Sample tube racks having retention bars
AssigneeAbbott Laboratories
InventorsBrett W. Johnson, Kenneth E. Pawlak, Bryan K. Pawlak
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Sample tube racks having retention bars to retain sample tubes in the racks during processing of the contents of the sample tubes are described. An example rack for holding sample tubes includes a tube holder to hold the sample tubes in a substantially vertical orientation. A retention cover pivotally engages the tube holder at a first end and locks against the tube holder at a second end. The second end of the retention cover pivots relative to the tube holder about an axis that is non-parallel relative to a longitudinal axis of the retention cover while the first end of the retention cover is pivotally captured by the tube holder.
Claims17
-4. (canceled)
A rack for holding sample tubes, comprising:
- a tube holder to hold the sample tubes in a substantially vertical orientation;
- and
- a retention cover to pivotally engage the tube holder at a first end and to lock against the tube holder at a second end opposite the first end, the second end of the retention cover to pivot relative to the tube holder about an axis that is non-parallel relative to a longitudinal axis of the retention cover while the first end of the retention cover is pivotally captured by the tube holder.
A rack for holding sample tubes, comprising:
- a sample tube carrier having a first end and a second end opposite the first end;
- and
- a retention bar having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the retention bar to be removably coupled to the sample tube carrier such that the first end of the retention bar is to align with the first end of the sample tube carrier and the second end of the retention bar is to align with the second end of the sample tube carrier, the first end of the retention bar to pivotally couple to the first end of the sample tube carrier to define a hinged joint, the second end of the retention bar to couple to the sample tube carrier by rotating the second end of the retention bar relative to the first end of the retention bar while the first end of the retention bar is pivotally captured by the sample tube carrier via the hinged joint, the retention bar to interface with a machine.
A rack for holding sample tubes, comprising:
- a sample tube carrier having a first end that includes one of a protrusion or a slot;
- and
- an elongated retention bar to be coupled to the sample tube carrier, the retention bar includes an elongated body having a first end and a second opposite the first end, the first end of the retention bar includes the other one of the protrusion or the slot, the protrusion and the slot to define a hinge when the first end of the retention bar is coupled to the first end of the sample tube carrier, the hinge to enable a second end of the retention bar to couple to the sample tube carrier by rotating the second end of the retention bar relative to the first end of the retention bar while the first end of the retention bar is pivotally hinged with the sample tube carrier via engagement between the protrusion and the slot.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.