Universal pipette tip box

Details Universal pipette tip box Universal pipette tip box

1999-04-30

2001-04-24

Ludlow, Jan (Department: 1743)

Chemical apparatus and process disinfecting, deodorizing, preser

Control element responsive to a sensed operating condition

C422S105000, C422S105000, C206S562000, C211S060100

Reexamination Certificate

active

06221317

ABSTRACT:

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.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4577760 (1986-03-01), Rainin et al.
patent: 5324482 (1994-06-01), Scaramella et al.
patent: 5622676 (1997-04-01), Lind
patent: 5630988 (1997-05-01), Stolp
patent: 5642816 (1997-07-01), Kelly et al.
patent: 5827745 (1998-10-01), Astle
patent: 5882603 (1999-03-01), Taggart
patent: 6098802 (2000-08-01), Asa et al.
patent: 296 07 444 (1997-08-01), None

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