Special receptacle or package – For plural rodlike articles
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-04
2001-02-27
Shoap, Allan N. (Department: 3727)
Special receptacle or package
For plural rodlike articles
C134S084000, C134S16600C, C206S562000, C211S074000, C220S507000, C422S105000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06193064
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to devices used in analytical chemistry assays and, more particularly, to plates for holding vials used in analytical chemistry assays.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Analytical chemistry laboratories use a variety of different sized and shaped vials for different types of experimental assays, including sorbent assays, high-throughput screening assays, and combinatorial chemistry analysis. In those assays, there is a need to provide support for the vials used. Often, the support is necessary to maintain the vials in an upright position to facilitate chemical reactions, prevent assay fluids from escaping from the vials, enable movement of the vials without disturbing the assay, or meet other experimental considerations. Various vial-holding devices, such as microplates, have been used for assays performed in these laboratories, optionally used in autosamplers. Generally, these devices contain multiple compartments for insertion of and providing support for vials.
Moreover, certain conventional devices will not allow for insertion and support of individual vials, but will only properly support a series of connected vials for microassays. In instances when less than a series of vials are to be used in an assay, these devices prevent the use of the assay or require that the whole series of vials be used, thus, wasting the unused vials of the series.
Generally, vials used in analytical chemistry assays are made of glass or plastic, among other suitable materials. Many of the assays performed in analytical chemistry laboratories require heating or cooling of the vials to simulate in vitro conditions or temperature sensitive experiments, or mimic in vivo conditions. The heating or cooling is usually done using liquids or gases. Often, to heat or cool the vials, the exterior of each vial is immersed in fluids (liquids or gases) having various temperatures, such as in a hot water bath. Some of the conventional vial-holding devices float in water so that they are unstable in a water bath and require the use of other instruments to stabilize them. This requirement can significantly affect the conditions under which an assay is to be performed or it may render useless the results of an assay.
Also, in many assays, uniform heating or cooling of all of the sample vials is desired. Many conventional vial-holding devices do not allow direct contact of all of the vials with the heating or cooling medium, thus preventing uniform changes in temperature within the vials. In addition, many of the conventional devices do not allow for use with volatile solvents because these solvents attack the vial holders.
Devices commonly used for holding vials include blocks, boxes, deep well plates, and microplates, such as well plates and microtiter plates, some of which may use covers. These microplates are generally used for antibody assays, such as ELISA, and can hold 96 or 384 vials or other multiples of, for example, 96. Many of the conventional microplates or vial holders contain specifically shaped compartments which do not allow for insertion of certain types of vials.
Deep well plates are usually made of polypropylene and retro-fitted with glass vials. These plates are often translucent and used in high-throughput drug screening and combinatorial chemistry analysis. Nevertheless, these plates cannot be used with certain volatile solvents.
Thus, there is a need for a vial-holding device which can accommodate individual vials of different shapes and sizes, be used with volatile solvents, maintain its position at the bottom of a water bath, and allow uniform transfer of heat to and from the vials.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To meet this and other needs, and in view of its purposes, the present invention provides a vial plate for holding vials. The plate of the present invention can have varying heights. It can have a fixed height or it can be multi-tiered for adjustable height to support different sized vials. The plate of the present invention can contain a cover for the vials.
A preferred embodiment for the plate of the present invention contains a base plate for holding certain sized vials and spacers that attach to the base plate to increase its height for support of tall vials. The plate of the present invention is constructed of an inert material having a density such that the plate does not float in aqueous liquids. In addition, the vial plate, in combination with a cover having a resilient liner, can accommodate volatile solvents. The vial plate of the present invention contains openings which allow for the flow of thermal energy through the bottom of the base plate.
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J. G. Finneran Associates, Inc.
Merek Joe
Ratner & Prestia
Shoap Allan N.
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