Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6221317
-
Patent Number
6,221,317
-
Date Filed
Friday, April 30, 199925 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, April 24, 200123 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 422 100
- 422 102
- 422 109
- 220 507
- 220 527
- 206 372
- 206 382
- 206 383
- 206 443
- 206 562
- 206 563
- 206 564
- 206 486
- 211 706
- 211 601
- 211 71
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A pipette tip box assembly having a universal format capable of accommodating a wide variety of different pipette tip arrays. The footprint of the pipette tip box portion of the assembly is fixed to a standard (SBS) specification for microplates making the tip box compatible with the wide variety of hardware that is currently being used in automated microplate processes. The tip box portion of the pipette tip box incorporates an asymmetrical distribution of deck plate locking pins on the upper surface to retain pipette receiving deck plates having various arrays of openings thereon. The pipette tip box cover of the assembly utilizes an interlocking feature for mating pipette tip boxes within a stack of such boxes. This feature provides enhanced stability of large stacks of pipette tip boxes that are frequently required for automated processes.
Description
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention provides a pipette tip box capable of accommodating a variety of different pipette tip configurations.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Pipette tips are typically small, plastic, cylindrical devices that are utilized for aspirating and dispensing variable liquid volumes. The length, diameter and shape of the tips vary in accordance with an individual manufacturer's specifications. Due to variations in pipette tip size, the boxes in which the pipettes are packaged and stored also varies.
The pipette tip industry has not, at this time, adopted standards with respect to the dimensions of pipette tip boxes or the bases of these boxes (footprints). Because of these variations, pipette tip box manufacturers are required to fabricate new molds in which to cast boxes that will accommodate the various pipette tip configurations. This would require each manufacturer to assume the cost involved with building molds capable of casting newly designed pipette tip boxes.
What is thus desired is to provide a universal pipette tip box design that provides a format capable of accommodating a wide variety of different pipette tip configurations.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention provides a universal pipette tip box having a format capable of accommodating a wide variety of different pipette tip arrays.
The interior portion of the box base possesses an open architecture that allows pipette tip manufacturers to package
24
,
96
,
384
or
1536
tips in a variety of physical arrangements within the box. This provides pipette tip manufacturers with flexibility in packing tips, and also decreases production expenses.
The interior of the box base is molded into a grid-like pattern, thus enabling the box to have vastly enhanced physical rigidity over conventional box designs.
The footprint of the box is fixed to a standard specification set for microplates (SBS standard). Because of compliance with standards, boxes of the present invention are compatible with the wide variety of hardware that is currently being used in automated microplate processes. This allows pipette tip end-users to incorporate the new tip box into their current procedures without purchasing additional processing equipment.
The box bases possess an asymmetrical distribution of deck plate locking pins providing the end-users of the pipettes with a visual means of loading pipette tip boxes into automated devices in an appropriate orientation and eliminates any molding variations that might occur in the box base and deck plate. By always forcing the orientation of the deck plate and box base, manufacturing errors are minimized.
The box utilizes an interlocking feature for mating pipette tip boxes within a stack of boxes. This feature provides enhanced stability of large stacks of pipette tip boxes that are frequently required for automated processes.
The present invention provides a universal pipette tip box capable of accommodating a wide variety of different pipette tip configurations, or arrays, thus reducing manufacturing costs, the box also having increased physical rigidity.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
For a better understanding of the invention as well as other objects and further features thereof, reference is made to the following description which is to be read in conjunction with the drawing wherein:
FIG. 1
is an exploded assembly view showing the components of the novel pipette tip box assembly of the present invention;
FIG. 2
is a perspective view of a pipette deck plate which can be used with the pipette tip box of the present invention;
FIG. 3
is a view along line
3
—
3
of
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 4
is a view along line
4
—
4
of
FIG. 2
;
FIG. 5
is a sectional view along line
5
—
5
of
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 6
is a sectional view along line
6
—
6
of
FIG. 1
; and
FIG. 7
illustrates the assembled components of FIG.
1
.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring now to
FIG. 1
, an exploded assembly view of the novel pipette tip box assembly
10
of the present invention is illustrated.
Pipette tip box
10
assembly comprises pipette tip box
12
, deck plate
30
and cover
50
. Pipette tip box
12
of assembly
10
comprises a housing
14
, preferably molded from plastic, having a plurality of hollow, square shaped elongated recesses
16
extending to the bottom lip
19
of tip box
12
. This grid-like design provides the tip box
12
with enhanced physical rigidity over prior art tip box designs and functions to recieve the bottom portion of pipettes inserted into deck plate
30
. Tip box
12
is designed so that a number of pipette tips extending through the bottom surface of deck plate
30
are received in coaligned recesses in tip box
12
. This increased rigidity is significant since it allows tip box
12
to withstand the high pressures that pipette tip boxes are subject to during various automated processes. It should be noted that although twenty four recesses
16
are shown, either fewer or greater number of recesses can be provided depending upon system requirements. In addition, the recesses can have different shapes, such as rectangular, circular, etc.
The upper surface
20
of tip box
12
has a plurality of deck plate locking pins
22
,
24
,
26
,
28
and
31
, asymmetrically positioned therearound as illustrated. This feature provides the end-users of the pipettes with a visual means of loading pipette tip boxes into automated devices in a proper orientation and minimizes any molding variations that might otherwise occur in the tip box
12
and deck plate
30
. By forcing the deck plate
30
and tip box
12
to be orientated in a particular direction, manufacturing errors are minimized. This enables high throughput processing since pipette tip box mishandling will be minimized.
Pipette deck plate
30
comprises a thin, rectangular shaped plastic lid member having holes
40
,
42
,
44
,
46
and
48
. When assembled, pin
22
of tip box
12
extends into hole
40
of deck plate
30
, pin
24
extends into hole
42
, pin
26
extends into hole
44
, pin
28
extends into hole
46
and pin
31
extends into hole
48
. The deck plate
30
is thus friction engaged to pipette tip box
12
releasably securing the two members together. It should be noted that deck plate
30
of the same predetermined shape and dimensions can be designed with
96
,
384
or
1536
pipette supporting holes
49
, depending upon user requirements thus effectively making the pipette tip box universal in function and use. The top surface
52
of pipette tip cover
50
has interlocking members formed thereon to allow for mating a pipette tip box with a stack of similar boxes. This feature provides enhanced stability of large stacks of pipette tip boxes that are frequently required for automated purposes.
The interlocking mechanism comprises four upwardly extending posts
60
, preferably located at the corners of top surface
52
, and a pair of cross-shaped protrusions
62
.
FIG. 2
is a more detailed view of deck plate
30
. It should be noted that the drawing illustrates the hole layout in a simplified format—as shown more clearly in
FIG. 3
, the hole arrangement is a series of repeating equal spaced holes formed in rows and columns and positioned over a recess
16
in tip box
12
.
FIG. 4
is similar to
FIG. 3
but shows a different pattern of holes
49
overlying recess
16
.
FIG. 5
is a cross-sectional view showing the interlocking mechanisms
60
and
62
.
FIG. 6
is a sectional view of the base of pipette tip box
12
, and illustrates vertical extending walls
70
separating recesses
16
and vertically extending receiving chambers
72
.
FIG. 7
illustrates assembled pipette tip boxes
10
in a stacked array. Correct and stable stacking is accomplished by having the interlocking mechanisms of one array interact with the box placed on top of cover
50
.
In particular, posts
60
(
FIG. 7
) extend into corresponding chambers
72
and cross-shaped members
62
fit into the adjacent portion of the grid pattern formed on the bottom surface
78
of tip box
12
.
In operation, the user first selects a deck plate
30
having the number of holes corresponding to the desired number of pipettes. The selected deck plate
30
is then secured to the pipette box
12
via locking pins
22
,
24
,
26
,
28
and
31
, the pipette tips then loaded into holes
49
therein and the cover
50
then placed over the deck plate
30
. A pipette tip
80
is shown positioned in the deck plate
30
for illustrative purposes.
While the invention has been described with reference to its preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teaching of the invention without departing from its essential teachings.
Claims
- 1. A pipette tip box assembly comprising:a tip box comprising a bottom member having first and second surfaces and a plurality of outside walls extending upwardly from said bottom member and terminating in edges having support surfaces thereon, a plurality of locking members being formed on selected ones of said support surfaces, and a plurality of internal walls extending upwardly from said bottom member forming a plurality of internal recesses; and a plate member of a predetermined shape and having first and second surfaces, a first set of holes extending through said plate member and positioned towards the outer perimeter of said plate member first and second surfaces, said locking members extending into coaligned holes in said first set of holes, a second set of holes for supporting pipette tips extending through said plate member first and second surfaces being formed in the remaining surface area thereof.
- 2. The pipette tip box assembly of claim 1 wherein said locking members releasably secure said tip box and said plate member together.
- 3. The pipette tip box assembly of claim 1 wherein said plate member has N holes, with N being greater than 1.
- 4. The pipette tip box assembly of claim 3 wherein said plate member has M holes, M being greater than N.
- 5. The pipette tip box assembly of claim 1 further including a cover member having a first surface and a plurality of sidewalls extending therefrom, a plurality of post members extending upwardly from the first surface of said cover member.
- 6. The pipette tip box assembly of claim 5 wherein said post members are positioned adjacent each corner of said cover member.
- 7. The pipette tip box assembly of claim 6 wherein said first surface of said cover member has a plurality of shaped protrusions formed thereon.
- 8. The pipette tip box assembly of claim 7 wherein said post members extend into receiving chambers formed in the bottom of another pipette tip box assembly stacked thereon.
- 9. The pipette tip box assembly of claim 8 wherein said shaped protrusions fit into corresponding shaped recesses formed in the bottom surface of said another pipette tip box.
US Referenced Citations (8)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
296 07 444 |
Aug 1997 |
DE |