transport device (68) is designed to transport the one sub-selection (157) from the first and second sub-selection (157, 158) into the transfer area (178), and that the conveyor device (128) is designed to convey the other sub-selection (158) from the first and second sub-selection (157, 158) into the preparation area (180).

6. Laboratory module (56) according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the delivery transport device (96) has a delivery receiving arrangement (104) for receiving a sub-selection (157, 158) for transporting the sub-selection (157, 158) by the delivery transport device (96), wherein (1) the feed transport device (68) has, as a device cooperating with the delivery transport device (96), a feed receiving device (72) for receiving the sub-selection (157) for transporting the sub-selection (157) by the feed transport device (68), wherein the feed-receiving device (72) is a receiving device cooperating with the delivery-receiving arrangement (104) for the transfer of the subselection (157) from the feed-receiving device (72) to the delivery-receiving arrangement (104), or / and (2) the conveyor device (128) has, as a device cooperating with the delivery transport device (96), a provision receiving device (172) for receiving the sub-selection (158) for transporting the sub-selection (158) by the conveyor device (128), wherein the provision receiving device (172) is a receiving device cooperating with the delivery receiving arrangement (104) for transferring the sub-selection (158) from the provision receiving device (172) to the delivery receiving arrangement (104), wherein at least one receiving component (72, 104, 172) from the delivery receiving arrangement (104) and the receiving device (72, 172) cooperating with the delivery receiving arrangement (104) is drivable for a transfer movement, wherein the delivery receiving arrangement (104) and the receiving device (72, 172) are so physically different,that the delivery-receiving arrangement (104) and the receiving device (72, 172) cooperating with the delivery-receiving arrangement (104) are movable past each other along a transfer relative movement path (TRB) caused by a transfer movement of the at least one receiving component (72, 104, 172), wherein the transfer movement cancels a receiving engagement of the sub-selection (157, 158) with the receiving component (72, 104, 172) delivering the sub-selection (157, 158) and establishes a receiving engagement with the receiving component (72, 104, 172) receiving the sub-selection (157, 158).

7. Laboratory module (56) according to claim 6, characterized in that the one receiving component (72, 104, 172) from the delivery receiving arrangement (104) and the receiving device (72, 172) cooperating with the delivery receiving arrangement (104) has, as an outer receiving component, a receiving frame which surrounds a free inner region (73, 173) of the outer receiving component. runs, wherein the respective other receiving component (72, 104, 172) from the delivery receiving arrangement (104) and the receiving device (72, 172) cooperating with the delivery receiving arrangement (104) has a receiving carrier as the inner receiving component such that a relative movement of the inner receiving component along the transfer relative movement path (TRB) past the outer receiving component is a relative movement of the receiving carrier through the inner region (73, 173) of the receiving frame.

8. Laboratory module (56) according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the delivery receiving arrangement (104) has two delivery receiving devices (104a, 104b) each designed to receive a sub-selection (157, 158) for transport by the delivery transport device (96), which are jointly movable along the delivery transport path (98).

9. Laboratory module (56) according to claim 8, characterized in that a first (104a) of the two delivery receiving devices (104a, 104b) is designed to transfer the one sub-selection (157) from the feed receiving device (72) to the first delivery receiving device (104a), and that a second (104b) of the two delivery receiving devices (104a, 104b) is designed to transfer the respective other sub-selection (158) from the provision receiving device (172) to the second delivery receiving device (104b).

10. Laboratory module (56) according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the first and the second delivery receiving device (104a, 104b) are each designed as an outer receiving device and each have a receiving frame which runs around a free inner region of the outer receiving device, or that the first and the second delivery receiving device (104a, 104b) are each designed as an inner receiving device and have a receiving carrier such that a relative movement of the inner receiving device along the transfer relative movement path (TRB) past the outer receiving device there is a relative movement of the receiving carrier through the inner region (73, 173) of the receiving frame, wherein the provision receiving device (172) and the feed receiving device (72) are each designed as an inner receiving device when the first and the second delivery receiving device (104a, 104b) are each designed as an outer receiving device, and wherein the provision receiving device (172) and the feed receiving device (72) are each designed as an outer receiving device when the first and the second delivery receiving device (104a, 104b) are each designed as an inner receiving device.

11. Laboratory module (56) according to one of claims 7 to 10, including claim 7, characterized in that the receiving carrier has a C-shaped or an O-shaped configuration and / or has a solid plate (135).

12. Laboratory module (56) according to one of claims 7 to 11, characterized in that at least one receiving device (104a) has a thermal and / or electrical and / or magnetic functional device (138) acting on the sub-selection (157, 158) received thereby or cooperating with the pipetting device (64) of the laboratory module (56).

13. Laboratory module (56) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pipetting device (64) has at least one pipetting channel (92) extending along a channel axis (K) which is movable exclusively along the channel axis (K).

14. Laboratory module (56) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first sub-selection (157) comprises the target vessel (158c) and that the second sub-selection (158) comprises the source vessel (158a) and the pipette tip arrangement (158b).

15. Laboratory module (56) according to one of the preceding claims, including claim 12, characterized in that the pipetting tip arrangement (158b) comprises at least one electrically conductive pipetting tip (184) and that the delivery-receiving device (104a) carrying the target vessel (158c) during a pipetting process has an electrode as a functional device (138) which cooperates with the electrically conductive pipetting tip (184) to form an electrical field.

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