Pipette Tip Stacking Tray

A stack of at least first and second pipette tip trays, each of the first and second pipette tip trays comprising:

• a deck having first and second opposing longitudinal side edges;
• a plurality of shaft apertures configured to support a plurality of pipette tips, each of the plurality of shaft apertures having a first size or shape configured to receive a shaft of one of the plurality of pipette tips and the plurality of shaft apertures being arranged into a plurality of longitudinal rows on the deck between the first and second side edges;
• and
• a plurality of tip apertures, each of the plurality of tip apertures having a second size or shape that is different from the first size or shape and configured to receive a distal tip end of one of the plurality of pipette tips the plurality of tip apertures being arranged into a plurality of longitudinal rows on the deck with at least one of the plurality of longitudinal rows of tip apertures being located between an adjacent pair of longitudinal rows of shaft apertures,
• wherein the stack is configured such that the first pipette tip tray is positioned above, and is rotated relative to, the second pipette tip tray such that the first side edge of the first pipette tip tray vertically aligns with the second side edge of the second pipette tip tray, the second side edge of the first pipette tip tray vertically aligns with the first side edge of the second pipette tip tray, and the plurality of shaft apertures of the first pipette tip tray vertically aligns with the plurality of tip apertures of the second pipette tip tray.

A stack of at least first and second pipette tip trays, each of the first and second pipette tip trays comprising:

• a deck having first and second opposing longitudinal side edges;
• a plurality of shaft apertures configured to support a plurality of pipette tips, each of the plurality of shaft apertures having a first size or shape configured to receive a shaft of one of the plurality of pipette tips, and the plurality of shaft apertures being arranged into a plurality of longitudinal rows on the deck between the first and second side edges;
• and
• a plurality of tip apertures, each of the plurality of tip apertures having a second size or shape that is different from the first size or shape and configured to receive a distal tip end of one of the plurality of pipette tips, and the plurality of tip apertures being arranged into a plurality of longitudinal rows on the deck with at least one of the plurality of longitudinal rows of tip apertures being located between an adjacent pair of longitudinal rows of shaft apertures,
• wherein an outer one of the plurality of longitudinal rows of shaft apertures adjacent the first side edge is positioned closer to the first side edge than an outer one of the plurality of longitudinal rows of shaft apertures adjacent the second side edge is positioned relative to the second side edge,
• the stack being configured such that the first pipette tip tray is positioned above, and is rotated relative to, the second pipette tip tray such that the first side edge of the first pipette tip tray is vertically aligned with the second side edge of the second pipette tip tray, and the second side edge of the first pipette tip tray is vertically aligned with the first side edge of the second pipette tip tray.

A method of stacking at least first and second pipette tip trays, each of the first and second pipette tip trays having a deck with first and second opposing longitudinal side edges, a plurality of shaft apertures on each respective deck of the first and second pipette tip tray, each of the plurality of shaft apertures having a first size or shape configured to receive shafts of a plurality of pipette tips, and a plurality of tip apertures on each respective deck of the first and second pipette tip trays, each of the plurality of tip apertures having a second size or shape that is different from the first size or shape and configured to receive distal tip ends of the plurality of pipette tips, the method comprising:

• positioning the first pipette tip tray above the second pipette tip tray;
• rotating the first pipette tip tray relative to the second pipette tip tray so that the first side edge of the first pipette tip tray vertically aligns with the second side edge of the second pipette tip tray, and the second side edge of the first pipette tip tray vertically aligns with the first side edge of the second pipette tip tray;
• and
• advancing the first pipette tip tray toward the second pipette tip tray such that the distal tip ends of the plurality of pipette tips residing in the plurality of shaft apertures of the first pipette tip tray are received by the plurality of tip apertures of the second pipette tip tray.