Mobile Tip Waste Rack

Abstract

A method of wasting tips in an automated processing module is disclosed, which includes at least three positions for holding sample racks. One of the positions is a tip waste rack position holding a tip waste rack, which includes tip receiving openings. Furthermore, it includes a SWAP rack holding mechanism for temporarily holding a sample rack. The method includes transferring the tip waste rack from the tip waste rack position to an adjacent sample rack position. Once the tip waste rack is placed in the adjacent sample rack position, the error pipette tip is discarded into one of the tip receiving openings of the tip waste rack. Following this, the tip waste rack is transferred back to the tip waste rack position. The sample rack temporarily placed in the SWAP rack holding mechanism is transferred from the SWAP rack holding mechanism to the adjacent sample rack position.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A processing system comprising:
 a processing module comprising at least three positions for holding sample racks, at least one sample rack comprising sample tubes holding a liquid sample located in one of said at least three positions;   at least one tip waste rack comprising tip receiving openings located in another of said at least three positions;   a rack holding mechanism;   at least one processing tube, a pipette head for transferring samples from a sample tube to a processing tube and a transfer mechanism for transferring the tip waste rack from said position holding the tip waste rack to a position adjacent to the position holding the sample rack.   
     
     
         2 . The processing system of  claim 1 , further comprising a computer controller. 
     
     
         3 . The processing system of  claim 1 , wherein said tip waste rack comprises an identifier and wherein said tip waste rack is identified upon loading or unloading by an identification device for reading said identifier comprised in the processing module. 
     
     
         4 . The processing system of  claim 3 , wherein said loading and unloading is tracked by a computer controller. 
     
     
         5 . The processing system of  claim 1 , wherein said empty rack holding position comprises a transport mechanism or a sample rack position. 
     
     
         6 . The processing system of  claim 1 , wherein said pipette head comprises at least two interfaces for engaging with pipette tips. 
     
     
         7 . The processing system of  claim 1 , wherein the number of tip receiving openings and interfaces for engaging pipette tips are identical. 
     
     
         8 . The processing system of  claim 1 , wherein the tip waste rack has the same dimensions as the sample rack.