US Patent 8221697 Apparatus for lidding or delidding microplate

An automated lidder and/or delidder apparatus to engage and disengage a lid from a microplate is disclosed. The microplate includes a sample area with a plurality of individual wells and a hollow outer frame formed around the sample area, the frame being shaped to include a plurality of openings in its top surface. The lid includes a plate and a plurality of latches formed on the underside of the plate. In the lidding process, the apparatus presses down on the lid to insert each latch through a corresponding opening in the microplate until the latch snaps into engagement with the frame. In the delidding process, the apparatus inserts delidding posts into the openings to disengage the latches from the frame.