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Apparatus for handling biological sample containers comprises a conveyor assembly for conveying containers and a lid handing assembly operable to remove lids from and replace lids onto containers while the containers are in motion on the conveyor assembly. The lid handling assembly comprises a pair

Apparatus for handling biological sample containers comprises a conveyor assembly for conveying containers and a lid handing assembly operable to remove lids from and replace lids onto containers while the containers are in motion on the conveyor assembly. The lid handling assembly comprises a pair of ramps onto which a lid is lifted by a lifting mechanism configured to handle overhanging lids or non-overhanging lids as required. The lid handling assembly may be configured to handle lids of containers of various sizes by altering the ramp spacing. A conveyor assembly comprises a pair of converging rails which carry a pair of jaws operable to carry a container. The convergence of the rails rakes the jaws clamp the container so that it is held tightly in position for micro-arraying to be cared out. The conveyor assembly may be adapted to handle different sizes of container by the provision of holders to hold various container types.

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1. Apparatus for handling biological sample containers each having a lid, the apparatus comprising:a conveyor assembly operable to convey containers between a first position and a second position; and a lid handling assembly operable to remove lids from containers being conveyed from the first posit

1. Apparatus for handling biological sample containers each having a lid, the apparatus comprising:a conveyor assembly operable to convey containers between a first position and a second position; and a lid handling assembly operable to remove lids from containers being conveyed from the first position to the second position, and to replace the lids onto containers being conveyed from the second position to the first position, the containers being in motion while the lids are removed or replaced, wherein the lid handling assembly comprises: a pair of ramps arranged such that in use the conveyor assembly conveys a container between the pair of ramps from the first position to the second position and from the second position to the first position, the ramps sloping upward from lower ramp ends facing towards the first position; and a lifting mechanism operable to engage with the lid of a container as the container is conveyed between the pair of ramps from the first position to the second position and to lift the lid onto the ramps, wherein the lifting mechanism comprises a pair of rotatable rollers, one located in front of each lower ramp end and each roller having an axis of rotation lying within a plane occupied by the ramp and inclined with respect to a plane in which the containers are conveyed, the rollers operable to grip the lid of a container being conveyed between the pair of ramps from the first position to the second position and to feed to the lid over the lower ramp ends. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the pair of rollers is further operable to release the gripped lid once it has been fed over the lower ramp ends so a to drop the lid onto the pair of ramps.3. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the ramps have a length sufficient to accommodate the lids of at least two containers.4. Apparatus according to claim 3, in which the conveying apparatus is operable to convey at least two containers from the first position to the second position between the pair of ramps before conveying either container from the second position to the first position.5. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the lid-handling assembly is removably mounted on the conveyor assembly.6. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the lid handling assembly is configured to handle biological sample containers having the form of Q-trays.7. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the lid handling assembly is configured to handle biological sample containers having the form of omni-trays.8. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the lid handling assembly is configured to handle biological sample containers having the form of petri dishes.9. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the lid handling assembly is configured to handle biological sample containers having the form of well plates.10. Apparatus according to claim 1, and configured to convey, remove lids from, and replace lids onto a plurality of containers simultaneously.11. Apparatus according to claim 1, and further comprising a storage assembly operable to store a plurality of containers, to supply any of the stored containers to the first position for the container to be conveyed to the second position, and to remove the container from the first position after it has been conveyed from the second position to the first position.12. Apparatus for handling biological sample containers each having a lid, the apparatus comprising:a conveyor assembly operable to convey containers between a first position and a second position; and a lid handling assembly operable to remove lids from containers being conveyed from the first position to the second position, and to replace the lids onto containers being conveyed from the second position to the first position, the containers being in motion while the lids are removed or replaced, wherein the lid handling assembly comprises: a pair of ramps arranged such that in use the convey or assembly conveys a container between the pair of ramps from the first position to the second position and from the second position to the first position, the ramps sloping upward from lower ramp ends facing towards the first position; and a lifting mechanism operable to engage with the lid of a container as the container is conveyed between the pair of ramps from the first position to the second position and to lift the lid onto the ramps, and in which the pair of ramps is arranged such that a lid removed from its container sits on the ramps at a height at which a lowest part of the lid engages with a container being conveyed between the ramps from the second position to the first position so that the container pulls the lid down the ramp until the lid falls onto the container. 13. Apparatus for handling biological sample containers each having a lid, the apparatus comprising:a conveyor assembly operable to convey containers between a first position and a second position; and a lid handling assembly operable to remove lids from containers being conveyed from the first position to the second position, and to replace the lids onto containers being conveyed from the second position to the first position, the containers being in motion while the lids are removed or replaced, wherein the lid handling assembly comprises: a pair of ramps arranged such that in use the convey or assembly conveys a container between the pair of ramps from the first position to the second position and from the second position to the first position, the ramps sloping upward from lower ramp ends facing towards the first position; and a lifting mechanism operable to engage with the lid of a container as the container is conveyed between the pair of ramps from the first position to the second position and to lift the lid onto the ramps, and, in which the lid handling assembly further comprises one or more retainers operable to retain a lid on the pair of ramps until the lid is replaced on a container. 14. Apparatus according to claim 13, in which the one or more retainers comprises a movable abutment on at least one of the ramps of the pair of ramps which inhibits a lid or lids on the pair of ramps from sliding down the ramps.15. Apparatus according to claim 13, in which the one or more retainers comprise a spring-loaded hinged arm arranged above the pair of ramps and biased to push downwardly on a lid held on the ramps.16. Apparatus for handling biological sample containers each having a lid, the apparatus comprising:a conveyor assembly operable to convey containers between a first position and a second position; and a lid handling assembly operable to remove lids from containers being conveyed from the first position to the second position, and to replace the lids onto containers being conveyed from the second position to the first position, the containers being in motion while the lids are removed or replaced, wherein the lid handling assembly comprises: a pair of ramps arranged such that in use the conveyor assembly conveys a container between the pair of ramps from the first position to the second position and from the second position to the first position, the ramps sloping upward from lower ramp ends facing towards the first position; and a lifting mechanism operable to engage with the lid of a container as the container is conveyed between the pair of ramps from the first position to the second position and to lift the lid onto the ramps, and in which each ramp comprises a lower ramp portion having a first gradient and an upper ramp portion having a second gradient. 17. Apparatus according to claim 16, in which the lower ramp portion has a steeper gradient than the upper ramp portion, to provide rapid initial lifting of a lid.18. Apparatus according to claim 16, in which the upper ramp portion has a steeper gradient than the lower ramp portion, to encourage a lid to slide down the ramps under gravity.19. Apparatus for handling lids of biological sample containers, comprising a lid-handling assembly operable to remove lids from containers as the containers are conveyed through the assembly in a first direction and to replace the lids onto the containers as the containers are conveyed through the assembly in a second direction, the containers being in motion while the lids are removed or replaced, and the assembly being removably mountable on a conveyor assembly operable to convey biological sample container, wherein the lid-handling assembly comprises:at least one pair of ramps arranged such that a container may be conveyed between a pair of ramps, the ramps sloping upwardly in the first direction from lower ramp ends; and a lifting mechanism associated with each pair-of ramps and operable to encage with a lid of a container as the container is conveyed in the first direction between the pair of ramps and to lift the lid onto the pair of ramps, and in which, when the lid-handling assembly is mounted on a conveying assembly, the at least one pair of ramps are arranged such that a lid removed from its container sits on a pair of ramps at a height at which a lowest part of the lid encages with a container being conveyed between the pair of ramps in the second direction so that the container pulls the lid down the pair of ramps until the lid falls onto the container. 20. Apparatus according to claim 19, in which each ramp of the at least one pair of ramps has a length sufficient to accommodate the lids of at least two containers.21. Apparatus according to claim 19, in which the lid handling assembly further comprises one or more retainers operable to retain a lid or lids on a pair of ramps until the lid or lids is replaced on a container.22. Apparatus according to claim 21, in which the one or more retainers comprises a movable abutment on at least one of each pair of ramps which inhibits a lid or lids on a pair of ramps from sliding down the pair of ramps.23. Apparatus according to claim 19, in which each ramp of the at least one pair of ramps comprises a lower ramp portion having a first gradient and an upper ramp portion having a second gradient.24. Apparatus according to claim 23, in which the lower ramp portion has a steeper gradient than the upper ramp portion, to provide rapid initial lifting of a lid.25. Apparatus according to claim 23, in which the upper ramp portion has a steeper gradient than the lower ramp portion, to encourage a lid to slide down a pair of ramps under gravity.26. Apparatus according to claim 19, in which the lid handling assembly is configured to handle biological sample containers having the form of Q-trays.27. Apparatus according to claim 19, in which the lid handling assembly is configured to handle biological sample containers having the form of omni-trays.28. Apparatus according to claim 19, in which the lid handling assembly is configured to handle biological sample containers having the form of petri dishes.29. Apparatus for handling biological sample containers each having a lid, the apparatus comprising:a conveyor assembly operable to convey containers from a first position to a second position and from the second position to a third position; and a lid handling assembly operable to remove the lids from containers being conveyed from the first position to the second position, and to replace the lids onto containers being conveyed from the second position to the third position, the containers being in motion while the lids are removed or replaced, wherein the lid handling assembly comprises: a pair of ramps arranged such that in use the conveyor assembly conveys a container between the pair of ramps from the first position to the second position and from the second position to the first position, the ramps sloping upward from lower ramp ends facing towards the first position; and a lifting mechanism operable to encage with the lid of a container as the container is conveyed between the pair of ramps from the first position to the second position and to lift the lid onto the ramps, and in which the pair of ramps is arranged such that a lid removed from its container sits on the ramps at a height at which a lowest part of the lid engages with a container being conveyed between the ramps from the second position to the third position so that the container pulls the lid down the ramp until the lid falls onto the container. 30. Apparatus according to claim 29, in which the first, second and third positions are arranged such that containers are conveyed from the second position to the third position via the first position.31. Apparatus according to claim 29, and further comprising a release mechanism operable to release a single container from a plurality of containers stored in a first storage cassette removably mounted on the apparatus and to locate the single container at the first position.32. Apparatus according to claim 29, and further comprising a transfer mechanism operable to transfer a container from the third position into a second storage cassette removably mounted on the apparatus.33. Apparatus according to claim 29, in which the lid handling assembly is configured to handle biological sample containers having the form of well plates.34. Apparatus according to claim 29, and configured to convey, remove lids from, and replace lids onto a plurality of containers simultaneously.35. An arraying apparatus comprising:an arraying surface; a first container handling apparatus, for handling biological sample containers containing colonies, comprising: a storage assembly operable to store containers, deliver containers to a first pick-up position, and remove containers from the first pick-up position; a first conveyor assembly operable to convey containers between the first pick-up position and a first arraying position on the arraying surface; and a first lid-handling assembly operable to remove lids from containers as they are conveyed from the first pick-up position to the first arraying position and to replace the lids onto the containers as they are conveyed from the first arraying position to the first pick-up position, the containers being in motion while the lids are removed or replaced; a second container handling apparatus, for handling well plates, comprising: a well plate release mechanism operable to release well plates from a first storage cassette containing a stack of well plates and to deliver them to a second pick-up position; a second conveyor assembly operable to convey well plates from the second pick-up position to a second arraying position on the arraying surface and from the second arraying position to a return position; a second lid-handling assembly operable to remove lids from well-plates as they are conveyed from the second pick-up position to the second arraying position and to replace the lids onto the well-plates as they are conveyed from the second arraying position to the return position, the well-plates being in motion while the lids are removed or replaced; and a well plate loading mechanism operable to transfer well plates from the return position into a second storage cassette; and a head carrying a plurality of arraying pins operable to move over the arraying surface, pick up samples from containers in the first arraying position and deposit the samples in well plates in the second arraying position. 36. A method of handling biological sample containers each having a lid, the method comprising:conveying a container with a lid from a first position; removing the lid from the container whilst the container is in motion; conveying the container without its lid to a second position; conveying the container without its lid from the second position; replacing the lid onto the container whilst the container is in motion; conveying the container with its lid back to the first position, in which: the lid is removed by conveying the container in a forward direction between a pair of ramps provided with a lid lifting mechanism operable to engage with the lid as the container passes through the ramps and to lift the lid onto the ramps; and the lid is replaced by conveying the container in a reverse direction between the pair of ramps so that the container engages with an edge of the lid on the ramps and pulls the lid down the ramps until it falls onto the container.